Homemade Butter and Compound Butters
Who's ready for grilling season?! I know we are over here. I've been sooo excited to post this blog, because it's SO fun, super simple and you can totally make it your own. Add some of your new homemade butter on top of evvvverything you are pulling off the BBQ. Add some compound butter to rice, on your bread, in your eggs, when you're baking.. the possibilities are endless!
Now.. what is compound butter, you ask? It's butter + any added ingredients. For example: garlic and herb, thai basil and lime, lemon and dill, sun-dried tomato, brown sugar and cinnamon, berry butter, black pepper and thyme, etc. The list goes on and on..
I am a huge fan of making things homemade because, most importantly, you know EXACTLY what the ingredients are. No additives that you can't pronounce, just real food. If you're like me, you use butter quite a bit. Once you make this, you won't want to buy butter ever again. I'd say it only takes about 15-30 minutes depending on the strength of your mixer. My mixer is small, so it takes a little longer. All you do is whip heavy whipping cream past the point of whipped cream and it'll begin to separate. Within minutes it'll turn from cream to butter. Once the butter starts forming, there will be a milk-like liquid that the butter is separating from. Guess what that is?! YUP, buttermilk. So, within minutes you can have homemade butter and buttermilk.
You then strain the buttermilk from the butter, and either keep it unsalted and unflavored. Or, make any compound butter by placing your butter and ingredients back into the mixer. It's as simple as that. 1 cup of heavy whipping cream should give you about 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup buttermilk.
The other option is to get store bought butter and add the butter + your extra ingredients to a mixer to create compound butter.. but like.. that's not as fun! But, I support you either way :)
Alriiiiight, go make that butter! Tag me!
Homemade Butter and Compound Butters
1 cup heavy whipping cream
options for compound butter:
salt
garlic and herbs
thai basil and lime zest
black pepper and lemon zest
berries
brown sugar and cinnamon
maple syrup and pumpkin spice
lemon zest and dill
cranberry and orange zest
1. In a mixer, pour in 1 cup heavy whipping cream. Start at low speed then gradually raise to high speed.
2. Keep whipping past the point of whipped cream until your butter begins to separate and form butter and buttermilk. Turn the speed down to avoid milk splashing all over you :) Keep mixing until butter comes together and begins sticking to the mixer blade.
3. Strain your buttermilk from your butter. Place your butter into a tea towel or cheese cloth and carefully squeeze out any remaining liquid from the butter. The more liquid you squeeze out, the better!
4. For compound butter, put the butter back into the mixer, add any spices, chopped and/or zested ingredients to the mixer and mix until incorporated evenly throughout.
5. To store, roll your butter into a log shape in plastic wrap, foil or parchment paper. Twist the sides tightly and store immediately in the refrigerator. You can also place into a jar with a lid!
Ting's Tip: rolling into a log makes for easy slicing to add on top of anything!