This recipe outlines a simple method for making cream at home. While not as straightforward as store-bought, homemade cream offers a rewarding experience and can be customized to your desired richness and flavor.
Ingredients:
- 1 quart whole milk
- 1/4 cup buttermilk (or plain yogurt)
Instructions:
- Chill: Pour the whole milk into a clean glass jar or bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, allowing it to become very cold.
- Add Starter: Gently stir in the buttermilk or yogurt.
- Incubate:
- Warm Method: Place the jar in a warm spot (between 70-75°F / 21-24°C). This could be a warm oven with the light on, a yogurt maker, or a well-insulated container.
- Cold Method: Wrap the jar in a thick towel and place it in a warm spot.
- Thicken: Allow the mixture to sit undisturbed for 12-24 hours. The milk should thicken gradually as the bacteria in the buttermilk or yogurt convert lactose into lactic acid.
- Separate: Once thickened, carefully pour the contents through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. The liquid that drains is buttermilk, and the solids remaining in the cheesecloth are your homemade cream.
- Use or Store:
- Use Immediately: Enjoy the fresh cream immediately in coffee, on fruit, or in your favorite recipes.
- Store: If storing, place the cream in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.