Hi,
After thinking about this for some years, I finally took a stab at making cultured butter.
I made whipped cream for a dessert recently. I had a cup of heavy cream left in a pint container, which I added an equal amount of buttermilk and tucked it near the stove for a few days. Yes, I could have used less buttermilk, but this was an impromptu idea.
Before processing, I chilled the buttermilk-cream mixture in the refrigerator overnight.
I poured the contents into a mixer workbowl, then used the whip on medium speed. Once it looked like gently whipped cream, then I lowered the speed to medium low. Nothing much was happening after some time, so I drove it up to high and not too long afterwards it began to break into fatty bits.
I lowered the speed to medium low and let it run. After a while, I could hear sloshing in the bowl. The butter was clinging to the whip and the buttermilk was pooled underneath. I topped a pint measuring cup with a fine mesh sieve, then poured the butter and buttermilk into it. In the workbowl, I found a one-inch strip of butter toward the bottom and scrapped it out.
I rinsed the butter in four to six exchanges of cold water until it ran clear. I then put the butter in a small bowl and poured in ice water, which firmed the butter as well as let me press against the sides to squeeze out any pockets of buttermilk. This was done several times until there was little to no cloudiness in the caste off water.
To help wick out any water, I rolled the butter onto parchment paper and twisted it off like a piece of hard candy. I did not weigh it, though I estimate I had a quarter pound of butter.
This butter had a nice tang and was quickly consumed with bread.
I am going to make other small batches using yogurt and another batch with less buttermilk and more cream. At the very least, it may be a good use for extra whip cream I may not have a plan for in the near future.
Regards,
Cathy2