Thursday 16 June 2011

Recipe of the Week - Homemade Butter

Now wait, don't think I've gone all super-mum on you.

I don't make our own butter every week. Or even once a month. Just occasionally, as a treat.

It is so much easier to make than you might think, and a great way to use up any cream that you have in which might be on the turn.

If I ever see cream in the reduced section of the supermarket, as it is going out of date, then I will buy it for butter. As a bonus, you also get the Buttermilk from it. Perfect for making up a wee batch of scones to partner with your butter.



You will need double cream for this, which I think is known as heavy cream in the US? The quantity doesn't matter.

OK, let's get started.


~Pour your cream into a free-standing mixer. The free-standing part is not essential but it will save your arms! This also works best if you have a 'K-beater' but I'm pretty sure it would still work with a normal beater.



~Start mixing your cream, like though you were just whipping it up as normal.



~The difference is that you keep on beating it after it reaches that lovely thickness that would be so nice with strawberries. This is where it starts to feel wrong - all those years of trying not to over-beat your cream! It starts to look thicker and almost grainier.



~Keep on beating and beating and then suddenly the magic happens. It splits into two parts, the butter and the buttermilk.




~Just a bit more beating now, until the butter has all come together in a smooth lump.



~Now you need to pour the buttermilk into a separate dish/bowl/jug to use for something else. Put the butter into a clean bowl.



~Because there will still be a little bit of buttermilk left in the butter, which will cause your butter to go rancid, you now need to wash it out. All you have to do is pour on some clean, cold water and squeeze the butter with your hands. You should see some more of the white buttermilk coming out. 



~Tip out the 'dirty' water then pour over some more clean stuff. You should do this a few times, maybe about 5 or so, until you can see the liquid is clearer.


~Add a sprinkling of salt, if you like, and shape your butter to how you want it.



~You should store it in the fridge, but take it out for a while before serving, to make spreading a bit easier!


Don't give any thought whatsoever to the fat content!

Although, in my opinion, it's so pure, and you know exactly what you are eating, unlike margarines with their di-whatevers and everything else in them!

And don't forget to make the scones. 

6 comments:

  1. Looks like so much fun, Kirsteen! We should make up a batch too!

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  2. Wow, tha mi impressed!!

    And to think I threw out double cream only today because it was going off, pah :/

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  3. WOW! I really thought it was a lot more complicated than this! And I ALWAYS throw cream away, because I never use it all. And I LOVE butter! Can you see how excited I am?! Hehe. Seriously, thank you for posting this!!

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  4. Kirsteen! I seriously love this post, it made me feel warm and fuzzy inside like I was reading a modern-day version of Little House on the Prairie! I loved reading about how pioneers used to make butter in their churns, etc. but I never imagined you could do it so easily nowadays! Wow! Impressive! I don't have a stand-alone mixer, I simply have the Kitchenaid one you hold in your hand, and it has two whisks that beat at one time -- would that do the trick, too?

    Thanks for sharing! I loved this! And you're right, butter without all the extra junk added is simply better and a ton healthier! There is nothing like good ole' butter and I'm sure this is even better than the butter I buy in the store! :) -- Rachel

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  5. I can't believe it's that simple! Where have you been all my life?!

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  6. We've just been going over this for a lesson on how cheese and butter is made and where milk comes from!! The children have enjoyed seeing how you did it and we'll try it maybe this afternoon, if the rain lets up and we can get to the wee shop for cream. How I miss the reduced counters! Great post. x

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