About a year ago, I started buying “fancy” butter–by fancy I mean European cultured butter. It was creamier and tangier (that’s the “cultured” part–it is made with yogurt and the cultures are left to grow for a day or two). The price had dropped and it was about the same price as the other butter I was buying…but way tastier.  Then a recipe popped up on my newsfeed for instructions on how to make it. One day last week, I finally had the time to try it.

I scanned several recipes, including one from Food and Wine, one from America’s Test Kitchen, and one from the Kitchn.com, and blended the instructions from three of them. The pictures in the America’s Test Kitchen version are really helpful–but I liked the idea of using my stand mixer to do the work (Food & Wine). And I liked the use of Yogurt and smaller portion size from the Kitchn.com recipe (for my first try i didn’t want to make a whole pound of butter!)

The ingredients

• 1 pint heavy cream
• 1/4 C  yogurt (I used Greek nonfat, you can use full fat. Whatever you use, just make sure it has live active cultures in it)

Really, that’s it!

The method 

this is the part that’s a wee bit more complicated. but not very

1. In a bowl or tall jar, combine heavy cream and yogurt. Mix well and cover with saran wrap or foil. I used the jar of a smoothie blender. Set aside for 24-48 hours (I left it out for about 24 hrs, then in the fridge for another day until I had time to churn it).
2. Add 1/4-1/2 t salt, depending on how salty you want it to be.
3. When you are ready to churn, put your mixer bowl in the fridge for an hour (*I didn’t do this and it came out well anyway)
4. Set up your stand mixer. If you have a pouring shield, you’ll want it. If not, cover your bowl with plastic wrap after you pour the cream in and put the whisk attachment on.
5. Beginning on low, ramp up the speed on the stand mixer. Churn your butter on high for about 4 minutes. (when it starts to form butter, it starts to splash–which is why you want the cover the bowl).
6. Pour out the buttermilk into another bowl (it’s good and you can use it in something else). Pour cold water and ice into the mixer bowl. Your butter will start to harden and should form a ball. Mix around. Pour out the water, and replace it with fresh water and more ice if needed. do this 3-4 more times until the water the butter is being “rinsed” in no longer foggy looking.
7. Roll into a log on a piece of parchment.
8. Refrigerate. (I refrigerated half and froze half)