Make Spoiled Apple Brandy Cinnamon Butter Toast
When I first read the words ” vodka with butter ” I was distraught. I couldn’t think of any reason to combine these two things into one until I went to the source. The vodka oil maker is a charming person ( @carolinagelen ) who makes eye-catching dishes on TikTok. After watching her vodka oil videos (and many others), I found her ideas intriguing and I wanted to subscribe to her newsletter.
While vodka oil might seem pointless at first glance, once I saw her pair it with canned fish, beets, and capers, I got it. I like to drink vodka with these things, so why not have vodka with these things? Salt, fat, umami and the clean, astringent vapors of vodka vie for dominance in the palate, creating a complex yet fun party snack.
I went to make vodka oil, but found that I had run out of vodka. I also ran out of gin (juniper flavored vodka) and didn’t feel like running to the liquor store to make compound butter (compound butter that had already been made and reported in detail). I looked around my bar cart: Campari oil? No. Super strong rum oil? Nearer. Applejack butter? There it was, and here it is.
I tried the prescribed ratio of one pack of oil and 1 1/2 ounces of booze, but found it to be too thin. I adjusted my measurements and tried again, settling on a ratio of 1 ounce Applejack to 1 stick of butter. I mixed these two ingredients in a food processor. It was gorgeous, smooth and lush, as promised.
I gave him a lick. It tasted like Applejack—sweet and fruity, with subtle hints of vanilla and baking spice. All this gave way to a burning sensation which had a powerful effect before being suppressed by the fat from the oil. I decided to make cinnamon toast with him. It was a good decision.
I toasted a thick piece of white bread, let it cool a bit, then spread a thick layer of apple butter on it, then sprinkled it generously with cinnamon and sugar. It tasted like a drunken pie. Sugar, cinnamon, butter, and ethanol fought for dominance on my tongue, but in the end, I (the inventor and lover of apple brandy butter) was the winner.
Aside from adjusting the proportions as suggested above, the only thing I want to emphasize is that you need to make sure your oil is completely and completely at room temperature, unless you like clumpy heady oil. I don’t, and I doubt you will either, so leave it on the counter until you can push your finger through without resistance. Once you’ve made your first batch of heady butter, I bet you’ll feel the courage to change the subject. (Please make gin butter and eat it on bread with pickles and olives.)