So I have to ask, what kind of cream did you use? Maybe it wasn't a heavy enough cream? I used whipping cream. Yes, cow's milk. But I did buy it from someone who was selling some crazy magic beans that are supposed to grow really tall. Don't know if that makes any difference. When you whipped it, did it become whipped cream? I assume you've done that from scratch before. I don't have a stand, but when I whip cream too long with my electric hand mixer it goes really stiff like it's going to become butter.
- O.K. So I used to be a domestic goddess - apparently not so much anymore. Too much time sittin' on my bum in front of a computer screen full of numbers. I shook & shook & shook but no butter. I was SO disappointed!! Then I put the cream in the stand mixer and whipped away FOREVER!! Still, no butter. So, what's the trick? I used one cup - how much did you use? What kind of cream did you use - was it from cow's milk or some magic Malaysian goat cream? ; ) Certainly didn't need any cheesecloth, that's for sure...
I didn't measure quantities, but I made sure my shaking containers were half full. And the harder you shake them (they should whack the sides of the container, not just slosh around) the better. But there isn't anything too complicated about it because I've read suggestions that you can have kids do this for fun. It's just that if your cream doesn't hit hard, it will take much longer.
What kind of container are you using? Is it soft on the sides? I'm using a wide-mouthed glass jar. But again, I really have to wonder about the cream itself since it didn't harden after excess whipping. Either that or maybe stand mixers don't beat that hard?
I made the butter again and this time it came out firmer, don't know why, and I was able to squeeze it pretty well in the strainer without losing much at all, but I got a little impatient and a lot of the buttermilk was left in the butter, so every time I spread some on bread, there were little globules of liquid. No biggie for me. I didn't even salt it this time, and I still could get enough of it. Now I'm deciding that the main benefit to not making your own butter is the benefit to your waistline and the fact that the homemade butter gets eaten too quickly.
By the way, when I said homemade butter was cheaper, it was something I read without actually researching, and it was referring to the cost of organic butter vs. organic cream.
P.S. Why is a vegan making butter from scratch? You don't even get to taste its yummy goodness!
7 comments:
I used whipping cream - probably the King Sooper's brand. Poured all into a glass jelly jar, which filled it about half-way. I shook that jar very hard for, admittedly, probably not more than 5 minutes. But, dang, I was tired. I know, I'm such a wimp. I was using an up and down motion rather than side to side - perhaps that was part of the problem. Even when I whipped it in the stand mixer past the whipped cream stage it still didn't firm up as I expected it would. My taste tester - a butter maniac - said it was kinda sorta starting to taste like butter but then when I whipped it some more he said, nah, not so much anymore. I just don't get it.
Why is a vegan making butter? Well, one, I'm not officially vegan anymore - I eat fish, remember? Even if it is for health reasons, I can't, in good conscience, claim that I'm vegan even though I believe in and totally support the lifestyle. Two, I enjoy making things for people even if I don't eat a particular food myself - why not, if I love to be in the kitchen, create things that more people than just I can eat - and enjoy? And, three, no offense to pretty much everyone and oh my gosh I'm actually writing a controversial statement on a blog!!!!!, but after nearly 20 years in the world of veganism/vegetarianism, I have learned that it's easier for me to adapt to the foods around me than for non-veg's to adapt to my way of eating. You, E, probably understand this challenge to a "little different from the norm" dietary lifestyle because of your Hypoglycemia. Bottom line...I'm in the minority...I eat what I want while still working with & around what the majority wants. This has turned into quite the dissertation - sorry to hog your comments space, E. You've opened a can of worms and perhaps next time I'll stuff this all in an e-mail.
haha! Sorry, what I MEANT to say was what is a pescatarian doing making butter!! And you know me, I love controversy, bring it on sister! I say make everyone else eat your way! Except me, I wonder if there are any hypoglycemic vegans. I don't like fish enough (although I do enjoy it) to be pescatarian.
So maybe the shaking didn't go long enough. I don't know. I did get very tired the second time I made it but I was already very fatigued from carrying extremely heavy bags home from the market. The first time I was distracted while doing it, so I really didn't feel much time pass, or much effort put in.
You just have to watch it. I like to see all the changes so I open the jar up often. It starts to get thick, then you can see a graininess, and that's right before the major separation occurs and then thump! All of a sudden you have a big old lump in there that you're shaking around. It's like magic!
I mostly shook up and down too. I don't think it matters how, if it shakes more violently, it'll be done quicker, softer shakes will take longer.
Oy, this was driving me nuts so I did a little research and found this-
http://www.slashfood.com/2006/03/03/how-to-make-your-own-butter/
(sorry don't know how to do hyperlinks in here) - and I think I've figured it out! Room temp cream and go at it for at least 30 minutes. I'm trying this again, gosh darn it!!!
S~
good info on getting the buttermilk out, but I think I did it straight from the fridge, and no way did I do it for 30 minutes! I'll have to do it again to make sure those two tries weren't flukes!
Better luck this time S, please let us know how it goes!
By the way, this is what I had read that made me try it, but I didn't exactly follow the instructions, I just committed "jar," "cream," and "shake" to memory and did the rest on my own. Looks like she shook for a good 15-20 minutes.
I made some butter too. I probably made just two tablespoons worth though since that is really all I need for a few weeks. I don't eat a ton of butter.
I put some organic heavy cream (straight from the fridge) in a little tupperware container and just shook it (side to side) for about 5 minutes and presto! I could feel it forming because it started to feel like I was shaking something solid rather than liquid.
I was so proud and showed Keith, but he was not impressed with my accomplishment. Hahahahaha.
Lol Teddi!
I know exactly how you felt. I was so excited, I felt a little like Tom Hanks in Castaway when he'd made fire, but George was like, "Oh. yeah I think you told me you were going to do something like that."
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