Cranberry Honey Butter with Orange Zest

Butter softness: If too firm, the mixture won’t whip smoothly; if overly soft, it can look greasy. Aim for butter that yields with a gentle press but isn’t shiny.
Even zesting: Zest only the bright orange skin, avoiding the white pith, which can taste bitter. Finely grated zest disperses flavor evenly.
Cranberry size: Finely chop so the pieces distribute evenly without tearing bread as you spread. Sticky bits can be separated with the tip of the knife before folding in.
Clean mix: Scrape the bowl and spatula as you go to prevent streaks of honey or pockets of unblended butter.
Serving temperature: Set out shortly before serving so the butter softens slightly; this heightens aroma and makes spreading effortless.

See more on the next page