Butter and Herb Butter from Scratch

I’ve been meaning to have a go at making butter for a while now. I kept reading about how easy it is, and how fun it is to make it with children. What’s more, you’re in control of how many additives and preservatives go into it, so it’s hopefully a healthier option than shop-bought butter.

What’s brilliant is that butter can be made with just one ingredient – cream – plus salt if you want to add it. And it is fun. And children do love it, although Sidney’s a bit young and kept trying to run off with the jar.

The key to making butter is not to give up. You start off with cream in a jar and shake it up until you have butter. But first you’ll get whipped cream (handy to know if you don’t have a whisk handy – I’m thinking makeshift cream tea beside the sea.)

I was having too much fun to keep time, but I think I was shaking for about 15 minutes. Maybe less. I was imagining toned upper arms but, to be honest, it wasn’t that much of a workout before I heard the sound of butter sloshing around in buttermilk.

I decided to add herbs to my butter. My plants have gone a little crazy since the sun came out and I needed to trim back my sage, in particular. I kept a little back for plain butter and put the individual herb butter packages in the freezer. I’ll probably use them to top fillets of fish.

This is how I made my butter, and herb butter.

Home-made butter

200ml double cream

a pinch of salt (optional)

iced water

Pour the cream into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake! First of all you’ll get a lovely whipped cream.

Then, after about 10 minutes, you’ll hear a sloshing sound when the butter separates from the buttermilk.

Pour off the buttermilk and save it for later, squashing the butter with a spoon to squeeze out as much buttermilk as you can. (The buttermilk should last in the fridge for xxx days; I used mine to make scones.)

Tip the butter into a bowl of iced water and continue to squeeze out any remaining buttermilk. Tip the liquid away and replace it with fresh iced water a couple of times to make sure all the buttermilk is gone, as this is what makes the butter go rancid and it will keep for longer without it. Now is the time to add salt, if using.

Now your butter is ready to eat.

Home-made herb butter

4 portions butter
1 chopped tbsp each of common sage, pineapple sage, chives and Greek basil

Simply chop up your clean, dry herbs, separately or as a mixture and then mix the chopped herbs with the butter.

Wrap your butter or herb butter in greaseproof paper and store in the fridge for up to three weeks (if you rinsed it really well), or the freezer for a few months. Salted butter will last longer than unsalted.