Just about this time every year the question gets asked, “What gift are you giving?” whether it’s for a teacher, friend, neighbor. This is a wonderful gift. If you don’t believe me, make some… send it to me and see if I complain…at all.
If you don’t believe me, make some… send it to me and see if I complain…at all.
Three great things about this gift:
1. it’s easy to make
2. it’s not expensive
3. it’s butter, need I say more
Yes, these items can turn into the perfect gift. Bake a fresh loaf of bread using this AMAZING recipe from Alice of Savory Sweet Life.
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
- 1½ cup luke warm water
- In medium bowl or Mixer bowl, combine the flour salt and yeast.
- Add water and mix with a spoon or mixer, until all ingredients completely combined.
- Cover bowl and allow it to rest overnight.
- Line baking pan or Le Creuset Pot with parchment paper.
- Flour your hands and scoop the dough into a ball and place it in the baking pan. No kneading necessary.
- Cover the dough with foil or lid if using a Le Creuset Pot.
- Do not preheat the oven.
- You turn the oven on as you are putting the dough into the oven at 450 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Then remove lid and bake another 30 minutes.
- Allow bread to rest 5-10 minutes or the steam inside will make the bread seam soggy when sliced.
I’m hooked on this bread. I’m not sure I want to divulge just how many loaves of bread I’ve made an eaten in the past two weeks. I’ll just say it’s over a dozen 🙂 The bread recipe is very simple. It only takes about a minute to put together, then you let it rest overnight and bake it the next day. No kneading, no double proofing, it’s so easy you just have to make some just so you can say. Wow, it is easy. I love the texture of this bread, it’s like those delicious rustic breads you see in the specialty section of bakeries.
If you aren’t a baker and don’t want to make bread, you can buy a nice loaf of that specialty bread I just mentioned to go along with the butter, or you could just give the gift of butter.
This is no ordinary butter, it’s really delicious. Have you been to a restaurant and been served honey butter with bread before your meal? You know the butter you can’t stop eating. Well that happens to me, I just figure it happens to everyone.
An orange and honey. You’ll need the zest of the orange and a Tablespoon of the juice along with a tablespoon of honey to create this delicious butter.
Orange Honey Butter
1/2 cup butter
1 orange, zested
1 Tablespoon orange juice
1 Tablespoon honey
Whip room temperature butter until it’s smooth and creamy. Add to it the orange juice, zest and honey. Place in 4 oz. glass canning jar and secure with lid. Write on parchment paper the flavor of butter with a permanent marker.
Really if you hand someone this, they won’t be thinking anything but ” How long do I have to wait to eat this?”
I made two other varieties of butter, for some other ideas. Of course feel free to put anything you like into the butter, favorite fruit, herbs or seasonings.
Blackberry Butter
1/2 cup butter
6 Blackberries
1 Tablespoon honey
Puree and strain blackberries, so there are no seeds. (I ended up with 1 Tablespoon blackberry puree) Whip butter and add the blackberry puree along with honey. It’s such a pretty color!
Place in 4 oz. glass canning jar and secure with lid. Write on parchment paper the flavor of butter with a permanent marker.
Jalapeño Cilantro Lime Butter
1/2 cup butter
1 jalapeño (roasted and diced)
1 Lime, zested
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
whip butter until smooth, add to it the diced roasted jalapeño, cilantro, lime zest and lime juice.
Place in 4 oz. glass canning jar and secure with lid. Write on parchment paper the flavor of butter with a permanent marker.
I used Smart and Finals butter for all my gifts and plan on making more. I’ll be saving the Real California Seal for their, Help our Teachers, Help our Kids Program.
The California Milk Advisory Board and Smart and Final have teamed up with the Help our Teachers Help our Kids Program. Cut the “Real California Milk” Seal from select First Street Products like milk, butter, sour cream and ice cream, then teachers submit seals. Each seal counts as one sweepstakes entry. Teachers who submit 100 seals get 25 Scholastic books or $25 school supply gift card. Each teacher entrant gets one Scholastic book. #SmartFinalSupportsSoCalSchools #casealappeal
If you visit the California Milk Advisory Boards website I see there are printable coupons, don’t miss out on those.
