I tried making cultured butter using a very simple recipe: 500 ml of cream mixed with 30 ml of buttermilk, left on the counter for a couple of days. Then mix to separate, drain, dry, etc.
I don't own a stand mixer, so I used a hand mixer instead. At one point I noticed the buttermilk separating from the butter, but thought I had to keep going to extract more moisture out. Then the mixture suddenly homogenised again and I was left with a slightly sour, buttery mixture that was quite tasty but won't last long in the fridge (because of the lactic acid still present in the mix).
Most videos I watched mentioned keeping on mixing for a little while after the separation first took place. I didn't really hear anyone mention mixing it too long.
A few questions:
- How does it homogenise again? I thought that these fat droplets separate because of breaking membranes.
- Is there a name for the mixture I ended up with?
- Is there any way to separate it again? I kept on mixing but nothing happened.
- Is the hand mixer the right tool for this job?
Best Answer
I'm almost sure, the cream you used had some emulsifiers in it. Check the ingredients.