Make Your Own Organic Butter

This recipe makes about 500gm butter and 1/2 litre buttermilk

You will need:

1.2 litres (2 pints) room temperature, unpasteurised or pasteurised organic double cream (the better the cream – the better the butter).

A teaspoon of Pink Himalayan salt (optional) – unsalted butter will go off in 2-3 days, salted will last 2-3 weeks.

Instructions

Pour the double cream into a cold, sterile mixing bowl. If you’re using raw cream and want a more traditional taste, leave it to ripen in a cool place, for 1-2 days. Homogenized cream will still whip, but not as well.

Whisk the cream at a medium speed in a food mixer until it is thick. First, it will be softly whipped, then stiffly whipped.

Continue until the whipped cream separates into butterfat globules (you will see it, so be patient)

Move the mixture into a cold clean sieve and drain well.

The butter remains in the sieve while the buttermilk drains into the bowl.

Put the buttermilk to one side to make soda bread or have it as a nice cold as a drink.

Put the butter back into a clean bowl and beat with the whisk for a further 30 seconds to 1 minute to expel more buttermilk. Remove and sieve as before.

Fill the bowl containing the butter with very cold water.

With clean hands knead the butter to force out as much buttermilk as possible. (This is called washing and needs to be cold otherwise the mixture will liquify)

Drain the water, cover and wash twice more, until the water is totally clear.

Separate the butter in 2 and spread thinly onto greaseproof paper. Sprinkle the salt evenly across each. Shape into Pats or Rolls, wrap in the greaseproof paper or place in a butter dish and sit back to bask in your glory!

Want to liven it up?

Add 2 tablespoons of the following to 110g creamed butter (just mash the butter until it softens) Once mixed with your ingredients reshape and place back in the fridge (You can form it into a roll and cut circles off when needed)

Try Watercress, Parsley, Garlic, Mixed Herbs, Mint, Rosemary, Fennel, Dill, Anchovy or Dijon Mustard.

Have you tried making your own organic butter? Let me know in the comments below.