Fermented Milk Products from All Over the World • Lapte bătut (Romania)

In Romania, people are taking care of livestock, such as cows, sheep, and goats, for a very long time already, so dairy products are extremely popular in the country and are consumed very often. Lapte bătut is actually buttermilk, which is a by-product of the making of butter from the milk’s cream. It is much easier to digest lapte bătut as the entire casein of the milk is passed in this product in smaller bits, which are much better tolerated by our digestive system. Laptele bătut has a light and pleasant consistency, due to its low-fat content, so it can be drunk as easy as it can be eaten with a spoon. In Romania, lapte bătut is considered a great snack, usually served with a bagel or pastry products, but it is also enjoyed for breakfast, with slices of bread or cereal.

This particular fermented milk product is considered very valuable for our health, as it is rich in probiotics, which maintain the health of our digestive system, immune system, and colon. It is very easy to prepare lapte bătut at home, as long as you have fresh milk at your disposal. You first need to boil the milk and after you allowed it to cool down until it is sufficiently warm, you will have to pour it in containers made out of ceramic or glass, like mason jars. For every 700 grams of warm milk, add one tablespoon of sour cream. Use a whisk or large spoon to mix the warm milk and sour cream together well. Then leave the container at room temperature, for 1 to 2 days, until the milk thickens. Place a clean cloth or lid on top of the container, to keep bugs or dust from getting inside. You can tell your lapte bătut is ready when you see a layer of cream formed at the top. This is more visible if you use whole milk, as it has a higher amount of fat. You can mix it or scoop the cream, but once it is done, place it in the fridge right away to prevent it from getting even sourer. Just do have in mind that if you prepare this product in the winter or the temperature in the room is lower, it may need more than 2 days to be ready. In the summer, 1 day should be enough, so do look for the layer of cream that will form at the top of the container.