clare* Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 I have made 2 lots of butter this week. I bought the River Cottage Family Cookbook which I love. I've made the butter by putting the cream in a jam jar and shaking!! Everyone seems to like it. I just wondered if their is anything I can buy that will take the hard work out of this My arms are killing me Ive looked on ebay and there are really old and rusty butter chuning gadgets which I would not like to use but a new version would be great. I will be wanting a cow to go along with my chickens at this rate Any Ideas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 I use my handheld electric whisk to make butter and it works really well. Using the slowest setting it will take between 10 and 15 minutes for the buttermilk to seperate from the butter. I tried using a faster setting on the whisk but did not get such good results. Also bought the River Cottage Family Cookbook a couple of weeks ago from WHS and yesterday I saw that it has been reduced to half price . Still a good book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 I think that you might need SuperKate with the Superpants for this one I'm sure I've seen her posting elsewhere about making her own butter Along with the bread to put it on I might add. I'm quite envious, I aspire to things like butter making, but at the end of the day I just don't seem to find the time. Although if I could drag myself away from the forum every so often I might have a better chance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 (edited) Butter making is an absolute doddle with an electric hand whisk! I use mine to make it quite often and it's delicious. Put the cream in a deep bowl (to avoid splatters) and whisk until it begins to separate. Drain off the buttermilk through a sieve and beat the butter again. Drain off the buttermilk again and add a little salt if you like your butter salted. Beat this into the butter then shape either with your hands or with wooden Scotch Hands, pressing out any buttermilk that you can. Save this buttermilk! It makes the lightest, most delicious scones! Edited November 13, 2005 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popcorn Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 I just wondered if their is anything I can buy that will take the hard work out of this A Kitchen hand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 By the way, Kate. I'm having to make bread again by hand as my breadmaker has broken (again ) and it's so theraputic! The bread's really good too - despite my first effort which could have doubled as a house brick ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 Yep! so do I - same as Kate - just about to have some with the home-made bread and home-made (home-grown) chicken liver pate - Yum! Gina - I often have two little slaves to make mine You'll have one as well soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clare* Posted November 13, 2005 Author Share Posted November 13, 2005 Great! I'll try the electric whisk next time. How big a batch do you make in one go Does it keep very long. So far it has been eaten really quickly,but if I use the whisk I can make a bigger batch I've been making my bread by hand as well. I do have a bread machine but it only seems to make bowling balls Thank you everyone for you help on this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 I use a pint carton of double cream and this makes approx 12oz of butter. Sometimes if I can get half price cream from the supermarket I make a big batch split it up and freeze it. Frozen butter will keep for 6 months in the freezer. My block of 12oz lasts me for about a week if I am lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 mmmmm ... home made bread and butter ... yummy dipped in boiled egg! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 (edited) Sorry Red, home made butter and toast with the boiled egg Edited November 13, 2005 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleata Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 not this again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 Sorry, irresistible, but I will stop now (Makes a change from the recurring pants theme though ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clare* Posted November 13, 2005 Author Share Posted November 13, 2005 Right a need a pint then I think I will try and freeze some of it, as a regular block of butter lasts us a couple of weeks. All this talk about toast is making me hungry again. I have just polished off the rest of the rhubarb crumble I made for tea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 (edited) I use Jersey cream from the farm shop It's very nice Clare* you could make the dough in the bread machine and then put it in an ordinary loaf tin to prove for 30 mins and bake for 30 mins - it just takes the hard work out of it. (which is why Carl makes our bread!) Edited November 13, 2005 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 I've never made butter but now hope tio have a go. Sorry to be dim, but when whisking, does it go through a stage of being whipped cream, and then the longer you do it, starts separating? What was the toast reference? Yours, confused of St.Albans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 Forget the toast sheila - stick to bread - it's much nicer than toast (with a boiled egg!) (and don't ask too many questions ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clare* Posted November 13, 2005 Author Share Posted November 13, 2005 What with making the bread by hand,shaking the jam jar to death for the cream, I have muscles in my arm I did not know existed Who needs a gym When you make to butter in the jar,it sloshes about for a while. It then goes very quiet then suddenly there is a lump of butter hitting the sides Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 Sheila - there is a topic called How do you eat yours - best not to look now though Where have you been? Yes, cream will turn to whipped cream and then will separate into butter and buttermilk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 :DThanks for enlightening me, I felt really woolly headed just now! Off to have a look then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 As someone who has never made butter, can I ask a thick question? What are the benefits of making your own butter from shop-bought cream when you could just buy the butter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 Because I can Totally hopless at arty, crrafty things. I enjoy trying out new receipes, sometimes with disasterous results , sometimes with success. My next project is to cure my own bacon. Hubby just goes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 That's all right then. I can fully understand the 'because I can' statement. Though everyone here seems to put me to shame. People I know are always impressed to hear I make my own Christmas and birthday cakes, mince pies and hot cross buns. I always make cakes for lunch boxes as I think it's a lot cheaper and healthier than the shop bought biscuits and cakes. I used to make my own bread but haven't done that since I stopped eating bread and the rest of the family didn't like it! I get quite embarrassed admitting to all this NOW I find there are lots of people doing all their own baking and even making their own butter and growing their own chickens! It puts me to shame. How do you cope with the general public and their Mr Kipling cakes/Sainsbury's bread? Do you they think you're odd or wonderful? Do you feel embarrassed or proud? My children used to ask me why they couldn't have shop-bought stuff in their lunch-boxes, like everyone else. They weren't proud to be different Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 My friends think I am mad for making and baking. As for keeping Chickens Hubby still buys bread, sunflower spread, lots of Mr Kipling cakes and he has only ever eaten one of the Chickens eggs. Although he has eaten them without knowing it , in cakes and quiches. My children think I am the coolest Mum for making choc chip muffins, and eldest son was very impressed with homemade butter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 I haven't made muffins for ages - perhaps the way to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
