If you don't like the idea of letting the cream come to room temperature for 4 to 6 hours, I have just left the cream in the fridge for several days and then make the butter before it sours. You can divide the finished butter into quarter pounds and then make four flavored types: add strawberries to 1/4 lb. add finely minced garlic to another 1/4 lb., fresh parsley or mixed fresh herbs to another 1/4 lb. and sun dried tomatoes to the last 1/4 pound, or whatever you like.
Ingredients
- 1 - 1 1/2 quarts heavy cream
- (whipping - or cream with at least 30% fat)
Directions
Ripen the cream by letting it stand at room temperature from 4 to 6 hours. It will thicken and become mildly sour. This procedure helps give the butter a mild, good taste.
Cool cream again in refrigerator.
Pour cream into large bowl. Add a few drops of yellow food coloring if desired. Using an electric mixer, beat at high speed until flecks of butter begin to form. Then turn to low speed until butter separates from milk. Pour off the buttermilk (save it for another recipe).
Add cold water, about as much as there was buttermilk. Let beater run at lowest speed. Pour off water; repeat.
Add a scant tablespoon of salt. Let beater mix it into butter. Remove beaters, scrape off butter with spatula and work out water with a spatula by pressing butter against side of bowl. Be sure to work out all the water.
Mold butter in a butter press or empty it into a container with tightly fitting lid. Store in refrigerator.
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Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: Farm Journal's Country Cookbook
Submitted By: Jean Trenholm
JTrenholm@msn.com
Homemade Butter