After a run-in with a random stranger during dinner at La Buvette one night, I was directed to an article in last week's New York Times magazine on how to make homemade butter and buttermilk. He said it took him 15 minutes and I didn't believe him for a second ... thankfully we didn't bet on it because after having made it myself on Thursday I found that it truly is one of the easiest and quickest recipes I have.
John and I ended up with 2 1/2 cups of homemade buttermilk (great for coffee, tea, as a base for soups and to mix with eggs/quiche instead of cream) and 3 1/2 cups of pure homemade butter. We kept some unsalted for cooking, mixed some with salt for toast and a bit more with honey.
The recipe says to use one of those fine KitchenAid mixers, which we don't have, so I just used a hand-held mixer.
Recipe:
Homemade Butter and Buttermilk from the NY Times
6 cups organic heavy cream
Salt to taste (opitonal)
1. Pour cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk (or pour into a large bowl for your hand-held mixer). Tightly cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap (if using the KitchenAid - you have less control with a KitchenAid and as you'll see, your kitchen will quickly get splattered if you do not cover with plastic - I didn't use plastic with my mixer) and start mixer on medium-high speed. The cream will go through the whipped stage, thicken further and then change color from off-white to pale yellow; this will take at least 5 to 8 minutes. When it starts to look pebbly, it's almost done. After another minute the butter will separate, causing the liquid to splash against the plastic wrap. At this point stop the mixer.
2. Set a strainer over a bowl. Pour the contents of the mixer into the strainer and let the buttermilk drain through. Strain the buttermilk again, this time through a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl; set aside.
3. Keeping the butter in the strainer set over the first bowl, knead it to consolidate the remaining liquid and fat and expel the rest of the buttermilk. Knead until the texture is dense and creamy, about 5 minutes. Strain the excess liquid into the buttermilk. Refrigerate the buttermilk.
4. Mix salt into the butter if you want. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
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4 comments:
I've heard of people putting cream in a jar (with lid!) and letting their kids roll it around for a while and -- voila-- butter. That seems a bit more risky than your method, though, AM.
That sure sounds like a lot more fun though! I'll have to give that one a try with my niece! :-)
wow. that easy. only four long steps.
so i admit i was a naysayer but i have been converted. ambf had a butter making party and i saw just how fun and easy it can be. and delicious!
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