This month, Holly Davis, a renowned wholefood chef, author and educator who teaches face to face workshops and online courses in Sourdough Baking and Fermentation has teamed up with The Swag and is sharing her most converted recipes; Crème Fraîche, and Cultured Butter and Buttermilk.

For Holly, who has been teaching others how to cook and ferment wholefoods for over 40 years, there is a good reason that a freshly baked sourdough bread pairs so well with cultured butter. These products of fermentation are a marriage for one another. The addition of butter to bread slows the absorption of the carbohydrates thus prolonging the energy provided. The trick is to savour both and chew very well indeed! By doing so, you will support your digestive system to get the most nutrient and energy from this delectable combo. Making your own means you can lower the cost and know exactly what you are eating. Once you have a loaf, store it in something that allows it to breathe and prolongs its life. “I am finding the Organic Bread Swag a very handy way to store my loaves,” says Holly. “ And I love that I can hang it from a hook over my bench; so that it can breathe. Sourdough has great keeping properties but even its life is extended by the bag. No plastics and it's easy to wash between uses!”

Cultured Butter and Buttermilk by Holly Davis

When cream is cultured and then agitated, it splits into a solid fat, butter and a milk-like liquid –buttermilk – giving two great probiotic products for your efforts. Buttermilk can be used in place of milk or water in baking. The acidity it provides helps to activate any leavening agents you might use and the beneficial cultures within help to further lighten your mix. Because buttermilk is only slightly sour, it is also delicious to drink or whizz up in a smoothie. Holly’s tip - the mix splits best when the cream to churn is cold.

Serves: Approx 340g butter and 550ml buttermilk

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients: 

1. 1 litre cold, lightly cultured kefir cream or crème fraîche
2. A pinch Celtic sea salt (optional)

Method: 

• Pour the cold crème fraîche into a food processor or stand mixer. Whip the cream slowly, for 3–4 minutes, until you can see the butter beginning to form into solids and the thin milky liquid (the buttermilk). When there are clumps of fat sitting in a thin milky liquid you are ready for the next step. 
• Have ready a large bowl filled with iced water. 
• Line a sieve with muslin (cheesecloth or Produce Bag Set) and set over a large bowl. Tip the contents into the sieve and use a flexible spatula to gently press through as much of the buttermilk as you can. 
• Pour the buttermilk into a clean glass jar, seal and store in the fridge where it will keep well for a good couple of weeks. 
• Tip the butter into the iced water, use your hands to squeeze the butter and water, rinsing the butter as well as you can (the more buttermilk you remove from the butter the better it will keep). 
• Strain out the butter and return it to the muslin. Squeeze the muslin to remove any excess moisture in the butter. 
• Shape the butter into a round or square using butter pats or the backs of two flat wooden spoons. Pat the butter dry with paper towels and store in a butter dish.

The butter will keep for up to 1 week in the fridge.

This month, The Swag & Food By Holly Davis have teamed up and are giving you the chance to WIN the ULTIMATE bread-lover’s bundle, including:

• 1 x Award-Winning Bread Swag
• 1 x Spot in the interactive live round of The Art Of Sourdough Baking (starts October 17th - head to link in Holly’s bio to learn more about the course!)
• 1 x Durable 1 kg Sandwich Loaf Pan

 How to Enter? Simply follow these three simple steps:

1. Follow @theswag.original & @hollydaviswholefood AND
2. TAG a bread-loving friend in this post AND
3. Sign up to Holly Davis’ FREE newsletter (head to link in Holly’s IG bio to subscribe!)

This is bundle is valued over $400! Now get tagging 😉

Competition closes Sunday October 9th 11:59PM AEST 2022

Open to AU & NZ residents only.

Winner will be drawn randomly and announced from combined brands' Instagram on Monday October 10th.

Goodluck Swaggers ✨