Have you ever had brandy butter--also called hard sauce? It's a delightful combination of butter, sugar, and brandy, with some additional flavoring from vanilla and orange zest, and is traditionally served on top of a warm slice of plum pudding. All that buttery goodness melting into a moist, fruity cake? Sounds yummy to me! Fortunately, it's super simple to make, and can be made weeks in advance!
Jump to:
Want to see our latest recipes? Subscribe to our email newsletter to get our latest recipes, fun food facts, food puns, and behind the scenes news about our blog.
Questions
What to Do When It Curdles
If it curdles, that probably means you've added too much brandy. Mix in some more sifted icing sugar until it becomes smooth again.
How long does it keep?
Store in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
Can you freeze it?
Yes, you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Eat within 1 week of thawing.
Can brandy butter go bad?
Yes, it can go bad. The sugar and alcohol in it will help it not to spoil as quickly as regular butter. If it tastes, smells, or looks strange, then just throw it out. You can prevent it from going bad by storing in the fridge for up to 2-3 weeks, then freeze any leftovers if you need to keep it for longer.
Serving
Any warm, heavy dessert goes well with it. Here are some ideas to get you started, although feel free to experiment!
- Plum pudding
- Mince pies
- Bread pudding
- Toasted bread (try cinnamon swirl bread, stollen, plum bread, or some other sweet bread)
- Cinnamon rolls
How to Make
Grab some icing sugar, butter, vanilla extract, orange zest, and brandy.
Put the butter in a bowl and sift the icing sugar on top.
Beat together until lightened in color and fluffy.
Add the vanilla, orange zest, and brandy a little at a time until you like the flavor. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.
Pro Tips
- Use a mix of salted and unsalted butter. The salt will help cut the sweetness.
- Sift the icing sugar to prevent lumps of sugar.
- Add the brandy gradually until you like the flavor.
- Accidentally add too much brandy? Add more icing sugar and vanilla until you like the taste.
- Tweak the amounts of icing sugar, vanilla extract, and orange zest to your taste.
- Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, then serve it cold with warm plum pudding, mince pies, bread pudding, or other desserts.
- Freeze for up to 3 months. Use within 1 week of thawing.
Serve brandy butter with these delicious desserts.
The pleasure of a 5-star rating would be greatly appreciated.
PrintRecipe
How to Make British Brandy Butter
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 ½ cups (510g) 1x
Description
Brandy butter, a sweet and fluffy blend of butter, sugar, brandy, orange zest, and vanilla, is the traditional accompaniment to plum pudding at Christmas. Just mix together the ingredients in one bowl to make this delicious gluten free brandy butter. Everyone will love this classic sauce with plum pudding, bread pudding, or mince pies during the holidays!
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter, softened (115g)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (85g)
- 1 ¾ cups icing sugar (200g)
- 5-7 tablespoons brandy (73-103 ml)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
Instructions
- Place the softened butter in a mixing bowl. Sift the icing sugar on top, then beat with an electric mixer until fluffy and lightened in color.
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a flexible spatula, then mix in the vanilla extract and orange zest. Mix in the brandy one tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired taste. Taste and add additional sugar, vanilla, or orange zest as desired.
- Serve with hot plum pudding, bread pudding, mince pies, or Christmas cookies. If making ahead, store in the fridge until needed.
Notes
- Use both salted and unsalted butter. The salt helps cut the sweetness, while the unsalted adds a fresher flavor.
- Add the brandy slowly. It's easy to add too much, and then the flavor is overpowering. If you accidentally add too much, simply add more icing sugar and vanilla to balance it out.
- Tweak the flavorings to your taste.
- Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, then serve it cold with Christmas desserts like plum pudding.
- Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, and use within 1 week of thawing.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Whipped
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: Christmas pudding, orange
Beth
This is great with plum pudding. Nice and fluffy. It's soft and creamy, making it the perfect addition to figgy pudding as well. The orange zest adds a nice touch.
Emma
Thanks!