DIY Butter

Butter is a staple and an ancient, manufactured food, dating back 4,000 years. However, most butter has been made in factories for the past century.

Making cream is the first step in the classic butter-making process. Little fat molecules float to the surface when whole milk sits, generating a layer of cream that may be skimmed and collected. The fat molecules in the cream are shaken out of position and cluster together when they are stirred up to form butter.

After enough churning, the fat molecules lump together to the point where butter is formed. When this occurs, the fat molecules in the cream have separated from the liquid, which can be removed and turned into buttermilk.

Preparation:

To keep your butter bats or hands from sticking to the butter, soak them in icy water for about 30 minutes.

Fill a chilled, sterilized mixing bowl halfway with double cream. Allow raw cream to ripen in a cool area for up to 48 hours if you want a more classic flavor.

In a food mixer, whisk the cream quickly until it is thick. It will be whipped softly at first, then stiffly. Continue to beat the cream until it breaks down and separates into butterfat globules. Buttermilk separates from butter and sloshes about the bowl.

Drain carefully by straining the mixture through a cool, spotless sieve. The buttermilk drips into the bowl while the butter remains in the sieve. Return the butter to a clean bowl and whisk for another minute to expel any remaining buttermilk. Remove the ingredients and filter them as before.

Fill the butter bowl halfway with ice-cold water. Knead the butter with the butter bats or clean hands to extract the buttermilk. This step is critical because any buttermilk remaining in the butter will sour and spoil rapidly. The butter will liquefy if you handle it too much with warm hands.

Drain the water, cover it, and repeat the process two more times until the water is completely clear.

Cut the butter into slabs and weigh them. Wet butter hands or bats can be used to shape the mixture. To prevent the butter from adhering to the ridges, immerse the butter bats in iced water for a couple of minutes before using. Refrigerate after wrapping in greaseproof or waxed paper. The butter freezes well too.

Does Homemade Butter and Store-Bought Differ in Taste?

Your taste senses may discover that homemade butter tastes better than store-bought butter.

One obvious difference is that you can control the amount of salt used to flavor your butter compared to store-bought butter.

Benefits of DIY Butter:

Heavy cream, salt, and ice water make homemade butter. Store-bought butter, however, has a lot of salt in it, which might raise your blood pressure. Compared to commercially available butter, homemade butter is a healthier source of fats.

When you come to choosing what to put in your butter, you have the option of going natural. This allows you to avoid pesticides, chemicals, and colorings in commercial butter.

Also, butter derived from the cream of grass-fed cows has essential unsaturated fats than store-bought butter.

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