Butter makes a wonderful gift for the holidays, and it couldn’t be easier to make. All you need is some heavy whipping cream and a standing mixer. I also recommend a fine mesh strainer.
You can also flavor your butter with garlic, chive, plain salt, or cinnamon and brown sugar!
Another fun idea is to use butter tins or presses to make fun shapes. We have had our butter in the shape of a lamb for Easter or a tree for Christmas!
This will make about a pound of butter (which is the same as four sticks).
Ingredients
1 quart heavy whipping cream
1 tsp sea salt
Optional flavorings
Garlic and chive
Cinnamon brown sugar
Red chili flake
Honey lavender
Instructions
Pour heavy whipping cream into a standing mixer bowl. Add sea salt. Mix on medium-low speed using the whisk attachment. Allow to mix for about 30 minutes.
*The mixture will go through several changes. You will first have the initial heavy cream liquid getting whisked. As it aerates, it will become whipped cream. As you continue to whip the whipped cream, the solution “breaks,” and becomes a viscous mixture of liquid and solid. As it continues whisking, the solid will harden and become yellow. The liquid is buttermilk and can be used to make batters for pancakes, waffles, or chicken.
Once the butter has formed, remove it from the bowl and place it in a fine mesh strainer. You can either reserve the buttermilk for other recipes or discard it. Gently press the butter with a sheet of wax paper to drain it of excess buttermilk trapped inside air pockets.
Then remove from strainer and wrap the butter in wax paper, placing it in a bowl to chill for at least an hour. (You can use it immediately if you desire!)
*If flavoring butter, you may add your flavorings after the solution breaks and proceed as usual.