If you’ve taken a peek at Dansk’s Købenstyle line, you’re probably already familiar with the butter warmer—the tiny (we’re talking 0.59-quart capacity), surprisingly versatile pot that rarely leaves our stovetops.
Designed by Jens Quistgaard in 1956, this butter warmer was made for, well, warming butter. Think: melting butter to pour on popcorn, or browning butter for chocolate chip cookies. But it’s good for much more than that. Here are seven of our favorite ways to use this handy piece of cookware—none of which have to do with butter.
1. Warming milk for coffee
I like adding a bit of milk to my coffee, but I get frustrated at how fast it cools down the contents of my cup. The butter warmer is the ideal size for heating up a little bit of milk while my coffee brews.
2. Stovetop garlic confit
A small pan like this is ideal for making something like garlic confit, wherein the cloves are covered entirely in olive oil and cooked very, very slowly. Bonus: The smaller volume of the pan translates to needing less oil to get the job done.
3. Tempering spices
Tempering spices in oil (or ghee) is a way to enhance their flavors while also creating a deeply infused oil, and I’ve found that my butter warmer is the perfect size for the task. When drizzled on top of a dish, this sizzled, spiced mixture—also known as tadka or chhonk—adds crunch, richness, and a ton of flavor.
4. Heating maple syrup
The fastest way to ruin a perfectly good stack of pancakes is to douse it in cold, straight-from-the-fridge maple syrup. Take the extra minute or two to warm the syrup up—you’ll thank yourself later.
5. Single-serving hot chocolate
The Dansk butter warmer also just so happens to be the perfect size for a single mug of hot chocolate. Try this cardamom-infused one, or this non-dairy version from Rebecca Firkser.
6. Simple syrup
If you’re making cocktails for just a couple people, you might not want to make a large quantity of simple syrup. Or, maybe you’re experimenting with infusing your syrups with different flavors and aren’t ready to commit to a whole batch of, say, coffee- or lemon-infused simple syrup. In either case, this pot is just the right size.
7. Serving sauces & condiments
Let’s not forget that this butter warmer is also adorable, with 10 colorways—including two, new limited-edition colors—and a charming, wooden handle. Bring it to the table, and use it as a serving vessel for gravies, sauces, and even condiments like barbecue sauce.
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How do you use the Dansk Butter Warmer? Tell us below!
Anabelle Doliner
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