Recipe: Homemade Sweet Cream Butter or Salted Butter (food processor)

FARMHOUSE BUTTER
"Churning cream into butter - and, very often, selling it for extra money - was once the province of farm wives. Now, it's an easy way to get the best butter you've ever tasted to go with homemade or artisan breads. Here it is in two styles: sweet cream that is just that and the slightly tangier salted cultured butter."


SWEET CREAM BUTTER

2 cups heavy (whipping) cream

Line a sieve with a single layer of cheesecloth and place the sieve over a bowl.

Pour the cream into the work bowl of a food processor and process for about 5 minutes. The cream will go, in stages, from liquid to whipped cream to thick whipped cream to a solid mass of butter that separates from the milky liquid or whey.

Transfer the butter to the cheesecloth-lined sieve and press the butter with a wooden spoon to release more of the whey. When the butter does not release any more whey, scoop the butter from the sieve and cover in plastic wrap. Use right away, keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, or freeze indefinitely.

VARIATION:

SALTED CULTURED BUTTER

2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

In a medium bowl, whisk the cream and sour cream together. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 4 to 24 hours. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Make the butter as above, and then scoop the butter from the sieve into a bowl. Mix the salt into the butter with a fork. Use right away, keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, or freeze indefinitely.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Source: Heartland: The Cookbook by Judith Fertig