How to make homemade creamery-style butter

I’ve always wanted to make homemade butter as easy as possible. I’ve blitzed it, blended it and whirled cream with mixed results. Sometimes it was too white, other times it was crumbly. So I took a mini-hiatus from the project, got the blender and food processor out of my sight and gave myself time to think it over.

It wasn’t until I was whipping some cream for a shortcake recipe that I had my ‘aha’ moment. I was called away from my stand mixer for a few minutes too many (we’re pretty busy in the Chatelaine Kitchen) and when I returned, I found my cream had separated into perfectly golden butter solids and milk. Eureka! I was so excited that I immediately drained it, pressed out the remaining liquid and stirred in some sea salt. Forget the cake — I made perfect butter. It looked spectacular. I grabbed a baguette, and then the rest of the team. It was unanimous; we all loved it and agreed we had found the secret to perfect homemade creamery-style butter.

Homemade Butter

Ingredients

• 2 cups 35% cream
• 1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)

Instructions

WHIP 2 cups 35% cream in a stand mixer on medium-high until cream separates into solids and milk, 15 min.

DRAIN mixture in fine mesh strainer, pushing liquid out with a spatula until only a solid mass remains.

SCRAPE into a bowl and stir in 1/2 tsp sea salt (optional). Form into a brick. Refrigerate and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

BONUS: Take it a step further and make your own flavoured butters with these switch ups!