Buttermilk with Flora Danica

by Jerri

I’ve never had a need to make buttermilk. It always seemed like it was meant for drinking or in pancakes, neither of which we’d be able to do since we’re, for the most part, a gluten and dairy free family. But, it’s been fun to dabble and post about the cheese cultures lately, straying to taste test…so I asked a beloved kitchen keeper and she said, Sure! You can make buttermilk with the Flora Danica ! Well, okay then!

My steps:

Heated 1 quart pasteurized whole organic milk to 185ºF
Held the milk as best I could around 185ºF for 35-40 minutes
Cooled to 77ºF
Stirred in the Flora Danica.
Insulated it in the same pot with an emergency blanket + big towel
When done, stored in the fridge for 6 hours

My house is terribly cold for mesophilic cultures like cheese or yogurt, so overnight to maintain 77º would be impossible. Last time I tried to insulate a batch with just a towel, the temperature dropped to 65º. This time, it worked well!

I wrapped it all in a big fluffy towel, tying the handle with a shoelace:

11 ½ hours later, the temp had dropped to 70º, but it was ALREADY SOLID! In fact, I had accidentally tilted the pot, so it solidified at an angle. HA!

How thick was it? Thick enough that a happy face stayed put!

I tasted it before popping it in the fridge, and it was sour, more like a thin sour cream. Hmmm, I pictured buttermilk as runny/pourable and sour. I consulted my buddy, and she schooled me on a few things:

Buttermilk traditionally is the leftover liquid after you make butter from cream. You then culture that liquid with a starter, but since there is no fat, the buttermilk is generally thin.
What I have tastes sour because I have soured the milk using a culture, and it’s possible it resembles sour cream because of the warm temperature and length of time, combined (longer time + warmer = more sour and thick).
It’s thick like sour cream because I used whole milk, which has the fat.
This buttermilk can be used in any buttermilk task.

Now, how about after some time in the fridge? 6 hours later, bottom line, I have thick sour cream buttermilk. I like it!