Solitary chicken - need advice

[carrie]

I saw it on the internet, put a tub of cream in a milk bottle and shake, and shake, and shake...

We've been shaking for half an hour now and it still isn't butter.

My arms ache, the children have all been shaking too

shake, shake, shake, shake

Does anyone know how much longer we need to shake (it looked so quick on the internet)

[WitchHazel]

Hi Carrie

It shouldn't take that long.

 

Just check: you are using DOUBLE cream?

And you are not using sterliised/UHT?

 

A quicker way is to put it in your dood processor/blender/mixer if you have one. But you need to keep watch as it changes from thick cream to butter and buttermilk in the blink of an eye, and if your processor is on fast you end up with buttermilk all over the worktop.

 

EDITED to ADD:

And your cream needs to stand out of the fridge for a bit before you start,

[carrie]

I've finnished it, I think it took so long because I didn't allow the cream to come to room temp first. The children are amazed and said, 'it actually looks like butter'

But it's great, will definately do it again when cream is cheap.

[redhotchick]

It's a great way of using up cheap cream isn't it!

[carrie]

I was really pleased with the end result and will make some lemon curd with it. I am now on the look out for reduced cream.

[Ygerna]

Has anyone made butter and then added salt to it? If you have, how did you go about incorporating the salt into it please?

[WitchHazel]

Has anyone made butter and then added salt to it? If you have, how did you go about incorporating the salt into it please?

 

 

I weigh the butter after wasshing it, then add 1 teaspoon per pound of butter. I put the butter in the mixer, turn it on, then sprinkle in the salt. I leave it mixing for quite a few mins, then it's done.

 

Butter needs to be refridgerated for a while before you use it, so the salt "mellows".

[fluffyknickers]

I have some double cream in the fridge I wont be eating so how do I make it into butter - idiots guide please!

 

I have a kenwood chef and other gadgets so can use them!

[redhotchick]

In the Kenwood use your whisk attachment. Keep an eye on it and you will see it suddenly thicken up, and the buttermilk separate. If you're not watching it will start to splash everywhere. Stop the machine, pour the buttermilk into a container, to use for something else. Whisk the butter again to see if any more buttermilk comes out.

Once you are happy that you have butter, bring it together to form a pat and put this in a sieve. Run it under gently flowing COLD water, cutting it through with a knife to remove any remaining buttermilk.

Return it to the bowl and knock it about a bit with a wooden spoon to remove any water.

Add salt now if you like. Refridgerate, and enjoy as required.

The buttermilk can be used to make scones, or in a cheese sauce.

[WitchHazel]

redhotchick is right.

 

I usually put my washed butter back in the mixer and drizzle the salt in while its re-beating. That ensures good distribution. Freshly made salted butter is best left in the fridge for a few hours before eating, as this gives the salt time to mellow into the butter.

 

You can also freeze butter, as long as the cream you are using wasn't originally frozen. Because of the effort involved in clearing up, I buy my cream in bulk and turn 5 litres a time into butter. I then put it into lock n lock tubs and freeze it.

 

Don't forget you can also make your own garlic or herb butter, as an alternative to salting.

 

There is a fab article here:

http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article/113/Making-Butter

[redhotchick]

WitchHazel's tip for bringing the cream to room temperature is a really good one.

It speeds up the process significantly! I've done it from chilled and from room temperature in the last few days.

 

I paid 39p per 300ml tub (reduced price) and got 280g of butter from 2 tubs.

A packet of butter is usually about £1 for 250g. Mine worked out at 70p for 250g, plus I have some lovely buttermilk.

[WitchHazel]

Buttermilk is such a fantastic product.

 

I use it to make Irish soda bread, plus Buttermilk Bread, scones and Delia/s Canadian Butermilk Pancakes http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/canadian-buttermilk-pancakes-with-maple-syrup,1311,RC.html

[Old Speckled Hen]

I love home made butter but it's expensive and I make it for an occasional treat. I don't have a ready source of cheap cream and I feel really guilty using cheap supermarket cream .. all those poor male calves ...

AND the buttermilk is a bonus, lovely for cooking with.

[bluekarin]

I have just made my first batch of butter! Its really yummmmm! I made out of 600ml cream, 364g butter with nearly 200ml buttermilk. The pot of cream was 80p I think so I don't think that is too bad considering I pay about 80/90p for 250g pack butter. So I will most definately be keeping an eye out for reduced full fat cream.

 

I made it in the Kenwood with the K whisk. I does get quite messy, especially when washing the butter. I put a teatowel over the top to stop most of the splashes.