Festive Butter Terrine
Layered butter infused with flavour and (optional) flowers; a stunning make-ahead showstopper for your festive table.
Move over ordinary butter, this Festive Butter Terrine is dressed for Christmas. With three beautifully flavoured layers and delicate edible blooms adorning the top, it’s as much a visual delight as it is a taste sensation. Perfect for Christmas entertaining, grazing platters or as a luxurious spread to elevate even the simplest of breads, this terrine is make-ahead friendly and guaranteed to impress your guests before they’ve even taken a bite. If you’re looking for a quick and elegant recipe that screams “holiday luxe”, you’ve just found it.
If these flavours don't speak to you, by all means go with any flavours that do! We have absolutely loads of compound butter recipes on here to use in place of any or all of these. Just look to colours being bright to show the layers. I think a sweet one would be stunning for Christmas as well...hmmmmm leave that with me.
If you plan on making your own butter first, be sure to squeeze out all the buttermilk so you don't get an icy or wet finish on this recipe.
Serving Suggestions
Spread on warm sourdough, brioche or baguette slices
Serve alongside a festive grazing board with cured meats and cheeses
Pair with smoked salmon or trout as a canapé
Add to roasted vegetables or baby potatoes for extra richness
Serve miniature slices with champagne for a chic appetiser
Use as part of a brunch spread (think crumpets, croissants or English muffins)
Offer as an edible gift wrapped in baking paper and tied with festive ribbon
Need
-
Pumpkin Layer
- 200 Grams butter plus some more BUY
- 200 Grams butternut pumpkin, peeled and cubed
- pink salt flakes to taste BUY
- black pepper to taste
-
Red Pepper Layer
- 200 Grams butter BUY
- 1 small capsicum/bell pepper red
- 1 red chilli long, mild
- 2 spring onions
- 1 small Handful leafy green herbs of choice
- pink salt flakes to taste BUY
- black pepper to taste
-
Pesto Layer
- 200 Grams butter BUY
- 1 cloves garlic
- 50 Grams pine nuts
- 1 Handful basil leaves
- 2 Teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- pink salt flakes to taste BUY
Do
- 1
To make the Pumpkin layer add a dollop of extra butter (say 30g) to the Thermomix bowl with the pumpkin and seasoning and chop 6 sec/speed 5.
- 2
Cook 8 min/100°C/speed 1. Tip out into another bowl and allow to cool completely. Rinse and dry the bowl if moving onto another layer, otherwise, continue, but make sure the pumpkin puree and bowl are completely cold.
- 3
Place cubed butter into the Thermomix bowl and chop 5 sec/speed 5. Add all the remaining ingredients and blend 6 sec/speed 6.
- 4
To make the Red Pepper layer, de-seed and dice both the capsicum and chilli. Chop the spring onions into short lengths.
- 5
Place cubed butter into the Thermomix bowl and chop 5 sec/speed 5. Add all the remaining ingredients and blend 6 sec/speed 6. Check it is coming together and repeat if necessary. You do want to get the jewelled effect from the diced peppers, so don't go too hard at it! Set aside.
- 6
To make the Pesto layer, place the garlic clove into the Thermomix bowl and chop 5 sec/speed 5 Scrape down sides of bowl.
- 7
Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until golden, about 5 minutes on a medium heat. Cool.
- 8
Place cubed butter into the Thermomix bowl and chop 5 sec/speed 5. Add all the remaining ingredients and blend 6 sec/speed 6.
- 9
ASSEMBLY
- 10
Line a small loaf tin with either baking paper or cling film. I used paper and wish I had used cling film. It will be easier to get it out of the tin with plastic unfortunately.
- 11
Decide which layer you want on top when it is turned out and start with that layer. Push it into the tin quite firmly and level it off with an offset spatula.
- 12
Repeat with other layers and if you wish to add anything in the middle such as radishes, cut them into longer thinner pieces and press into the middle layer.
- 13
Cover and refrigerate or freeze until you are ready for the big unveiling.
- 14
Slice into thin slices to serve and arrange a few edible blooms on top if you wish. (I now call this Meghan-ing as it is entirely unnecessary but very cute!)
- 15
I will be placing slices of butter on small plates along the table at Christmas so that everyone can see and gain easy access.
Served with
Tenina Holder is a wife, mother of five and grandmother of nine, who started cooking in the olden days before Thermomix was even a thing.
Tenina has become the premium go to source for all Thermomix expertise and of course fresh and easy recipes that work. Her cooking classes and foodie trips are sold out in literally hours, her cookbooks appear on the Australian best seller lists and her social reach is in the millions. Her Insider Club is the most fun you can have with a Thermomix and you really should join her! She believes chocolate, butter and salt are health foods. Her food positivity mantra is, eat everything, just not all at once!
