Butter from cream

Ingredients

• heavy whipping cream
• ice-cold water for rinsing
• salt, to taste

Method

1. Take the cream out of the fridge and let it warm to about 16–18 °C; don't microwave it or let it go above 21 °C, or the butter will be soft and sticky.
2. Wash your hands and clean equipment: a butter churn, a lidded jar or a mixer.
3. Churn the cream: first it will become whipped, then grainy, then yellow clumps will appear, after about 8–10 minutes.
4. Stop when thin white buttermilk separates out and firm yellow butter comes together.
5. Pour off the buttermilk and save it for baking or pancakes (use within a couple of days).
6. Rinse the butter in ice-cold water, kneading and squeezing it until the water runs clear: leftover buttermilk quickly spoils butter.
7. Mix in a pinch of salt if you like.
8. Shape into a block, wrap tightly and keep in the fridge.

Tips

• Well-rinsed butter keeps for several weeks.
• Cream that's too cold takes longer to churn; cream that's too warm gives soft butter.
• Herb butter is easiest to mix right after rinsing, while the butter is still soft.

Related topics

🧈 Butter · 🥛 Cream · 🔄 Churning · 🧀 Buttermilk · ⚙️ Butter churn

Sources

• Churncraft — How to make butter
• Wikipedia (en): Churning (butter)

Themes