How to make butter

I first made this last winter with Will Studd. We made one batch using pure organic schultz cream and another with imported creme fraiche. We salted half of each batch, making four butters.

This is probably one of the easiest kitchen staples to make at home. Take pure cream, beat it, wash it, add salt and enjoy. My only advice is to make sure you use pure cream – thickened cream is made with gelatin which will affect the flavour and texture.

Ingredients
600ml pure cream
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Method

Pour the cream into a large bowl and beat it until it thickens with a hand-held or free-standing beater. Continue until you have whipped cream, then keep going until you have a mixture of fatty clusters, butter and a thin milky liquid (buttermilk). This will take about 6-10 minutes.

Pour the mixture into a sieve lined with muslin or cheesecloth. Wrap the cloth around the butter and twist it several times to make a tight ball, squeezing it until the buttermilk stops running freely from the butter. Reserve the buttermilk.

Return the butter to the bowl with 500ml chilled water and beat for a further 2-3 minutes. This will flush out any remaining buttermilk. Buttermilk makes the butter go rancid more quickly.

Return the butter to the cloth. Strain and press to squeeze out the remaining liquid. Place the butter in a small bowl and work through the sea salt. Press into a glass or ceramic container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate. It will keep fresh in the fridge for 7–10 days.

Phillippa Grogan is the founder of Phillippa's Breads, Pastries and Provisions in Melbourne.