Homemade butter: how to prepare

What are essential oils?

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There are hundreds of thousands of plant , but only about 10% of them are aromatic plants that produce natural oils with a characteristic aroma. These liquid volatile compounds, produced in specialized plant cells, have various health benefits . Each of them has its own biochemical identity, which can be determined through analysis in the laboratory; such chemical composition may vary even among different varieties or specimens of the same plant.

Natural essential oils are obtained commercially from dried or fresh plants, mainly through extraction or steam distillation. However, there are ways to easily obtain precious oils in our own homes.

Homemade oil

Ingredients:

• up to 2 liters of milk;
• salt from 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 tsp;
• large pouring spoon;
• ladle (scoop);
• containers;
• churn.

Step-by-step cooking algorithm

1. Cream collection. Heat the milk over medium heat in a saucepan, uncovered. When the milk is heated, cream appears on the top around the edges. Don't let it boil.
2. Now, using a clean ladle, scoop the bubbling cream on top. And repeat this for several days: collect only a small amount from 1-1/2 to 2 liters of milk.
3. Let the assembled cream cool and store it in the refrigerator or freezer.
4. Let's proceed to the actual production of butter from cream. Remove the collected cream from the freezer and let it thaw a little if frozen.
5. Transfer the cream to a bowl. Using a butter churn, churn the cream in a circular motion.
6. While kneading the cream near one side of the pan, tilt the container slightly. Then the liquid will not mix with the oil.
7. Use a ladle to catch the oil and store it in a separate container.

Don't throw away the leftovers, as this is milk only without cream and can be used for baking.

How to make essential oil: lavender

Aromatherapy oils can be made using hot or cold methods. If you have fresh lavender leaves, we recommend a cold infusion.

We will need:

• sterile jar with screw cap,
• sanitized dark bottle
• sterile gauze.

As for ingredients - in addition to dried lavender, choose a base (sunflower, almond, jojoba, sesame or olive oil) and vitamin E

1. Place dried lavender flowers in a jar.
2. Pour in enough oil to completely cover the flowers.
3. Then seal the jar and place it in a well-lit, sunny location (such as a windowsill or garden) for a month, or preferably six weeks. If you can’t find a good sunny place or it’s often cloudy outside, then you can use the oven: put the jar in a water bath for 10 minutes at a temperature of 50-75°C.
4. Then, filter the mixture through cheesecloth and pour into a dark bottle.
5. Finally, add vitamin E, which makes natural essential oils more durable.

Product composition

Option #1

• hot chili peppers (pods, small);
• carnation;
• caraway;
• 0.5 liters of sunflower oil.

Option No. 2

• 3-4 cloves of garlic;
• zest of one lemon;
• basil;
• half a liter of sunflower oil.

Option #3

• rosemary;
• lemon zest;
• assorted peppers (peas);
• 0.5 liters of olive oil.

Option No. 4

• mint leaf;
• orange zest;
• red hot pepper flakes;
• 250 milliliters of olive oil;
• 250 milliliters of grape seed oil.

Option #5

• thyme;
• sage;
• coriander seeds;
• olive oil and grape seed oil in a 1 to 1 ratio.

How to make orange essential oil

Natural oils can be made not only from flowers, but also from fruits and citrus fruits!

Citrus aromatic oils, such as orange, are a great example.

To prepare it we will need:

• jar
• oranges
• base oil with neutral odor

1. First, peel the orange - it is a key component in the oil. Let's prepare it for drying by removing the remaining white, bitter streaks and then cutting it into pieces.
2. Then place the peel on pastry paper and dry it in the oven, fruit and vegetable dehydrator, or near a heater (in the latter case, a few hours are enough).
3. When the peel becomes dry, hard and brittle, put it in a jar and fill it with oil (for example, linseed or olive) so as to cover the orange peel.
4. Leave the closed jar in the sun for a month. It is worth shaking this mixture from time to time.
5. After a month, filter the oil through cheesecloth, pouring it into a dark glass container or bottle.
6. Store prepared natural aromatic oils in a shaded, dry place.

How to make cinnamon essential oil

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In the same way, you can make wonderful cinnamon-based essential oil.

You will need

• Approximately 12 cinnamon sticks
• One glass of olive oil (about 200 g)
• Glass jar

Try to use good quality ingredients - then the finished aromatic oil will have the best properties.

