Cultured Butter

We are not talking about butter that has been well-bred but butter that has been well made! There is nothing like the rich flavor of European style cultured butter.

In the US we are accustomed to sweet cream butter, which is also wonderful, you really can’t go wrong with butter. However, European butter, is made from cream that has had time to culture or ferment, creating a more complex flavor profile.

Did you know you can make cultured butter in your home kitchen? I LOVE making it because it’s part recipe and part science project!

Start by adding buttermilk, the fermentation starter, to cream and mix well.

Cover cream mixture with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours to ferment. Once the cream has cultured, refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, or for best results, overnight.

Pour the cold cream into your electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Cover the mixer with a dishtowel to avoid splatters and turn the mixer on high.  Stay with the mixer and be very careful to keep kitchen towel out of the way of the mechanism.

This is what it looks like just before you get butter.  Keep churning! 

When the water or buttermilk, seeps out of the fat, you have butter!

Drain the liquid off the fat. and wash it with cool water until the water runs clear..  This process is important so the butter will not spoil in a few days time.

Add salt to taste.  I like to use Fleur de Sel because it tastes less briny than regular sea salt.

Butter must be refrigerated and should last for about 2 weeks.

Spread on fresh baked bread, add a little jam and voilà! You have a classic French breakfast!

Stay tuned for the recipe for Quick Apricot Jam, coming tomorrow!

Cultured Butter

4 cups heavy cream

4 tablespoons buttermilk

Fleur de Sel Salt to taste

Add buttermilk to cream and mix well.  Cover and allow mixture to sit out at room temperature for 12-24 hours. Place mixture in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours and up to 2 days.  Pour cream mixture into the mixing bowl of an electric mixer flitted with a paddle attachment and cover edges with a dishtowel to collect splatter.  Start the mixer on slow at first and then increase speed.  Allow mixture to churn until butter clumps and a watery liquid is released.  Pour butter through a cheese cloth to collect the fat.  Return butter to the bowl and wash it with clean cool water pressing the whey out of the butter until the water runs clear.  Add salt to taste.  Store butter in the refrigerator for up to 14 days.