Baklava inspired cultured butter

Fresh cream cultured with tangy kefir and whipped into a probiotic packed butter

What is cultured butter?

Standard butter is heavy cream that is churned or whipped until the milk solids/fats separate and clump together to form butter. The liquid left over is buttermilk. It in fact contains no butter.

Cultured butter is cream that has been combined with active cultures, undergoing a fermentation process prior to churning. This extra step adds flavor and of course all the probiotics that we love in our food.

The buttermilk leftover from this process is now also packed with live and active cultures and can be used for sipping, baking or cosmetic use.

Cultured butter softens faster than regular butter, making it perfect for morning toast, pancakes or waffles.

How do you make cultured butter at home?

Start with reliable active and live cultures! Needless to say, I’m reaching for Lifeway* kefir. Although there are many delicious flavored options, you need the classic whole milk kefir for this recipe.

What is kefir? Kefir is a fermented dairy drink, common across eastern europe for drinking and cooking, Kefir is naturally cultured, and Lifeway boasts 12 live and active cultures in their proprietary kefir recipe.

*This post has been sponsored by Lifeway Kefir.

Why make your own cultured butter?

Making your own cultured butter you control the quality of the finished product. You can also adjust it to your tastes. I’m going baklava flavor on this butter, but it is absolutely delicious as is with a sprinkling of salt.

It’s a great rainy day activity for you, your kids, your friends (if your friends are into making butter on a rainy weekend).

If you have a stand mixer, making butter is easier than it sounds. It’s entirely hands off and pretty much makes itself in about 20 minutes.

What equipment do I need to make butter?

Stand mixer or electric hand mixer with a whisk attachment. The stand mixer is ideal but I have used a hand mixer in the past.

Large spoons

Parchment Paper

Fine mesh sieve

That’s about it. There are butter paddles available but a pair of large soup spoons and parchment paper are just fine.

Let’s make cultured butter!

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk classic Lifeway Kefir

1 quart heavy cream/double cream

Baklava flavorings:

2 tsp cinnamon

3 tbsp chopped toasted pistachio

1 tbsp honey

Scant ¼ tsp coarse kosher salt

Zest of 1 small lemon

Method:

1. Combine cold cream and kefir directly into a mixing bowl.
2. Set the bowl on the counter to introduce the active cultures to the sweet cream. Cover with a layer of cling wrap or tea towel. The mixture will thicken and you may begin to see small curds forming. That is perfect.
3. Place the bowl into the refrigerator, preferably overnight. This will chill down the mixture and slow down the fermentation process.
4. Begin whipping the cultured cream mixture on low and slowly work up to a higher speed to avoid splashes and spilling the liquid over the edge of the bowl.
5. Half way through the whipping process it will resemble whipped cream, which it is, but cultured. Use it this way over fruit if you like.
6. The whipped cream will go from soft peaks to a tighter mixture until finally it will form into a yellow clump swimming in a milky thin liquid.
7. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to collect any bits of butter that didn’t clump in the bottom of the bowl.
8. Set a fine mesh sieve/ strainer over a bowl. Scoop the butter solids into the sieve while letting the liquid separate into the bowl below.
9. Once the liquid has been separated, gently push down on the butter to remove excess liquid and allow to continue straining into the bowl below.
10. Over a piece of parchment turn out the butter solids.
11. Push down with two spoons to make an indent. If you have any liquid poke up from this process, strain it back into the bowl. This is normal.
12. Add in all of the baklava flavorings to the middle indent, Using two spoons and the parchment begin to knead in the mix ins.
13. Roll into a log and optionally into crushed pistachios. Refrigerate and enjoy!Save the buttermilk for sipping or baking!