1. Place the cinnamon sticks in a jar and add olive oil.
2. Make sure that the cinnamon does not stick out from the liquid and, if necessary, break the sticks into several pieces.
3. As in previous cases, screw the jar and leave for several weeks, shaking once a day so that the ingredients are mixed evenly.
4. Then, strain the oil through cheesecloth or a small strainer to remove any cinnamon particles.
5. Pour the finished homogeneous mixture into a dark bottle. The ingredients used have a long shelf life, so the finished mixture can be stored in a dry and shady place for a long time.

How to make rose essential oil

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1. In the case of rose oil, you should start by collecting rose petals yourself on a dry, sunny day (so that they are not wet).
2. Place the petals in a sterile and dry jar, and pour in the oil of your choice - light grapeseed oil goes very well with rose.
3. Leave the closed jar on the windowsill to infuse. Shake the jar regularly.
4. After about 4-6 weeks, drain the oil into a dark, glass container and place in a cool place. Homemade rose essential oil is ready.

How to make essential oil at home

Oils prepared at home are identical in properties to natural essential oils, but are less concentrated and therefore can be used without dilution.

At home, it is better to prepare oils in small quantities and those for which special complex machines are not required. With your own hands you can prepare oil of calendula, lavender, rose, St. John's wort, sea buckthorn, burdock, and from white lily flowers.

Cooking recipes

St. John's wort oil

There are more than 20 types of St. John's wort and only one is medicinal, it is called St. John's wort . St. John's wort is common in the central part of Ukraine. It differs from other species in its narrow leaf shape with a smooth edge and large flowers with elongated petals.

/essential-oils-cosmetology.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/kakgotovitMasloZveroboya.jpg" target="_blank">https://essential-oils-cosmetology.com/wp-content/...1/kakgotovitMasloZveroboya. jpg 350w" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: middle; float: left; max-width: 100%; height: auto; margin: 5px 20px 5px 0px;" width=”300″ />St. John’s wort (hereinafter referred to as St. John’s wort) is collected during flowering. St. John's wort oil is prepared at home from both fresh and dried raw materials. The dried raw material is threshed, removing the stems.

There are many ways to prepare St. John's wort oil with your own hands based on vegetable oils, such as sea buckthorn, olive, almond, flaxseed, sunflower and others.

Let's look at the 5 simplest and most commonly used methods for preparing St. John's wort oil:

1. Pour 20 g or 2 tbsp. spoons of freshly collected St. John's wort flowers 1/2 cup of olive oil (100 ml). Leave for 4-6 weeks. Then squeeze, pass through a filter and pour into bottles. Store in the refrigerator. The resulting oil is used for kidney stones and bile duct diseases.

2. Pour 20 g or 2 tbsp. spoons of fresh crushed raw materials 300 ml of olive oil. You can take almond or sunflower. Leave for 21 days. Then squeeze, filter through a fine sieve and cheesecloth. Pour into dark glass bottles and store in the refrigerator or cool place. This oil is used for bruises, abscesses and suppurations .

3.Pour 3 tbsp. spoons of dry crushed raw materials from leaves and flowers of St. John's wort 200 ml of any vegetable oil. Leave in a sealed container for 15-20 days, shaking occasionally. Then squeeze and strain through cheesecloth folded in two layers. Place in the refrigerator. Use the resulting oil for burns and long-healing wounds .

4.Pour 2 tbsp. spoons of fresh flowers 150 ml of any vegetable oil, preferably almond oil. Leave for 2 weeks in a cool, dark place. Then squeeze and filter. Place in a cool place. Use to care for dry and aging skin, to prevent wrinkles.

5. Place 500 ml of sunflower, corn or olive oil in a water bath. Add 150 g of dry crushed flowers and leaves of St. John's wort. Keep on low heat for an hour. Then leave for two days. Then strain, pour into bottles and place in a dark place.

Calendula oil

/essential-oils-cosmetology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/phpCeWsPdAM.jpg" target="_blank">https://essential-oils-cosmetology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07 /phpCeWsPdAM.jpg 350w" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: middle; float: left; max-width: 100%; height: auto; margin: 5px 20px 5px 0px;" title=”how to make calendula oil at home” width=”300″ />To prepare calendula oil, collect the flowers of the plant without pedicels and in a ratio of 1 to 5. Take 1 part of crushed flowers and 5 parts of vegetable oil, pour olive oil. For example, for 20 g of flowers, 100 ml of olive oil. Insist for 3 weeks. Then it is squeezed out and filtered. The oil is used to treat wounds, cuts, and bruises.

