The internet was playing up first thing so I couldn't to the forum I like - Mrs L's to get the instructions, so I just 'went for it'.
I got it straight out of the fridge and it looked really grainy not like smooth double cream should look! But as it was free and I was in a ‘couldn’t care less’ type of mood, I just stuck it in the food mixer, put it on to the slowest setting, and went off the feed the chooks. Had a shower – then remembered it!
Oops, there was buttermilk everywhere! But lo and behold in the stainless steel bowl was butter! MAGIC
Not a very good photo as the glare came off the stainless steel bowl, but it was a lovely yellow buttery colour all over - those white bits are just photo glare and I don't know how to fix that!
I strained off what little buttermilk was left (half a cup) and pulled off bits and rinsed it under cold water. Then I put it all together in my now freezing cold hands and squashed it into a ball.
I added a few twists from the salt grinder, squished it up to mix it a bit, and patted it with spatulas to look like this…………
It weighed in at 4.75 ounces - but it was only a small tub of cream, and there was lots of butter milk - over the floor, the walls, the work top - so next time there will be no waste. And it was free food this time!
Later when I looked up how to do it on the forum………..the cream had to be at room temperature………etc etc. I broke all the rules – except the hygiene ones of course!
Clearing up all the splashes of buttermilk was not a chore as I was still on a high at making the butter. It is now in residence in a plastic tub – from Tesco’s – which hardly befits such a work of art. Perhaps I should search the charity shops for a proper butter dish next. I don’t suppose anyone out there has an old butter mould or butter pats they want to swap or sell – or knows of someone who does?
Lunch time was our once a week treat of eggs and home made fat free potato wedges – and I had a doorstep slice of my own wholemeal bread with my own butter which I dunked into my own very golden and soft egg yolks – happiness is slow food – with every mouthful tasting divine.
As I am typing this, the aroma of my latest batch of two wholemeal and jumbo oats loaves is wafting in here – and they are topped with roasted pumpkin seeds. Who needs a bread maker when you have a food mixer and an oven? So much quicker.
In a moment I will get them out of the oven, and when I turn them over to tap them out of the tins some of the roasted seeds will fall off, and I won’t have to fight Pat for them either as he is out bowling.
The other thing I have just done is to get some of my frozen raspberries and layer them with the thick yoghurt I make. This is what they look like now – but by tea time the will have thawed and the juice will have made lovely marbled patterns into the yoghurt, four pots in all. Yummy.
Best be off - the bread smells done, and there are some lovely toasted pumpkin seeds with my name on them!
Hello Allotment Lady,
ReplyDeleteI am just curious about how you make your yoghurt. Do you have a yoghurt maker or is there a simple process for doing it?
Thanks
Muppet
Hello Muppet
ReplyDeleteThanks for looking. Years ago I bought a cheap yoghurt maker from Lakeland - I am sure they still do them
It doesn't take up much room - just as well my small kitchen
You just buy some bio yoghurt - I used Yeo Valley natural. You only need 2 tablespoonsful.
I buy long life milk as it seems to make thicker yoghurt, and skimmed which is lovely (but obviously full fat is probably even better - but as mine is delish I haven't tried full fat.)
So I little yoghurt maker (electric) I ltr of milk, 2tbps of yoghurt. Pour in milk, add yoghurt, switch on and forget for 6 - 8 hours. You can do less than a litre I just fill it up to max.
I usually leave mine for 8 hours or put it on before I got to bed.
You get a lovely cream yoghurt - you just pour off the whey.
I like mine really really stand a spoon up in it thick like Greek yoghurt, so I strain mine in yoghurt strainers - have lasted me for years!
You can make a litre of delicious youghurt for 35p the cost of a litre of long life milk.
Oh and remember to save 2 tbsp of yoghurt (before you strain it) for the next lot- keep in a sealed pot in the fridge.
YOU can add all sorts of syrups and fruits etc. I tend to use fruits that I have grown, or lemon curd, or meusli, and now my own dried fruit - and simple the best wicked one was at Christmas with my home made mincemeat heavily laced with rum.
Well.... what can I say - you are an inspiration!!! So much so I have made marmalade (not the best thing I have ever made but there you go) my own bread for a pizza base and am awaiting some casings to have a go at sausages. Many have poohooed what I am doing - but who can dish up a whole meal from what you have either grown or made? Not many I dare say. I look forward to your postings each day and all I can say is continue to inspire us!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jooles
ReplyDeleteI have on occassions had quite a bit of poohooing on here and else where - but are we bovvered? Do I look bovered?
I am really happy in the low profile way I live and the food I eat - and I have the POWER to block the littl nasties from leaving more messages.
Just about to add some chicken licken photos.
Thanks for your nice comments.
Jooles I forgot to add that if you want some rusk for your sausages I have some spare. £1.60 per kilo plus whatever the postage costs.
ReplyDeleteYou only have to use a small amount - and the smallest quantity I could buy was 6 kilos for £9.50 - at the time I didn't realise that you didn't use much!
Thank you very much allotment lady! I will have a look for yoghurt makers, it sounds easy peasy.
ReplyDelete