Beurre Manie is best described as a thickener composed of what?

• A. Equal parts sugar and flour
• B. Equal parts butter and sugar
• C. Equal parts water and flour
• D. Equal parts soft butter and flour

Answer: (D)

Beurre manié is a finishing thickener formed by blending equal parts soft butter and flour until smooth. The fat coats the flour so it won’t lump when whisked into a hot sauce or soup, allowing you to thicken quickly and achieve a glossy, smooth texture. It’s used at the end of cooking to adjust consistency without having to cook a roux first. This differs from a slurry, which is flour mixed with liquid, and from a roux, which is flour cooked with fat before adding liquid. It’s specifically sugar-free and uses soft butter with flour in equal parts to control thickness smoothly as it melts into the sauce.