Making Butter

[Guest]

I've made butter in the past using the cream off full fat milk, but I'm sure I've seen another way of making butter using whipping cream (?) Anyone made butter with children, how long did it take? I might want to do it as part of a lesson being observed by science co-ordinator.

 

Also - somewhere there was a recipe for a super quick ice-cream.

 

Or ... any other good ideas for a Food based science lesson.

 

Thanks,

Harricroft

[Marion]

Age Range: 3-5

 

Subject:

 

Food

 

Objectives:

 

Understand Cause + Effect

Develop the Ability to Wait

Develop Observation Skills

 

 

 

 

So much of food preparation and cooking gives children an opportunity to see and understand transformations. Here's a way children can see how a liquid can change into a solid.

 

Materials:

 

1 pint (500 ml) whipping cream

dash of salt

bread or crackers

 

Directions:

 

Talk about foods that change from liquids to solids when heated, frozen, or shaken, such as cakes, ice cubes, and eggs. Can the children name foods that change from liquids to solids?

 

Then have the children observe how a food changes by making butter. Pour the whipping cream into a jar with a tight-fitting lid, and let the children take turns shaking the jar. (You can limit each child's turn by counting to 15 or by setting an egg timer.)

 

It takes 10 to 20 minutes for the cream to become lumpy, and waiting can be hard for children. Talk about waiting, and give several suggestions for making the time go faster. Then have the children try their favorite suggestions.

 

For example, you could suggest the children:

 

sing a song while they shake;

listen to a story;

talk about what they like to eat with butter;

set the table for snack time;

draw pictures while waiting for a turn to shake.

Once the cream forms large lumps, pour off the excess liquid (or drain it off through a cheesecloth) and add a little salt. Refrigerate the butter until snack or lunch time and let the children spread it on bread or crackers with a butter knife.

[Guest]

OOOOOps! just gone to the recipe section and the butter recipe is there BUT if anyone knows the ice cream one, or has any other good ideas for lessons, they'd be gratefully received.

 

Harricroft

[Marion]

Have never tried these but found them on line

 

http://www.sendicecream.com/icecreammakf.html

 

 

http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/icecream.html

[mundia]

Haricroft, hi there. I have done the ice cream before, it does takre a bit of shaking. Basically you need 2 cups of crushed ice mixed with rock salt for each cup of milk (with a bit of vanilla added). Seal the milk inside one bag and then ut into another containing the ice/rock sat) and shake quite vigourously. Doesnt make much for the effort but it does have the wow factor..