Batch 1: This was so much easier than I expected. It took a lot of fumbling the first time, but I think once you know the whole process it’d be a breeze.
I let the raw cream sit at room temperature over night on Saturday (cream was purchased on Tuesday, so had also been in the fridge, don’t know if that aging in the fridge does anything). In the morning, measured 1 cup of raw cream and used food processor to whip the cream till it split into granules, and then clumped together into butter.
This happened within 2 minutes — very quick! I wasn’t sure I’d be able to spot the difference between ‘granule’ and ‘clump,’ but it’s pretty obvious when you try it: the buttermilk begins to splash once the butter has clumped.
I used a pair of wooden spoons, soaked in icy cold water, and my cold hands to press out the buttermilk (not as much yield as I was expecting). It’s easier if you use a big bowl, with steep sides. Pour off the buttermilk and save for some other project, like bread.
Rinse the butter in cold water. This picture shows the 2nd or 3rd wash – keep going till the water runs clear (about 4 changes of water). At this point, I found it easier to just to use my hands, though you do end up with really cold hands.
Press as much water out of the butter to finish. Salting will help the finished butter last longer, so if you want to do that: spread the butter thin and spread salt in an even layer (1/4 tsp per 4 oz butter). Mix thoroughly by folding and pressing butter with the wooden spoon (or cold hands, keeping your hands wet will help too).
1 cup of raw heavy cream, yielded 4 oz. butter and a tbpn or so of buttermilk.
what katie's baking
April 8, 2011
i found you from joy’s website!
i think it’s awesome that you made butter… i would be way too scared to accomplish such a big task… but you’ve given me some courage!
Within Season
April 9, 2011
Oh – you should so totally try it! It’s so tasty and easy. I’m using cream from a raw milk dairy* which thickens on its own as it sits in the fridge and by the weekend it’s almost hard to do anything else with it. (Raw milks don’t age the same way that pasteurized milk does)
i hear that you can put things like rose water into the final wash to give the butter a slight flavor before using in other recipes. Gonna have to try that one of these days!
*raw isn’t necessary, it’s just what’s available to us.
sheila @ Elements
April 17, 2011
It’s fun making our own butter, isn’t it! :) Yours looks very pretty! My grandmother used to make it. I have these vague memories of a butter churn. Wish I had one. When I make mine I just shake the cream in jar, and it’s just so amazing to see it turn to butter and even more amazing to taste it!! :)
Within Season
April 20, 2011
Yeah, I’ve heard of that! I tried the jar approach first, but didn’t get a good separation of butter and buttermilk. I wonder why? I had about 1/2 c. cream in a pint jar, and it thickened, but didn’t separate.