Better bought than homemade

[Moodyman]

We made butter for the first time this weekend. We succeeded, but when factoring the cost of double cream, electricity and the messy blender, it makes more sense to buy a cube of Lurpak or similar.

 

[EltonFrog]

Crumpets

No. Just no. Shop bought crumpets are vile portions of old mattresses.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

We made butter for the first time this weekend. We succeeded, but when factoring the cost of double cream, electricity and the messy blender, it makes more sense to buy a cube of Lurpak or similar.

Butter is worth making at home because it's quick, easy and cheap.

A 250g block of supermarket's own brand butter is about £1.60, or £6.40/kg.
A 600ml tub of double cream costs £2 and that will give me a yield of 400g of butter in five minutes.

The electricity cost for a 300 watt hand mixer for five minutes is tiny, probably about tuppence max.

So at this stage I can have 400g of butter for around £2, that's just £5/kg so already cheaper than shop bought. Add to that I also now have 200ml of buttermilk, which would cost me 80p in the supermarket, and it's even more worth it.

BUT, I wait until the cream is on the short-dated shelf where I can buy it on the best before date for 10p for 600ml. It's actually better to use cream that's at that date or just beyond, it churns into butter faster. (It also speeds up the process if you take it out of the fridge and let it get to room tempereature before churning.)

So now I'm getting 400g of butter for 10p or 25p/kg, plus that lovely buttermilk that I can use in making my bread. That's an absolute bargain!

 

[neil_merseyside]

Butter is worth making at home because it's quick, easy and cheap.

A 250g block of supermarket's own brand butter is about £1.60, or £6.40/kg.
A 600ml tub of double cream costs £2 and that will give me a yield of 400g of butter in five minutes.

The electricity cost for a 300 watt hand mixer for five minutes is tiny, probably about tuppence max.

So at this stage I can have 400g of butter for around £2, that's just £5/kg so already cheaper than shop bought. Add to that I also now have 200ml of buttermilk, which would cost me 80p in the supermarket, and it's even more worth it.

BUT, I wait until the cream is on the short-dated shelf where I can buy it on the best before date for 10p for 600ml. It's actually better to use cream that's at that date or just beyond, it churns into butter faster. (It also speeds up the process if you take it out of the fridge and let it get to room tempereature before churning.)

So now I'm getting 400g of butter for 10p or 25p/kg, plus that lovely buttermilk that I can use in making my bread. That's an absolute bargain!

Method please, I'm asking you as you don't mention mess!

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Method please, I'm asking you as you don't mention mess!

My stand mixer has a clear perspex shield which limits the mess. Then there’s always the old style churn (modern copies are available) which keep everything contained.

 

[PeteXXX]

Custard..
Much easier to use Birds Custard Powder and a microwave 👍🏼

 

[screenman]

Wine.

 

[Easytigers]

Curry...no matter how many recipes, jars etc nothing beats a takeaway!

 

[Julia9054]

Pastry

Curry...no matter how many recipes, jars etc nothing beats a takeaway!

Ooh - disagree strongly! Takeaways not a patch on home cooking. The 3 men in my family currently competitively cooking lockdown curry recipes. (I fat!)

 

[Salty seadog]

Time machines. 🤫

 

[Salty seadog]

No. Just no. Shop bought crumpets are vile portions of old mattresses.

Someone's not putting enough butter on.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Baked beans

 

[rogerzilla]

TInned pies

 

[Easytigers]

Pastry

Ooh - disagree strongly! Takeaways not a patch on home cooking. The 3 men in my family currently competitively cooking lockdown curry recipes. (I fat!)

If you post a recipe, I'll happily give it a go...but yet to be convinced!

 

[BrumJim]

Pastry

I think that the key with pastry is patience. Make it the day before, put it in an airtight container and put that in the fridge for a day and it comes out lovely and springy. However most people who know more about cooking than I ever will scoff at the idea and think that this is way too long.