European-Style Cultured Butter
Ingredients:
- 4 cups whipping cream (NOT ultra-pasteurized)
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt with active cultures
- Salt to taste
- Flavor ingredients of choice, optional for flavored butters (see below)
Method: Whisk together cream and yogurt, cover and place at room temperature for 8-12 hours to culture (cream should be thickened on top). Whip cream until butter separates and clumps together. Using a rubber spatula press butter to one side of bowl. Drain off butter milk (use buttermilk for cooking or drinking). Cover butter with cold water and continue to work to remove buttermilk, drain and repeat until water is clear. Drain; add flavor ingredients, salt to taste; press butter to one side of bowl to remove as much water as possible; drain. Place finished butter in ramekins or roll into a log, wrap and refrigerate.
For flavored butters, use recipe ideas below, add according to taste. Finely chop ingredients before adding to room temperature butter; mix well. Place in ramekins or roll into a log on wax paper or parchment; wrap or cover and refrigerate. Use within 2 weeks or freeze for later.
Notes: European style butter is a little higher in butter-fat (84%) and is often a cultured or soured product where American butter (at least 80% butter-fat) is made from sweet cream. Basic recipe will make approximately 1 1/2 cups or 12-14 ounces butter.
Tasty Variations:
Tomato Basil Butter (tasty on pasta, bread, vegetables)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoon chopped sun dried tomatoes
Lemon Herb Butter (excellent on fish, steak, vegetables)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4-6 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs of choice (chives, tarragon, rosemary, oregano, etc)
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 clove finely minced garlic, optional
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt to taste
Fruit Butter (great on muffins, toast, bagels, fruit and nut breads, waffles)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room
- 1/4 cup chopped dried fruit (dates, apricots, raisins, etc)
- 2 tablespoons chopped toasted nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds)
Check out a Chipotle-Lime Variation at Bon Appetit!
