Jennifer Garner’s Brilliant Hack For Softening Butter

sources: Instagram/@jennifer.garner / Taste of Home

Pretend you’re all set to cook or bake something, and are scanning the recipe in question. All of a sudden, you realize that your recipe calls for softened butter. This may not initially seem like a big deal, until you remember that you forgot to take the butter out of the fridge that morning. You don’t have time to wait hours for the stick of butter to become soft, and zapping it in the microwave will result in a melted puddle, which changes the consistency of the recipe.

source: The Pioneer Woman

So, what do you do? Well, actress Jennifer Garner has the answer. Jennifer Garner is not only one of America’s most beloved actresses, but as it turns out, she also knows her way around the kitchen. She often features hilarious videos on her Instagram page that she labels as her “pretend cooking show.” Her videos are particularly awesome because she doesn’t act like a perfect celebrity, but showcases that she’s a real person, just like everyone else.

In one particularly funny video, Jennifer explains that when baking, she tries to set everything out the night before. But oftentimes, things don’t work out that way. And that’s exactly where her butter hack comes in. When you forget to put out butter to soften, Jennifer explains that all you have to do is grate the stick of butter like you would cheese. This results in a “softened-like” butter that won’t affect the integrity of the dessert or dish you’re preparing.

Want to see Jenn’s butter hack (and her hilarious cooking video) in action? Just click on the video below!

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This time of year it is extra cozy to send kids to school with something warm in their bellies. My kids feel extra cozy about @realbakingwithrose’s chocolate bread. This recipe isn’t crazy sweet and, with a good swish of peanut butter, is just the thing for my early rising middle schooler. You can find the full episode on IGTV. #PretendCookingShow #bangwentthecabinet #😡😩🤦🏻‍♀️wentmybrain #hurryupchristmas🤶🏻 . #TheBreadBible Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bread Ingredients: 3 Tbs plus 1/2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder 3 Tbs boiling water 1/2 Tbs pure vanilla extract 3 large eggs 1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs sugar 3/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 13 Tbs unsalted butter, softened 3 Tbs chocolate mini chips or bittersweet chocolate (chopped) . Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350F. 2. Whisk cocoa and boiling water until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature, then gently whisk in vanilla and eggs. 3. In a mixer bowl, combine cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add half the chocolate paste and the butter and mix until dry ingredients are moistened. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 1 minute to aerate and develop structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gradually add remaining chocolate paste in two batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the bowl. Fold in chocolate mini chips/chopped chocolate. 4. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. 5. Bake for 50-60 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center will read about 200F. (The bread shouldn’t start to shrink from the sides of the pan until after removal from the oven.) 6. Set the bread on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides of the bread and invert onto an oiled wire rack. Reinvert so it is top side up and cool completely.

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