Homemade Sweet Cream Butter

Let's Cook

1. Step 1.

   Refrigerate 2 clean 1-quart glass jars with tight-fitting lids for 30 minutes. Divide equally between the cold jars: 1 quart cold heavy cream (around 48°F)

2. Step 2.

   Tightly secure the lids and place one jar in the refrigerator. Shake the other jar as hard as possible until chunks of butter start to form, 15 to 20 minutes. Pour into a sieve set over a bowl. The chunks in the sieve are butter and the liquid in the bowl is buttermilk. Pour the buttermilk into a clean container, cover, refrigerate, and reserve for another use; keep in mind that it cannot be substituted for cultured buttermilk called for in recipes. Immediately turn the butter into a clean bowl and cover with ice water. Repeat this process with the other jar, adding the butter to the bowl of ice water. Gather and mash the curds together against the side of the bowl with a wooden spoon or between butter paddles (see illustration below); knead the mass of butter for a minute or so to release residual buttermilk. Pour off the cloudy liquid, add more cold water, and knead again. Repeat this process until the water is nearly clear after kneading and drain thoroughly. If desired, fold into the butter with a wooden spoon: (½ to ¾ teaspoon salt)

3. Step 3.

   Transfer the butter to a clean container pressing with a wooden spoon or spatula to dispel any air bubbles. The butter may be molded or rolled, then wrapped in parchment or wax paper.

4. Step 4.

   Add to a blender, food processor, or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment: 1 quart cold heavy cream (around 48°F)

5. Step 5.

   Blend or mix on high speed. For a food processor, process only 2 cups of the cream at a time, keeping the rest refrigerated. In the blender and food processor, the cream will eventually form curds; in the stand mixer, the cream will become whipped cream first before the buttermilk begins pooling in the bottom. Drain off the buttermilk and proceed to knead and rinse the butter as directed for version I.