How Is Butter Made?
“We’re going to make some butter…
Rich and creamy, too!”
I remember the first time I made butter at Shelburne Farms. I was surprised and amazed at how simple the process was! All you need is some heavy cream, a jar, a song, and some friends! Check out the video to learn how:
How does it work? Is it magic?
Whether you're shaking a jar or churning an old fashioned butter churn, it all works the same way. As you agitate the fat in the milk cream, the fat membranes break open, and the sticky fat will start to clump together into a ball of butter. The milk left behind is called buttermilk (but this buttermilk is a skim milk rather than the cultured buttermilk that you would find in the grocery store).
How to make maple vanilla whipped cream:
Before shaking, add 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup to your heavy cream. You can adjust as needed according to your sweet tooth. Watch closely as you shake and when the cream thickens and sticks to the inside of the jar - you’ll have a tasty whipped cream topping. Careful though, if you shake for too long then your whipped cream will turn into butter!
Buttermaking Song
Chorus:
Shake it, shake it, shake it
Shake it all you can
Shake it like a milkshake
And pass it to a friend!
Verses:
We’re going to make some butter
Rich and creamy, too
With milk from a cow’s udder
Before you can say moo
Put some cream into a jar
Bring a friend or two
Make sure the lid’s on tightly
That’s all you have to do
We’re learning while we’re churning
Hey this is lots of fun
It’s easy to make butter
Let’s eat it when it’s done
Oh, listen very carefully
It’s sounding different now
Hooray! It’s finally butter
Be sure to thank a cow!