Buzz
Graham crackers reign supreme in the world of crumb crusts, but they wouldn't be able to hold together pies, cheesecakes, and tarts without the steadfast support of their loyal partner, butter. This essential fat acts as both a binder, helping sugar and crumbs adhere, and a flavor enhancer, while also serving as the conductor of heat to set the crust during baking. It's a match made in heaven, but there's a way to take it even further: Brown your butter beforehand.
Browning butter is a straightforward method of cooking butter in a pan for roughly 10 minutes until the milk solids develop a golden-brown hue. Once browned, remove it from the heat and use it for cooking, dipping bread, or—of course—stirring it into your crumb crust. It's an easy process, but the flavor it brings is extraordinary. While butter is naturally rich in flavor, browning it takes that to the next level, offering an intensified richness with notes of nuts and caramel, perfectly complementing graham crackers or other cookie crumbs.
For the ultimate browned butter crumb crust for your dessert, start with your preferred crust recipe, whether it's graham cracker or cookie crumbs. Add a tablespoon or two more butter than usual. Since the browning process evaporates much of the water content, you'll end up with less butter than you began with, so make sure to adjust your measurements accordingly. Cut the butter into pieces to speed up the melting process and place it in a pot or pan over medium heat. While you can use any pot or pan for this, I recommend a stainless steel pan to better monitor the browning, though any light-finished pan will work. As the butter melts, it will begin to steam, bubble, and foam. You can stir or swirl the pan during this stage, but it’s not essential.
As the bubbling calms down, you'll notice the milk solids settle at the bottom of the pan, gradually turning brown. Once the butter reaches a light brown shade, remove it from the heat and pour it into a heat-safe measuring cup to ensure you have the right amount for your recipe. Add it to the rest of the ingredients and continue with the recipe as instructed.
Be cautious, as browned butter can easily burn, so don’t leave it unattended while cooking. I recommend taking it off the heat just before it reaches the desired color, as the residual heat will continue to brown the milk solids. And remember, don’t discard the milk solids! While they may seem like a sticky mess, those toasted bits are packed with flavor. Your finished dessert will have a richer, nuttier butter taste, and soon, you might find yourself adding browned butter to every dessert. This crust pairs wonderfully with cheesecakes, spiced treats, anything with nuts, and chocolate.
