Homemade Butter

Pour cream and salt into the bowl of a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Tent the mixer with a large kitchen towel and turn the mixer on medium high for 8-12 minutes. At first, you will have whipped cream, but continue beating the cream until the mixture separates into butter solids and buttermilk (you can reserve the buttermilk and refrigerate for other uses).

Remove the butter solids from the mixer. Squeeze the butter firmly by hand over the bowl in the sink while periodically running the butter under cold water. When there is very little liquid left and when any liquid remaining in the butter runs clear when squeezed, the butter is ready. Form the butter into a ball or stick. Store butter, covered, at room temperature up to three days or refrigerated up to a week. It also keeps nicely in the freezer.

Notes: To use your homemade butter for baking, weigh it on a kitchen scale in ounces. A standard store-bought (1/2 cup) stick of butter weighs 4 ounces.

Adapted from The Homemade Pantry by Alana Chernila.