Butter

Directions

1. 1
   Pour the cream and buttermilk together into a spotlessly clean glass or metal bowl with a cover.
2. 2
   Stir gently to mix.
3. 3
   Cover the bowl and put in a warm place overnight.
4. 4
   (the author's last batch took 18 hours) By warm, I mean 70-80F
5. 5
   As the time approaches, it should smell good not like rotting milk, but like delicious creme fraiche.
6. 6
   Which is what you are making at this point.
7. 7
   When its ready, it will thicken to something like sour cream thickness (of course!).
8. 8
   It will smell like heaven and taste just as good.
9. 9
   Now bring the cream to a temperature of around 60F.
10. 10
    At this point, put the cream into the bowl of a stand mixer, and stir at medium low speed with the paddle attachment.
11. 11
    Do not use high speed, because if you do, when the cream turns to butter, you will have a mess all over your walls.
12. 12
    The slow stirring will do the trick.
13. 13
    Watch it.
14. 14
    If you have 60F cream, and its ripened nicely, it may become butter in as quickly as five minutes.
15. 15
    But it could take quite a bit longer, too.
16. 16
    Watch and you will see it become creamier, creamier, a bit grainy...
17. 17
    Butter grains floating in buttermilk.
18. 18
    When the grains are about rice-sized, drain the buttermilk (you can cook with it, or use it as starter for another batch).
19. 19
    Rinse the butter under cold running water, working the butter by kneading it, squeezing and pressing and folding, and rinsing until the water runs clear.
20. 20
    If you dont do this, your butter will go rancid quickly.
21. 21
    Then keep working the butter to get as much water out of it as you can.
22. 22
    This is when you can add salt, which helps it to keep longer.
23. 23
    You should have about a pound of butter after you are done working it.
24. 24
    I divide it into fourths and freeze all but one, which is the one we will use right away.
25. 25
    The cultured butter will have a stronger butter flavor than you are used to, and you will want to spread it on everything.
26. 26
    Be warned.