Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Sharon Flynn
Approximately 500g butter + 500ml cultured buttermilk
20 minutes
This is butter as it was meant to be - rich, tangy, and complex. Culturing cream with milk kefir before churning creates the kind of butter European artisans have been making for centuries. The fermentation develops incredible depth of flavour and creates a butter that's both a cooking ingredient and a condiment in its own right. Spread it on warm sourdough, melt it over vegetables, or use it to finish a sauce - this butter transforms everything it touches.
The process is remarkably simple, though it does require patience. The cream cultures for 12-24 hours before churning, developing its characteristic tang and creating buttermilk as a bonus - true cultured buttermilk, not the commercial substitute.
Time: 20 minutes active, plus 12-24 hours culturing
1 litre pure cream (minimum 35% fat, not thickened)
2-3 tablespoons active milk kefir
Fine sea salt (optional, approximately 1 teaspoon per 500g butter)
Equipment
Large jar or bowl for culturing
Stand mixer with whisk attachment, food processor, or jar for shaking
Fine mesh sieve or muslin cloth
Bowl for collecting buttermilk
Wooden spoons or butter paddles
Container for storing butter
Day 1: Culture the cream
Pour the cream into your jar or bowl. Stir in the milk kefir until well combined.
Cover loosely with a cloth or leave the lid slightly ajar to allow gases to escape.
Leave at room temperature (18-22°C) for 12-24 hours. The cream will thicken considerably and develop a pleasant tangy aroma. In warmer weather, 12 hours may be sufficient; in cooler conditions, allow the full 24 hours.
Once cultured, refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight - cold cream churns more efficiently.
Day 2: Churn the butter
Pour the cold cultured cream into your stand mixer bowl (or food processor, or a jar with a tight lid if churning by hand).
Once the butter has separated, pour off the buttermilk through a sieve into a bowl. Save this - it's genuine cultured buttermilk, perfect for baking or drinking.
Wash and work the butter
Return the butter solids to a clean bowl. Add very cold water and work the butter with a wooden spoon or paddle, pressing and folding to release any remaining buttermilk. Pour off the cloudy water.
Repeat this washing process 2-3 times until the water runs clear. This step is crucial - any remaining buttermilk will cause the butter to spoil quickly.
If using salt, sprinkle it over the butter and work it through evenly with your paddle or spoon. Start with less - you can always add more.
Press the butter into your storage container, pressing out any air pockets. Smooth the top.
Storage
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months. The cultured butter's acidity acts as a natural preservative, giving it better keeping qualities than sweet cream butter.
Ways to Use Your Cultured Butter
On warm bread or toast - it needs nothing else
Melted over steamed vegetables or roasted potatoes
Whisked into pan sauces at the last moment
On grilled steak or fish as a finishing butter
In pastry for incredibly flaky, flavourful results
Compound butters - mix with herbs, garlic, or citrus zest
What You've Created
This is butter with character - tangy, complex, and utterly different from commercial sweet cream butter. The fermentation has transformed simple cream into something special, creating not just butter but also genuine cultured buttermilk. Both are exactly what traditional recipes call for, and both deserve pride of place in your kitchen.
Lactose in the whey caramelizes as it reduces, creating rich, complex flavours that pair beautifully with everything from sourdough toast to fresh apples. mmmmm caramel apples.....
This version uses thick, strained milk kefir as its base, bringing all the tangy complexity and gut-friendly bacteria of your kefir into a dessert that looks like it came from a hatted restaurant kitchen.
