I decided today to try and make butter. I know its much easier just to go and buy it at the store but I wanted to see if I could do it. It was so easy and to see cream turn into butter is really quite magical.
There are actually two easy ways to make your own butter. One is to put the heavy cream into a large jar and shake it until the butter seperates from the buttermilk . I started out this way but because I halfed the recipe I didnt use a big enough jar, plus I was getting quite the workout. WHEW!!
The cream starting to thicken
Because I didnt have a big enough jar and my arms were getting pretty tired I switched to the mixer. It was really like a minute in the mixing bowl and it started to seperate into buttermilk and butter.
Once it is seperated you have to strain the liquid (buttermilk) from the curds (butter)
It will look like this once you rinse it off until the water is clear.
Add salt to your tasting if you want salted butter or you can leave it unsalted.
Waa Laa its BUTTER!! So delicious on homemade amish bread!
Now have to search for a recipe for the buttermilk, pancakes maybe or biscuits? The possibilities are endless.
Th recipe I used called for a quart of Heavy Cream not the ultrapastureized. Let it sit til its room temperature and then start shaking or mixing. Add your salt when its all done. Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container.
I wish that I knew some one with a dairy farm because I had to get my cream at the store. Not the same experience that my Grandma has told me about so many times of having to milk the cows and seperate the cream from the milk, but then again she wasnt too fond of having to do that everyday. She tells me to just buy it at the store, so much easier she says lol! Thats not magical at all and not nearly as much fun.
Enjoy!!
FINALLY I have tulips in bloom!! Its been such a cold Spring I didnt think it was ever gonna happen. I was really hoping to see them on Easter Sunday but better late than never. So beautiful and well worth the very long wait. Maybe tommorow they all will be in bloom.
Description: This native perennial plant is about 4-10' tall and remains unbranched, except for the panicle of flowering stems near the apex. The central stem is thick, hairless, and four-sided. The large opposite leaves are up to 8" long and 5" across, which join together around the central stem to form a cup that can hold water, hence the name of the plant. These leaves are broadly lanceolate to cordate, coarsely toothed, and have a rough, sandpapery texture. The yellow composite flowers bloom during early to mid-summer for about 1-1½ months. Each sunflower-like composite flower is about 3-4" across, consisting of numerous yellow disk florets that are surrounded by 18-40 yellow or pale yellow ray florets. The infertile disk florets protrude somewhat from the center and are rather conspicuous, while the ray florets are fertile. The latter produce thin achenes, each with a well-developed marginal wing, which are dispersed to some extent by the wind. The root system consists of a central taproot, and abundant shallow rhizomes that help to spread the plant vegetatively, often forming substantial colonies.
