This French-style cultured butter is everything right in the world.
Last year in France, I had butter with sea salt crystals in it for the first time. The crunchy texture was so satisfying on my daily baguette. I’ve been dying to try it, but the butter itself is also a little different there, so I wanted to try and make a replica I was proud of. I love the tanginess of the cultured butter—I think it gives it some depth that regular sweet cream butter doesn’t accomplish.
I’ve actually also had “cultured butter” on my blog to-do list for years after having some with bread at a fancy restaurant. However, the whole sitting-out-for-awhile thing gave me pause due to my past forays of trying to make coconut yogurt. I “set it and forget it” for…way too long. This time, I made sure to set an alarm on my phone!
French-Style Cultured Butter
French-style cultured butter is tangy, salty and crunchy. Bread's new best friend.
Ingredients
- 1 quart high quality heavy cream I used Kalona Organic
- 3 T. unsweetened greek yogurt with live cultures I used Fage 5%
- 2 tsp. Maldon sea salt
Instructions
- Whisk yogurt and cream together in a container with tight-fitting lid.
- Set in a 70-75 degree spot for up to 48 hours.
- Chill for about an hour in the refrigerator to let the fats solidify a bit.
- Using the whisk attachment of your mixer, whisk until the butter and buttermilk separate and all the butter is clumped on the whisk.
- Press liquid out of the butter, and wash/knead to rid the butter from all buttermilk (will prevent spoilage).
- Separate ball into two equal sizes and fold in 1 t. each of flaky sea salt.
- Shape balls into desired shapes and wrap in parchment.
- Store in fridge until hardened.
- Best served a few minutes out of the fridge to help it spread.
- Eat on anything and everything!
Could I possibly use fresh cows milk?
Hi Debi, great question. I do not know the differences between raw milk & heavy whipping cream. Since it has to sit out at room temperature for over 24h, I think it may be important for it have been pasteurized, also.
Actually, unpasteurized milk lasts way longer than pasteurized milk. That being said heavy cream has much more fat so if you did use milk, I think you would get very little butter out of it..
When I was a child my grandmother churned butter using fresh milk. The cream would rise to the top, she would then skim it off and use it.
How many oz of butter does it make?
Great q. Not sure exactly, but i separated it into two blocks. My guess is about 12oz total?
Loved this recipe! Thank you.
A word to the wise: when whisking the butter in a stand mixer, it can transition from looking like chunky whipped cream to butter clumps very quickly, and buttermilk liquid will start flinging everywhere. I screamed. It was funny.
So true! I had my cover on the top of my mixer but you do have to watch out!
Hello! Couple of questions….
1. Does the yogurt need to be Greek style?
2. I recently tried a different recipe and it sat out for 24 hours and in the fridge for another 24. While it isn’t bad, I think it could use more “tang” Will sitting out the full 48 hours help achieve this?
Thank you so much! Looking forward to starting a new batch with your recipe tomorrow!!!!
Hi! I think the tang in your yogurt could help bring out more tang! So if you can find the thick Greek kind, like Fage brand, it will deliver for you! I did mine for about 36h I think. Enjoy!
Hello…I am on my third batch of cultured butter. I use goat milk yogurt from Trader Joe’s. One quart of heavy cream and 2Tbsp yogurt. It sits on the counter for three days. Gets very thick. Proceed to whip. I will try refrigerating before whipping. Use plastic wrap taped to your mixer to keep splashing contained. Rinse well in cold/ice water several times. I knead the salt into it. I shape to a one-inch thick block. Cut into one-inch cubes. Wrap individually. Freeze. You can freeze the buttermilk also.
Greetings – it seems a difficult task finding pasturised heavy cream, vs ULTRA-pasturized. Ultra is discouraged as it is said it will not yield quality butter. I’ve finallyt found some at Whole Food$ (not cheap), but have also found pasturized as a local Shamrod Food Supply (you may not have one in your area). We’ve become believers in cultured butter and make a batch a few times a month. I create cubes by putting the butter in the large ice cube (silicone) trays, then freeze. Creates perfect squares for the Butter Boat. The silicone trays are available in your local woine/liqour stores.
Yes I found mine at Whole Foods also! Ice cube trays are a great idea!
Aldi’s Heavy Whipping cream is pasteurized, but not ultra pasteurized. It has worked out well for me!
Can you use the buttermilk?
Absolutely excellent for baking with the left over butter milk .