Butter

All of the recipes in this book were tested with Grade AA unsalted butter. During the postwar period in Vienna and the Communist regimes in Budapest and Prague, margarine necessarily was used in baking, but butter has been welcomed back. Butter is preferred not only for taste but for texture; margarine makes greasy pastries and cakes. Unsalted butter also allows the baker to control the amount of salt in the recipe, and as salt can cover up any off flavors in rancid butter, unsalted butter is usually fresher.