INTRODUCTION
The milk bar came up with ways to make desserts seem larger than the sum of their parts: shortcakes, pies, tarts, ice cream, cookies, and croissants somehow became elevated into something more.
Milk Bar basics:
A. Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Make sure both the bowl and paddle are at room temperature (not hot out of the dishwasher or dishwater).
B. Use room-temperature butter (65 to 70 F). Butter that's too warm will make butter soup; butter that's too cold will take twice as long to cream properly.
C. Beat the butter and sugar(s) together on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. This dissolves the sugar while incorporating small pockets of air into the mixture. The air pockets develop as the sugar granules are cut into the butter. This creaming process seals the hard-body bond between your butter and sugar.
D. Use either cold or room-temperature eggs; roomtemperature ones will incorporate more quickly.
E. Add the eggs one by one, waiting for each one to be incorporated before adding the next. Then paddle on high for 7 to 8 minutes. The eggs help to strengthen and emulsify the bond.
F. If the dish calls for vanilla extract, add it with the eggs.
G. If the butter ever begins to separate or turn into soup on you, throw everything into the fridge for 5 minutes, let the butter firm up, and try again.