This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for collectivebias all opinions are my own, those are priceless.
Haniela says
Diane, I really love these! Flavored butters, who would have thought!
They sound delicious, I especially like the sound or orange honey butter!
Amy @ The Mom Hood says
We are all about homemade gifts this holiday, and I’m definitely going to make some of these recipes. A nice change from baked goods that I usually give.
Sue/the view from great island says
These look great, I love the way you packaged them. Thanks for the easy bread link…easy bread is the only kind for me, so I can’t wait to check it out.
TidyMom says
Diane these sound fantastic!! and look beautiful too!
Candy says
I love making flavored butters too. Great Christmas gift idea!
Jessica says
I’ve never made any “different” type of butter other than what I buy at the store. I’ve just never thought about it!
I like the sound of the Jalapeno Cilantro Lime…oh…I can barely finish it…it just sounds so good!
Diane says
Jessica, it is truly my new favorite. I’ve been slathering it on everything, was really great on steak sandwiches the other day!
betty says
your ideas are great! all of them sound quite delicious and it is something different
Lauren says
I could eat this with a spoon. But that might make things awkward.
Diane says
yes it’s very tempting!
Divya @flavourfiesta says
Diane, I love your collection of butters, especially the cilantro-lime butter. I can’t wait to try it out with my next Mexican meal!
Kenni says
When I was in culinary school and we were making bread everyday this was our favorite thing to do. We made some pretty funky compound butters and this reminds me of then. I may whip up a batch of orange honey butter for myself!
Priscilla - She's Cookin' says
The butters are priceless 😉 Love all the flavors – I’ve been pondering what – of all the great ideas I’ve seen – to make from my kitchen this year and I think you’ve settled it for me!
Maria says
Great gift idea!
Sommer@ASP says
That IS a great gift idea. Love the blackberry honey butter!
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga says
great butters! orange/honey..yum!
and I live in San Diego. I gather you live in the area….cool!
Kathy - Panini Happy says
Fabulous – I was going to be on the hunt for an orange honey butter recipe in a few weeks when I make a few breads for an anniversary party for my parents. Done! 🙂
Paula says
Home-made flavoured butters do make for great gifts. Great stocking stuffers and hostess gifts. All three of your sound wonderful Diane.
Susan says
I made the rustic bread over the weekend, and all I can say is “Oh My!” It will now be a staple in my breadmaking favorites. So simple and delicious. I also plan on trying some variations of the recipe by using a pinch of dry herbs or substituting 1 cup of flour with 1 cup of white wheat flour. Thank you for sharing!
Jillian says
Hello! I found this idea for Christmas gifts, and I just love it! But how did you store the butter? Did you have to keep it in the fridge or was it okay at room-temp. I want to give bread and compound butter to my sibling-in-laws, but we would all be traveling before and after the gift exchange.
Thanks!
Diane says
I placed the butter in the fridge to firm it up. Once it’s set, I think it will be ok at room temperature. I had a jar at room temp for a week and it was fine 🙂
Sarah Pierson says
Can these butters be sealed in jars for future use? How long do these last in the refrigerator? Can they be frozen for future use?
Diane says
I haven’t sealed the jars like people do with canning, but I imagine you could. If you can you most likely know way more than me about it. How long do they last in the refrigerator, at least a month. I have not frozen them, but imagine that would be fine too.
Jackie Riley says
Oh my god this is sooo cute I so want to do this!!! Where can I purchase these jars for cheap
Diane says
These are 4 oz canning jars. They are available at stores like walmart and grocery stores and online. I’m sure with a little searching you’ll be able to price compare.
Leslie says
Non-baker question: are you supposed to leave the bread dough out on the counter overnight or refrigerate it? Just made the blackberry butter, now have to wait for morning for the bread!
Diane says
You leave it out on the counter to rise all night. Putting it in the fridge before it rises will not result in good results.
Leslie says
thanks! it turned out great. found my neighbor holiday giveaway for the year 🙂