If you ever find yourself without buttermilk in the fridge you can make this quick and easy buttermilk substitute in less than ten minutes. Whether you are making crumpets, rusks or quick breads, the role of buttermilk in almost any baking recipe is to add tenderness and lighten the batter. Once the acids in the buttermilk get in contact with the bicarb of soda or baking powder in the batter, it cancels out the sourness of the buttermilk, leaving our baked goods airy, tender, and tasty beyond reckoning. Incidentally, yogurt or sour cream thinned with milk (or plain water) also work well as buttermilk substitutes.
Since shop-bought buttermilk is made using live, active cultures of healthy bacteria, it contains probiotics. Probiotics help limit the amount of unhealthy types of bacteria in your digestive tract and may lower your risk for diarrhea and cancer. These healthy bacteria are particularly useful during and after taking antibiotics, as they help repopulate your digestive tract with healthy bacteria
250 ml milk
15 ml lemon juice or white vinegar
- Combine the milk and lemon juice in a measuring jug and let it stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes.
- When it is ready, the milk will be slightly thickened and you will see small curdled bits. It will not become as thick as regular buttermilk.
- Use this substitute (including curdled bits) as you would buttermilk in your recipe.
Other buttermilk substitutes:
- Yogurt: Mix 180 ml plain yogurt with 60 ml water to thin.
- Sour Cream: Mix 180 ml sour cream with 60 ml plain water to thin.
- Cream of tartar: Mix 250 ml milk with 7.5 ml cream of tarter. Let it stand 5 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened and curdled.
For ideas to use buttermilk, have a look at the following recipes: Luxurious Scones, Deluxe Fruit, Nut & Seed Whole-wheat Rusks, American Corn Bread, Beer Bread, Roast Vegetable & Cheese Slices, Blueberry & Buttermilk Crumpets, Blueberry Buttermilk Cake and Best-ever Buttermilk Rusks.
