Making Butter

The very first time, I recall making butter, was back in kindergarten. It was a classroom project and then later my parents did it with me at home. We did it the "hard way" by putting some whipping cream into a quart sized jar and shaking it for 20-30 minutes. Not a half bad way to keep a bunch of kids busy though!

I took the easy way and used my Kitchen Aid Mixer I used the wire Wisk attachment and beat it for 20-30 minutes! It first turns to whipped cream and eventually turns into butter and butter milk!

Just pick up some heavy whipping cream, the next time we do this I will buy some milk directly from a farmer and post how to pasteurize and skim the cream off!

I purchased a splash guard/pouring shield because as you mix some of the cream will splash out, this prevents some of it!

Then add the cream and turn the mixer on! Start out at low speed and slowly increase the speed until you are at max speed.

After a few minutes you will have whipped cream (except we did not add any sugar), as you may know directions for making whipped cream often warn against over whipping but this time we will be over whipping.

I was doing this project with two young men and a stuffed Mickey Mouse was also watching the action.

It takes awhile but eventually you will notice a small amount of liquid forming on the side of the bowl and then just a few minutes later you have butter and butter milk! Be sure you stay near the mixer because once the process starts it goes quite quickly!

Most of the butter will be stuck in the beater (I had one small chunk to fish out of the butter milk).

I removed most of the butter by using a butter knife and put it in a colander. You will want to wash the butter with cold tap water until the water runs clear (it will be white as it washes away the butter milk).

Then put it on some paper towels and pat it dry! As a final step I used a 1/2 measuring cup to make "sticks" of butter. Just press the butter into a 1/2 cup measuring container, as you do so more water will be pushed out and you can pat it dry. Once I removed it I just rolled it into balls and put it in the refrigerator for later use!

You can also retain the butter milk for making butter milk pancakes or waffles!