How to Make Your Own Butter and Honey Butter

-posted by Jayne

We are often asked if we make and sell honey butter.  The answer is no... we do not.  But we do make our own butter from time to time, and adding honey to create honey butter is very simple.  If you own a food processor- making butter is very easy.  The most important ingredient... well the only ingredient is a high quality whipping cream.  I feel very fortunate to live in an area where we can get minimally processed milk and cream from grass fed cows.  Growing up on a dairy farm- I have always had a love of dairy cows and dairy products.  My favorite foods are cheese and real freshly whipped cream (confession- It's not honey!).  I seriously feel sorry for those who think that the only forms of whipped cream are Cool Whip and Redi-Whip.  How sad!  

Now let's whip some real cream.

Two necessities for butter:  agitator (food processor) and whipping cream

 Step 1.  Fill your food processor about 1/3 to 1/2 full of whipping cream (no more).

Step 2.  Turn on your food processor (lid on, of course) until the mixture resembles a glossy, creamy state.  This, my friends, is freshly whipped cream.  If I'm not making butter I  usually like to stop right here, add a few Tablespoons of sugar, and enjoy a healthy spoonful of whipped cream.  I freeze it in dollops on a baking sheet and store it in containers in the freezer for use on hot chocolate or in homemade mocha drinks.  But today we'll move past this stage on to butter making.

Step 3.  Keep the food processor churning.  You will notice the glossy whipped cream state moving to a ricotta type texture (not quite as thick as ricotta-but the same look).  You can stop and admire the change for a bit... but you must keep churning if you want butter.

Step 4.  Keep it churning.  Here you see it starting to separate just a bit.  It's only been churning for 2-3 minutes at this point.

Step 5:  Wah-la!  Here it is starting to solidify.  The color is turning a creamy yellow color, and the buttermilk is starting to separate off from the butter.  Have you noticed we have done nothing more than click a button and observe the changes?  Food processors are amazing!

Step 6:  Here you can really see the buttermilk separating.  Now we actually get to do something.  Remove the blade from your food processor and pour off the buttermilk into a dish (NOT down the drain!  Save that good stuff!)  You will put the food processor back together and continue to pulse the mixture until more buttermilk separates.  Continue to pour it off, about 2-3 times.

Here is the buttermilk- ready to use in biscuits or baking.

 Step 7: Now you are almost done... but there is still a little bit of buttermilk left in the butter.  Remove your blade, and really wash your hands, because they are going to get dirty.  Remove your wedding ring or anything else you don't want to get slimy.  Squeeze the butter to remove excess buttermilk.

Step 7:  You still need to wash your butter.  Get your tap water running very cold.  Hold your butter under the running water and squeeze as the cold water washes through it.  You are washing out any excess buttermilk that is left.  I read somewhere that if you don't get it all out, it can cause your butter to spoil prematurely.  Just keep massaging and moving the butter under the water until you notice it is not releasing any moisture.  It will be soft and pliable, and not overly sticky.

Wash that butter.

 Step 8:  When there is no liquid left in the butter, you can shape it in to your desired shape, or.... you can add honey to make honey butter.

Step 7:  Simply squeeze a generous amount of honey over top your butter, and squeeze it until it is completely combined.  It really is that simple!  Re-shape your honey butter, and store it in a container in the refrigerator.  I have kept mine over two weeks... I imagine if you use good quality fresh cream, it will last much longer.

Please feel free to ask any questions if anything in the directions isn't clear.  The whole process is really quite simple and straightforward.  I know I am being redundant here... but using a local, high quality cream will make all the difference in the ease of your butter making, as well as the flavor quality.  Enjoy!