Lavender oil

/essential-oils-cosmetology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/php9GLxgkAM.jpg" target="_blank">https://essential-oils-cosmetology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07 /php9GLxgkAM.jpg 350w" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: middle; float: right; max-width: 100%; height: auto; margin: 5px 0px 5px 20px;" width=”300″ />To prepare lavender oil, flowering stems are collected and tied into bunches. The oil is prepared from fresh leaves and flowers and from dried ones. To prepare the oil, take 2 tbsp. spoons of crushed raw materials. Pour 200 ml of any base vegetable oil (olive, flaxseed, macadamia, almond). Leave in a dark, cool place for 2 months. Shaking occasionally. At the end of this period, strain the resulting oil and pour into dark glass bottles.

Rose oil

To prepare rose oil, collect rosehip or garden rose petals with the brightest and most intense aroma in the morning. Roses should not be treated with any chemicals. On the same day, prepare the oil or rose water according to one of the recipes.

350w" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: middle; float: left; max-width: 100%; height: auto; margin: 5px 20px 5px 0px;" width=”300″ />But, know that in industrial production, only from 5 kg of rose petals .

2. Natural rose water is easier to prepare at home than oil.

Take a wide pan and place rose petals in several rows on the bottom. Pour water so that the petals are completely covered with water and put on fire, covering the pan with a lid. When the water boils, turn the heat to low and simmer the petals for about 1 hour until they lose their color.

Then squeeze out the petals, strain the resulting rose water and pour into sterile jars. Place in the refrigerator. This rose water can be stored without losing its smell and properties for a year.

3.This method of obtaining rose water is a little similar to the previous one. Also take a pan, on the bottom of which are placed several layers of rose petals, filled with water. Place a deep bowl or a wide-necked jar in the middle of the pan on the rose petals. The edges of the jar or bowl should be above the layer of water.

Cover with an inverted lid and put on fire. When the water begins to boil, reduce the flame of the burner, and fill the inverted lid with ice cubes. The steam along with the rose essential oils will rise up, settle as a distillate on the lid and flow into the jar.

Heat the pan with rose petals over low heat for an hour. Do not forget to check that all the water has not boiled away. Water can be added. At the end of the process, there will be natural rose water in a jar inside the pan. Store the resulting rose water in a cool place. You can use it for a year or even more, while rose water retains all its healing properties.

Orange oil

If you want to make orange oil at home, you need to take the peels of several oranges.

Cut the peel Take vegetable oil Pour vegetable oil over the chopped peel Place in a water bath for 30 minutes

• Wash, peel the pulp and chop finely.
• Pour into a jar and pour in any vegetable oil so that the crusts are completely covered.
• Then put it in a dark place.
• After 3-4 days, place the jar with the crusts in a water bath for 30 minutes, while the lid on the jar should not be closed tightly.
• Then strain the resulting liquid and squeeze out the crusts, the oil is ready.

Store in a cool place.

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Using the same recipe, you can prepare oil from lemon, lime and tangerine .

Natural citrus water is prepared at home as follows:

• Peel 1-2 citrus fruits, wash and cut into small pieces.
• Pour some water into a steamer or saucepan.
• In a double boiler - on a wire rack, and in a saucepan - on a smaller sieve inserted into the pan, pour the chopped peel.
• Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. When it boils, turn it off, let it brew and cool.
• Then pour into bottles and store in the refrigerator.

It must be used within 10 days. This fragrant water is used to cleanse the skin of the face, neck and décolleté, morning and evening.

Attention! When growing, citrus fruits are sprayed with pesticides, just like our apples, the last spraying is usually long before the fruits ripen. And before transporting fruits, exporters coat them with wax or paraffin with preservatives to increase shelf life.

, wash the peel very using a brush or a kitchen scrubber. Then plunge into boiling water for 1 minute to melt the wax. You can use soap or baking soda for washing. I wash and pour boiling water from a kettle over it.

Another option is to buy fruits grown without the use of pesticides. In the West they are sold in the organic departments of supermarkets. Prices for such goods are usually 2-3 times higher.

Attention! Grapefruit oil cannot be prepared at home .

Clove oil

/essential-oils-cosmetology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Maslo-gvozdiki-300×224.jpg" target="_blank">https://essential-oils-cosmetology.com/wp-content /…/08/Maslo-gvozdiki-300×224.jpg 300w" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: middle; float: left; max-width: 100%; height: auto; margin: 5px 20px 5px 0px;" title=”Clove oil, homemade” width=”350″ />Pharmaceutical clove oil has a high concentration. It must be diluted strongly and only a one percent solution should be used. Who doesn’t want to guess about percentages is better off making clove oil at home. It can be used for toothache and in the treatment of colds. Use it to make ointments and body creams.

