To Every Season Churn, Churn, Churn

Remember how I said a few posts back that this cookbook was going to help me live out my domestic fantasy? Well, it does! Since getting the book I have already made homemade butter twice! I am actually planning on making more this weekend for my family when they come visit us for Father's Day! Look at me! Proud butter maker! However, I should confess, that my lovely Kitchenaid did most of the hard work. Fantastic rewards turn over too! Not only do you get butter, but you get fresh buttermilk! Let me tell you, we had some amazing pancakes after this fun experiment!

Butter Recipe:

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Place all ingredients in bowl of stand mixer (if you don't have a stand mixer you can still use a hand mixer..it might take longer, I am not sure). Set mixer setting to medium high and put a towel over the mixer to stop liquid from flying everywhere. Mix ingredients until the buttermilk separates from the butter.

This step took longer for me than the recipe said it would. Separation took nearly 7-8 minutes versus the 2-5 that the author claimed. No worries though. Also, if you beat the mixture for too long and it starts to separate into butter soup (I did this the second time) just keep whipping it...it will reform.

When butter is done forming, take the butter mass and hold it separate from the buttermilk as you drain the milk into a container. Squeeze the butter mass until all liquid is removed, running cold water through it to help. When the water coming out/off the mass is clear, you can stop.

Storage:

Buttermilk 3 days in fridge (or you can freeze it)

Butter 1 week in Butter Bell or sealed container at room temp, 2 weeks in the fridge (if not longer).

We used our butter as a spread on small sandwiches made of crusty french bread, roast beef slices, provolone cheese, red onion, a little horseradish sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. They were amazing! (No pictures of those exist, they ::cough:: did not last very long).