These instructions will take you through the process of making butter by whipping cream into whipped cream and continuing to process to extract buttermilk and finally make butter.
There is more information here than there are steps to do all of this so if you will read the whole post first, you'll see how easy this is, but you are basically learning to make all three of these things at once. There are only a handful of simple steps to go from heavy cream to butter but the more you know, easier it will go.
Homemade butter is delicious and fun to make. In some states it is still illegal to sell non-homogenized milk so you will find it difficult at the least to buy any milk straight from a cow. If you are fortunate enough to live in an area where you are able to obtain fresh milk from a cow you can make butter right from that milk. Unfortunately the homogenization process of milk renders it useless for making butter, but you can use heavy whipping cream. From HWC you can make whipped cream by using sugar and processing for a short period of time or you can make buttermilk and butter by using salt instead and processing longer.
You will need a large bowl and salt to flavor the butter unless you prefer unsalted butter. You can leave it out in that case. You may also like to try to fold certain seasonings into your butter to make flavored butters. Folding rosemary into the butter while it is still soft (before refrigerating) will make a nice flavored butter for bread rolls. This butter is an old fashioned (Cracker Barrel) style butter. It is very soft when you make it, but it will stiffen in the refrigerator. If you would like for the butter to be more of a soft spread or margarine, you can blend an oil (olive, coconut or vegetable oil is fine) into the soft butter before putting away in the refrigerator. This should keep the butter somewhat softer, like a spread. If you'd like to keep the butter as pure butter (cream and salt) then simply take it out of the refrigerator and allow it to soften with room temperature before you think you will be needing it. Sometimes I take a spoonful out when I start cooking and by the time dinner is ready and the rolls are on the table the butter is a bit softer. Adding the seasonings (honey, garlice, rosemary, lavender, etc...) make wonderful additions to your own homemade butter. Adding garlic or any favorite meat seasoning will make a nice butter for topping steaks and chops.
SUPPLIES: Heavy Cream Salt (or sugar for whipped cream) Large Plastic Bowl Electric mixer INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Pour heavy cream in the large bowl. 2. Using the electric mixer, beat the cream on low for a couple of minutes. 3. Raise the speed to medium and continue to mix. (This just keeps it from spattering you as it thickens) ** To make butter, you will be mixing the cream for about 10-15 minutes raising the speed as it thickens. You will notice that the cream begins to thicken and rise. At this point you are making whipped cream. If you want to make a sweet dessert whipped cream, you use sugar instead of salt and you add the sugar before you start whipping. Don't whip it as long, only long enough to see it create peaks like you are used to seeing in whipped cream. If you are making butter, just whip the cream and then season with salt last. 4 cups of cream per 1 cup of sugar makes a great whipped cream for desserts. For butter you only add the amount of salt to your liking after you've made the butter but before you have put it in the refrigerator. It's easier to mix in at that point. **
(Picture of whipped cream phase. Perfect in banana pudding!)
4. For making butter, continue to whip the salted cream raising your speed eventually up to high as it thickens. ** You will notice once the cream is whipped thick it will begin to separate and deflate again. The fat in the cream is beginning to coagulate together and make butter. You will notice the fats turning a natural butter yellow. If you would like a very light and easy melting butter you could store it at this stage and use as a whipped cream style butter, but it melts away quickly in this state so if you'd like to have a more stable pure butter continue to whip until you see a new liquid separating out. It will seem like it takes a while, but just keep whipping and eventually this milky looking liquid will separate. This is the whey, also known as buttermilk! Don't throw it away, just keep it in another container in the refrigerator for a few days for your pancakes, biscuits and breads.** 5. As you keep whipping you will see the whey separating from the butter. Drain the whey off and squeeze the butter with your hands in the bowl to help release more of the liquid, draining off the liquid as you go. I simply give it a few squishes by hand and drain and repeat until I have released most of the liquid and drained it out.
6. Gather together your butter and place it in a storage dish and spread/pack down. If you want to flavor the butter, you should do it now while it is softened and easy to mix. Once you put this away in the refrigerator it will harden into a pure country style butter, however, room temperature will soften it again when needed.
Now you have the knowledge of making whipped cream, buttermilk and homemade country butter!
There are so many options so enjoy all the many ways you can flavor these concoctions and add them to your meals and desserts.
Enjoy!!