To prepare clove oil you will need:

• 2 sterile glass jars with lids;
• olive oil or any base oil;
• clove buds, preferably as fresh as possible

Here are some ways to make clove oil at home: 1. Grind 4 fresh (8 – whatever you have) clove buds. Pour into a jar of olive oil (300 ml). Close the lid and leave to brew for a week. After a week, strain through two layers of gauze and pour into another prepared jar. Add 4 more crushed clove buds and cover with a lid. Leave it to steep for another week. Strain before use. 2. Grind one glass of cloves , pour into a sterile jar. Pour in any vegetable oil (olive, corn) so that it is a few centimeters above the clove powder. Close the lid and leave to infuse in a sunny place for two weeks. After two weeks, pour the strained oil into another sterile jar and close the lid tightly. 3.Pour cloves into the slow cooker . Pour in any base oil so that it completely covers the cloves. Cook for 3-4 hours at the lowest temperature. Then strain and pour into a sterile jar and close the lid. If you don't have a slow cooker, use the oven at the lowest temperature and a thick-walled saucepan. Store the resulting oil and use within two months.

Properties of essential oils

Let's see how the above-mentioned aromas affect us.
Lavender oil is primarily calming – it relieves stress and makes it easier to fall asleep.

The oil is also used as a moth control agent;

Lavender has antibacterial, fungicidal and antiparasitic properties. This natural essential oil can reduce inflammation (and persistent runny nose), support the immune system and stimulate the production of antibodies, regulate the sebaceous glands, accelerate the healing of wounds and scars, improve pregnancy conditions and have anti-aging effects.

Orange oil also has a calming effect; It also stimulates appetite, helps overcome gastrointestinal diseases and has a tonic and astringent effect on the skin, which is why it is used in toners, face creams and many other cosmetics. In addition, it has anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and bactericidal properties.

In addition to antibacterial and antifungal properties, cinnamon oil also has anti-inflammatory effects. It protects our cells from free radicals, strengthens the immune system and prevents colds. In addition to fighting skin infections and acne, cinnamon oil also helps fight diabetes, rheumatism and gastritis. Its calming effect is used in aromatherapy; the smell of cinnamon relieves fatigue and stress.

In turn, aromatic rose oil is used mainly in cosmetology for the face, body and hair . Cleanses and improves skin tone, moisturizes, softens and soothes. Brightens the complexion, helps fight discoloration and regulates the acidic pH of the skin. Nourishes the scalp and adds shine and life to dry, dull hair. The oil also works well in treating hyperhidrosis (all you have to do is rub it into problem areas) and in relieving menstrual pain.

Of course, it, like the previous ones, has an aromatherapy effect; relaxes, calms and relaxes.

All of these aroma oils are good only if you are not allergic to any of the components. Therefore, before you make essential oil at home and use it, find out if you have a predisposition to a particular allergen.

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Classic recipe: how to make butter from cream

Making butter at home is not as difficult as it seems. To do this, it is enough to take 400-500 ml of heavy cream (from 33% and above). Actually, this is the only ingredient, because natural butter includes only cream.

You can also add a few pinches of salt or sugar - many people just like salted or slightly sweet butter. And the only equipment we need is a mixer.

Here's how to make butter using this recipe:

Step 1. Pour the cream into a fairly deep container and turn on the mixer at the highest power. Passing it in a circle, beat the mixture for 8-10 minutes.

Step 2. After this time, you will notice how the cream has noticeably thickened and has almost turned into butter. In this case, a little liquid forms on the surface - it must be drained.

Step 3. After this, turn on the mixer again and continue beating for literally 5 minutes. The resulting liquid is removed again.

Step 4. And let's work with the mixer for 1-2 minutes. We get a hard, dense lump that should sit for half an hour. A little more liquid may come out of it, which also needs to be drained.

Step 5. Actually, you can finish here, but if you like salty or slightly sweet butter, it's time to add these spices. First, the product is laid out on parchment in an even layer so that the salt is distributed evenly throughout the entire volume. At this stage you can also add herbs or a little garlic.

Step 6. Let the product rest for an hour in the refrigerator, after which it can be served. Decorate with greens.