Donning a thick red rubber glove from the Sacred Bag to keep from burning her hand, she took a small cake pan, held it upside down, carefully buttered the exterior surface, then set to work covering it with molten caramel dripped from a spoon.
Along with the annual cow (a Jersey, this year), Sarah Pratt, the fair's official butter sculptor, has already been assigned to create a butter diorama of sorts in honor of the 40th anniversary of Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon — complete with a butter moon surface, a butter astronaut and an American flag of butter.
Make sure you keep your hands and work surface nicely buttered throughout.
The souffle base can be prepared a day in advance and kept in the fridge, the surface covered with buttered greaseproof paper to avoid crusting.
If you want to use all-cocoa-butter chocolate you must temper it well; improper tempering causes streaky cocoa butter to surface.
Freeze and remove butter from surface when it hardens, about 20 minutes, and reserve shrimp-shell liquid under the butter.
Remove lid, scatter vegetable shortening and butter over surface, and pulse 5 or 6 times.
Go for fluffy hot cakes with butter-brushed surfaces and lacy edges.
Keep buttering your hands and work surface if needed.
If the butter is still hard, however, simply distribute the chunks of butter over the surface as evenly as possible to distribute the flavor.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt enough butter to coat surface.
