As a passionate home cook who's experimented with countless kitchen hacks over the years, I'm hooked on real butter. Homemade butter stands out as one of the most rewarding and flavorful creations I've mastered—and it couldn't be simpler with a food processor.
All it takes is heavy cream, and you're set. (Though homemade mayonnaise runs a close second!)
This trusted recipe is incredibly straightforward. Since perfecting it, I've ditched store-bought butter entirely.
From 1 liter of fresh heavy cream, I yield 450g of premium homemade butter. At around €2.50 per liter for the cream, it's a smart, cost-effective choice for superior quality.
For 450g of homemade butter:
Peel and finely grate 1 carrot.
Heat the grated carrot with 60 ml of milk in a small saucepan until bubbles form on the surface.
Strain through a square of cheesecloth (food-grade cloth) to extract the vibrant orange milk.
Pour this infused milk into your stand mixer's bowl.
Discard the carrot solids.
Pour the heavy cream into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the flat beater.
Add the salt and cover the mixer with a tea towel.
Pro tip: Covering is essential—trust me, skipping it leads to a messy splatter everywhere!
Run the mixer at maximum speed.
Beat the mixture, checking progress often.
It starts as whipped cream, then turns grainy.
Eventually, it separates into solid butter and liquid buttermilk—this is when splattering peaks, so keep covered.
The butter grains will clump and cling to the beater, signaling it's ready.
Drain the butter in a colander over a bowl to separate the buttermilk.
Rinse under cold water, pressing with hands or a spatula to remove all buttermilk—continue until the water runs clear.
Shape into a block or slab.
Voilà! You've crafted delicious homemade butter. As promised, it's effortless.
Store in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
Enjoy on bread or in cooking. Bon appétit!
Note: A stand mixer is key for this. We recommend a reliable food processor model.
