Full-fat buttermilk substitution?

[runwestierun]

I want to make Tartine's devil's food cake recipe that calls for 1 1/4 cups of full-fat buttermilk. The problem is, the only thing that's available in my teeny tiny town is low-fat buttermilk. I always thought that buttermilk was naturally low-fat. I'm afraid I don't know how to substitute low-fat for full-fat. Should I add a little heavy cream to it? Melted butter? I do also have Bob's Red Mill dried buttermilk on hand. Any suggestions?

[TheNoodleIncident]

I assume the vinegar/lemon juice trick with full fat milk should do the trick. Just add the acid to the milk, stir, let sit for a few minutes, and stir again. I forget the exact ratio, but a quick google search will tell you.

[thirtyoneknots]

You could also, if inclined towards projects, buy a quart of heavy cream, culture it (ie, make creme fraiche), churn it into butter, and use the byproduct.

[Norm Matthews]

Before refrigeration, it was nearly impossible to keep cream fresh all the way from the dairy to the creamery. Butter was churned from sour cream and the resulting buttermilk was also sour. Now days buttermilk is made by adding a culture to milk. That is why using lemon juice or vinegar to make buttermilk from whole milk is a better solution that trying to churn butter from fresh sweet cream. The resulting liquid made from sweet cream isn't really buttermilk in the traditional or even the more modern sense. Making creme fraiche into butter and milk will probably work but it is a lot of extra time and effort for butter and buttermilk. plus you would need quite a bit of cream to get any substantial amount of buttermilk.

Edited June 28, 2011 by Norm Matthews (log)

[tangaloor]

I second thirtyoneknots' approach, though it's a bit of overkill if all you're after is a devils food cake. The butter you'll make is worth the effort; the buttermilk is also delicious and flecked with tiny bits of butter.

[AAQuesada]

Just use low fat buttermilk, It won't be as rich but will work fine. I've only ever seen it in food service.

[baroness]

I assume the vinegar/lemon juice trick with full fat milk should do the trick. Just add the acid to the milk, stir, let sit for a few minutes, and stir again. I forget the exact ratio, but a quick google search will tell you.

It's generally one tablespoon (0.5 ounce) of lemon juice or vinegar to 8 ounces milk.

[thirtyoneknots]

Before refrigeration, it was nearly impossible to keep cream fresh all the way from the dairy to the creamery. Butter was churned from sour cream and the resulting buttermilk was also sour. Now days buttermilk is made by adding a culture to milk. That is why using lemon juice or vinegar to make buttermilk from whole milk is a better solution that trying to churn butter from fresh sweet cream. The resulting liquid made from sweet cream isn't really buttermilk in the traditional or even the more modern sense. Making creme fraiche into butter and milk will probably work but it is a lot of extra time and effort for butter and buttermilk. plus you would need quite a bit of cream to get any substantial amount of buttermilk.

It's a little more work sure but a quart of creme fraiche should yield a little less than a pound of butter and a little less than a pint of buttermilk. And it is definitely buttermilk in every sense of the word.

The vinegar thing might work but I can't vouch for it myself. I've often wondered if adding powdered buttermilk to milk would have any effect...any guesses?

ETA: It seems like the effect of adding vinegar to milk (curdling) might be technically different than souring it with a lactic bacteria culture, even if the texture is similar...I honestly have no idea though.

Edited June 28, 2011 by thirtyoneknots (log)

[Norm Matthews]

Plugra is made from creme fraiche so I am sure the butter would be very good but my experience with butter making is that a pint of cream makes only a couple ounces of buttermilk.

[andiesenji]

It is much easier to mix buttermilk with regular sour cream, half and half, blend well and that will give you the fat you need for the correct texture.

I've done this with just about every kind of cake, quick bread and etc., with good results.

Old recipes for these types of cakes call for "clabber" or soured milk which had not had the cream separated out.

Edited June 28, 2011 by andiesenji (log)

[runwestierun]

Creme fraiche. I would kill for creme fraiche. I live in the boonies where such luxuries, which don't start with "Chef-Boy-R", are nonexistant. So that's a good idea, but that's out.

I noticed that my powdered buttermilk on further inspection says "sweet cream powdered buttermilk" so I am going to mix some of that up and maybe make it a little thicker than it calls for. I'll let you know how it goes. The cake is for a birthday tonight.

[Eman57]

Ive seen a quick trick to make buttermilk on the fly, you add whole milk to sour cream until it is the consistency of buttermilk, or whatever you want. It works pretty well in a jam.

Edited June 28, 2011 by Eman57 (log)

[thirtyoneknots]

Creme fraiche. I would kill for creme fraiche. I live in the boonies where such luxuries, which don't start with "Chef-Boy-R", are nonexistant. So that's a good idea, but that's out.

I noticed that my powdered buttermilk on further inspection says "sweet cream powdered buttermilk" so I am going to mix some of that up and maybe make it a little thicker than it calls for. I'll let you know how it goes. The cake is for a birthday tonight.

If your grocer has heavy cream and buttermilk you can make an excellent approximation by mixing 2 tbs of buttermilk per cup of heavy cream and letting it sit covered at room temp for 24-36 hours, then stir and it will magically thicken if it has not already done so. Refrigerate afterwards and it will keep for a couple of weeks at least.

If you dip oreos or girl scout cookies in it you will be making it regularly.

[Shel_B]

Could adding a full fat yogurt, especially a Greek style (without additives) work as well as the sour cream trick?

[CatPoet]

I use low fat and add a bit of full fat yogurt so far that have worked.

[Katie Meadow]

I use low-fat buttermilk all the time, often ignoring instructions to use full-fat. I can't really tell the difference in baked goods or pancakes, honestly, but then I'm so used to it maybe I'm a bad judge. My other solution would be to sub a small amount of low fat buttermilk with whatever full-fat product is around, whether it be yogurt, sour cream or creme fraiche to add a bit of richness.

[andiesenji]

You can also just add heavy cream.  If you want to have a more "traditional" product, mix the buttermilk half and half with the cream and allow to set out at room temp overnight.

It will be thick and tangy.  I use this mixture for buttermilk pound cake, which simply does not work well with regular supermarket buttermilk.