Buttermilk

Here we have 2 buttermilk products. I'm no expert, but I'll try to explain the difference as best I can.

The buttermilk on the left is from our local dairy farm and is classic 'milk' leftover from producing butter, then bottled. This is considered uncultured buttermilk.

The product on the right is from any grocery which is milk that has certain cultures added to replicate the thick buttermilk of yesteryear when the buttermilk was left to age and became thick over time. No different from making yogurt. It's use was important because it had the ability to give a lift to baked goods such as cornbread without the use of yeast.

Both products are fine to use. I've only come across one recipe that calls for 'uncultured buttermilk' and it was a cheese.

Unless I'd do side by side baking tests to compare the rise of baked goods using both products, I don't think there would be a problem in a lack of rise in baking from using the uncultured buttermilk. There still is lift in a recipe from baking powders, baking sodas, that sort of thing.

The other option is to keep a container of this stuff in the back of the fridge and add it to dry ingredients of a recipe. It works very well and is a good option for people who don't keep buttermilk around.

I personally always have buttermilk around, since we use it so much.... Ranch Dressing, baked goods, fried chicken, waffles, pancakes. But even if I run out or find it expired, the garage fridge always has a can of the dried for those emergencies.

We've tried the uncultured buttermilk in our yeast breads-it gives an interesting, softer texture. I would think it could do an interesting flavor for ice cream.