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