Homemade Cultured Butter
Hey there! Have you ever thought about making your own cultured butter at home? It's a surprisingly simple process, and the results are absolutely delicious. Plus, you'll end up with some real buttermilk as a bonus! Here's how you can do it:
Items Needed:
- Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer
- Glass Jar to Store Butter
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Ingredients:
- 4 cups high-quality (preferably organic and not ultra-pasteurized) heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons cultured buttermilk or plain unsweetened yogurt with live cultures (or even cultured sour cream or creme fraiche) (I used whole milk organic plain greek yogurt)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
Instructions:
- Culture the Cream: Mix the cream and your chosen culturing agent in a lidded container, I used a large mason jar. Let it sit at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours until it thickens and develops a tangy flavor.
- Chill: After culturing, refrigerate the cream mixture for at least an hour to firm up the butter fat.
- Churn: Whip the chilled cream in a stand mixer until it thickens to the texture of soft whipped cream. Continue until the liquid and butter fat separate.
- Strain: Pour off the liquid (real buttermilk) and transfer the butter to a sieve. Press gently to release excess liquid.
- Wash: Wash the butter repeatedly with very cold water to remove any remaining buttermilk. This helps extend its storage life.
- Add Salt (Optional): Mix in salt or other seasonings if desired.
- Store: Shape the butter as desired, wrap it in wax paper, and store it in the refrigerator for up to a month or freeze for later use.
Now you've got your own homemade cultured butter ready to elevate your recipes! Enjoy the process and the delicious results. Its super easy and a healthier version of traditional butter.
Benefits of Cultured Butter:
- Contain lactic acid-producing bacteria which is a helpful bacterium that helps strengthen the immune system.
- Cultured butter keeps the enzymes that are normall destroyed in pasteurization.