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Prepare Butter: Place unwrapped butter directly into the butter bell lid.
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Add Water: Fill the base of the butter bell with a small amount of cold water to create an airtight seal. Approx 1cm - just enough to touch the rim of the lid when it closes.
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Secure Lid: Close the butter bell tightly to maintain freshness and prevent exposure to external elements.
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Place in Cool Environment: Keep the butter bell in a cool environment, away from direct sunlight or heat, to preserve the butter's consistency.
How does it work and what's the science?
Well, I am no scientist, but I know a good contraption when I see one. It's actually quite simple. Keeping butter in ceramics is insulating as ceramics can retain temperature - (that's why we drink out of ceramic mugs!). Also, the water seal acts to prevent any air getting to your butter. Oxygen is one of the factors that can make your butter go rancid, (ew!).
Salted V Unsalted Butter
You may know that salt is a natural preservative, so salted butter seems like an obvious choice, but you can use either! If you prefer unsalted butter just follow the steps above, but at step 2 add a pinch of salt to the water. Easy!
It's hot/cold where I live. Will it work?
We live in Melbourne where the temps get to 40degC in summer and 0degC in winter. Sure, it gets a little softer in summer and firmer in winter, but it has never melted for us, nor is it ever too hard for spreading. Ceramic is insulating. Here are some testimonials from TikTok users of Butter Bells...
@pearlsandpastries: I live in QLD and use one! It only ever melts in the absolute worst heatwaves. I keep in the pantry where it’s a little cooler.
@Nikki Lea: I have one in qld, in really hot weather I change out the water with really cold daily and store in pantry.
Julie Simmons638 you have to use salted to stop it going off, yes it goes a bit liquid but it's still better than being hard, yes, i live in qld.. rarely have butter in fridge..
Pam Smith my butter goes in the fridge overnight with fresh water, then fresh cold water half way through the day and its ok.. Hot WA kitchen here. if i didn't do this it goes rancid quickly. winter it's fine
Just Taff I have your butter bell. And it’s fine on my bench in Sydney on a 40° day. Love it
I'd love to hear from someone in cooler climates - email me adele@adelemacerceramics.com!
How much can I fill the Butter Bell?
You don’t have to fill the bell completely. You can half fill it and use what you can. As long as there is an airtight seal (using the water), the butter won’t spoil.
Also, water doesn’t need to touch the butter (but it’s ok if it does - remember, water and oil repel each other!). As long as water touches the rim of the lid it’s sealed.
How often do I need to change the water?
I change the water when it get crumbs in it - or about once every 3-5 days. If you're more careful than me and use a clean knife to get the butter out, there is less chance of contaminants in your butter (which can lead to mould - but more on mould below).
How do I wash it?
You can wash your butter bell in the dishwasher, or hand-wash it. Just be mindful of thermal shock. Thermal shock occurs when a material undergoes rapid temperature change, causing different parts of the material to expand or contract at different rates. This can lead to cracking or fracturing of the material, especially in ceramics, glass, and metals. Make sure you bell is dry before adding fresh butter.
My butter went mouldy!
When butter goes moldy it’s pretty gross. The best way to figure out why it’s going moldy is to find out where the problem has started. If the butter itself start going moldy first, then it is probably an airlock issue. Make sure that the water is touching the rim of the bell.
If the rim of your butter bell is going moldy, it could possibly be a butter bell issue itself. As I make butter bells, myself, I have tried and tested many different designs. I have found that if the rim of the bell is unglazed or unsealed it absorbs water. This is why your butter bell starts to go moldy around the rim. The butter belI I use has a food safe sealant on the rim, meaning that water can’t penetrate the Ceramic. However, the butter bells I make for sale now have been glazed on the rim. So any area that is in contact with food or water is sealed with a glaze. I also make sure that any Ceramics I fire are fired to the hottest temperature possible meaning that water cannot penetrate the ceramic. Any other parts of glazed ceramic are sealed with a food, safe sealant.
If you’re unsure if your butter is OK to eat, simply give it a smell. If it’s rancid it will most definitely smell off, and if you’re willing to give it a taste, it should taste unpleasantly sour. At that point it’s time to reach for fresh butter.
I've made some videos here too