Cultured Butter & ButterMilk

What Is Cultured Butter?

Cultured Butter is butter made from cream that is cultured with active bacteria (similar to yogurt) and has a distinctive, slightly tangy taste.

Measure 2qt cream.
If the cream is not pasteurized, heat it to 145F and hold at that temp for 30 minutes.
Let cool to 65-70F.
Add 1/8 tsp. of Flora Danica or Mesophile Aromatic Type B culture into a 1/8 cup of warm water and allow to dissolve well before adding to the cream. DO NOT ADD THE POWDERED CULTURE DIRECTLY TO THE CREAM.
Allow it to ripen at 65-70F for 20-24 hours or you can churn the cream at room temperature as well. Refrigerate until temperature of the thickened cream is close to 54F.
Pour into butter churn, food processor, or mixer and process at medium speed until you see large clumps of butter forming and buttermilk (milky liquid) spilling out from the butter. Be careful and slow down your speed when you begin to see the butter break from the buttermilk.
Remove butter from churn and strain off buttermilk using cheese cloth in a colander or fine mesh strainer.
Wash butter with cool water and knead with paddles or hands until liquid is clear.
You want to keep most of the buttermilk out of the butter otherwise the butter can go rancid.
Add fine or flaked salt and/or herbs/spices/flavorings. Mould into shape by using a butter mould. Press butter.
Refrigerate and enjoy.

Note: You can use the buttermilk from the processed butter to make buttermilk using low fat milk. Follow the instructions below.

Use 2% or skim milk.
Add 1/8 tsp. of Flora Danica or Mesophile Aromatic Type B culture and stir in well (you want it well mixed with no air whipped in). Do this when the milk is at room temperature (65-75F).
Allow it to ripen for 24 hours.
Refrigerate for up to three weeks. You can use one part fresh buttermilk to four parts fresh milk to make more buttermilk.