Making butter

I know there's been some discussion about this on the forum before, so I thought I'd mention what we did last weekend. We had a half litre of cream about to expire, so we beat it until it split (couldn't do this in the blender, although we tried. In the end we had to hand whisk it). Then we scooped the curds out with a sieve, squished them a bit to get as much liquid out as we could, and then beat the butter back and forward on a chopping board with a gnocchi paddle. It worked brilliantly, all the liquid was forced out, and the grooved side of the paddle didn't stick to the butter at all! (There's a photo in the Food Photo post).

We'll definitely be doing this again, especially since it made enough butter for a cake I baked today! This is something that really makes me happy - making the ingredients, and then using them to make something else. Today's cake used homemade butter, homemade vanilla extract and homemade jam. Woohoo!!

(shakes head in amusement) I don't know anyone else besides you who has a gnocchi paddle laying around.

Now you know two.

rwj

(shakes head in amusement) I don't know anyone else besides you who has a gnocchi paddle laying around.

And now I own two. It was hard to make butter with only one paddle, two should let us bat it around like a tennis ball...

That is so cool Celia!! I am so impressed!

I don't think we would be able to do it with most of the cream here in the US though. I know I tried to make clotted cream once and it didn't work, because most of our creams are ultrapasturized as well as contain other ingredients.

But I think it's amazing that you are able to make so many things from scratch...WOW! I be right over for a taste of that cake. now all you have to do is mill your own flour...LOL!

now all you have to do is mill your own flour...LOL!

Oh my gosh Maria, don't give her any ideas!!

LOL! Actually, you're the second person today who's suggested a flour mill...

Maria, I know you can make butter from the cream you get in the US, because I first got the idea from this post of Bob Ross'. Give it a go! Small scale works well in the blender, but to make a full stick or two, you really need to whisk it by mixer or hand.

Cheers, Celia

Maria, I know you can make butter from the cream you get in the US, because I first got the idea from this post of Bob Ross'. Give it a go! Small scale works well in the blender, but to make a full stick or two, you really need to whisk it by mixer or hand.

Heck, Celia: it's the rare home cook who hasn't made butter at some point, albeit inadvertently, by overwhipping heavy cream en route to whipped cream. Of course, it gives a new meaning to "sweet butter," and can take on a distinctly bizarre element should the home cook have used vanilla extract in the mix, too.

Whip me! Beat me! Make me butter!
Mark Lipton

Mark, Mark, Mark.

I just had visions of you being beaten with a gnocchi paddle.

Hey, I wasn't trying to show off, I promise! I just got excited at not having to throw my cream out. Interestingly, it's cheaper to buy butter, than it is to make butter from cream...

I don't think we would be able to do it with most of the cream here in the US though. I know I tried to make clotted cream once and it didn't work, because most of our creams are ultrapasturized as well as contain other ingredients.

Yeah Maria, I've seen it happen many times in restaurants. The pastry chef will have some cream whipping in the mixer, get distracted, and whammo. Butter.

Yeah Maria, I've seen it happen many times in restaurants. The pastry chef will have some cream whipping in the mixer, get distracted, and whammo.

Gee, I thought you were talking about Mark and the paddle again.

LOL Guys...MEN!

That's great Celia! I will try it sometime. Where' s pic of the cake?

Here it is, Maria..

Oh YUMMMMYY Celia...that looks fantastic!

LOL! Actually, you're the second person today who's suggested a flour mill...

Celia get a flour mill it is just right for the things you do.

You first, Duane.

I already mill my grain now it is your turn.

Sigh. My problem is two fold. Firstly, I have two good friends who are professional millers, so I seem to have a constant supply of finely milled bread flour (a blessing for which I am extremely grateful). Secondly, I'm too impatient. To get the best results from milled flour, you need to let it rest for 6 weeks - un-aged flour doesn't give the same rise (something I've learnt the hard way from experience) - and I don't have the patience to wait that long! Many people bake with freshly milled flour, but I don't want the dense, "healthy" bread that is so fashionable these days. I want my bread to be chewy and elastic and full of air holes..

And having said all that, I've just never felt a mill just for milling cake flour was justified..

Ok so you don't need to get a mill. My great great grandfather ran the mill here in town but none of that knowledge has made it to this current generation. I would really be interested in hearing about how he made flour. I use fresh ground flour in the breads that I have been making and it seems to be very good to me. People say that you have to use it right away or let it oxidize for about three weeks. The last bread that I made has a crumb that is wonderfully light and just the opposite of dense. I'm also saving up the little bits of flour that are left over from each grind and will cook them when they have aged enough.

Cool, you've had better luck with freshly milled flour than I have, Duane - your breads certainly don't look heavy! Mine haven't been good at all. As for milling processes, it's a fascinating area, isn't it? As a personal preference, I'll buy roller milled flour any day over stoneground, which I find coarse and clunky to work with. Unfortunately, it's very difficult to find roller milled organic flour. I guess it all comes down to the type of loaves we're trying to produce...

Celia I have been thinking of visiting a friend of mine that I went to school with that runs a local mill here. More to find out the history of milling in this area and if it has changed much. It is a fascinating subject and one that almost all people know nothing about but use the product everyday. Then I also have this wild idea of planting my own wheat or rye and making my own flour from it.

Oooh, Duane. Maybe you should plant some ancient grains like kamut or spelt. They're in such high demand now. It would be a fun project, I really hope you do it!

Currently taking take of my grapes is my number one priority but I can always dream.

Celia there has been one more thing that is noticeably different about fresh ground flour. That it is very easy to slash.