I mainly make homemade kefir and use it in breads these days instead of buttermilk, but in the past I've also used powdered buttermilk - with a twist. BUT, most bread recipes that call for milk or milk powder in a recipe, you can also use buttermilk - either powder or reconstituted.
My twist... I use a small amount of reconstituted buttermilk to make a version of "homemade buttermilk" that is thick, rich, and tangy - more like the commercial version. Plain old reconstituted buttermilk is rather insipid and completely UN-like commercial buttermilk.
How to: (source: Natural Meals in Minutes - by Rita Bingham)
You can make "homemade buttermilk" with reconstituted powdered milk or regular milk - your choice.
Place 1/2 c. buttermilk (commercial or reconstituted powdered buttermilk) into a quart canning jar. Fill the quart with milk (of choice) and stir well. Let stand (WITHOUT a lid) in a warm place (about 80-degrees F) until clabbered, about 12-18 hours. [Grainlady note: I place the jar in my oven with the light on - as far from the light as possible - which is usually around 80-degrees F.] When clabbered, stir and refrigerate.
Bonus: You can use "homemade buttermilk" as a starter culture for your next batch. It's best if you use it within two weeks after it was made for best results. This recipe works great for even smaller amounts of buttermilk than a quart.
I've included the link for SACO powdered buttermilk recipes below. They have a lot of good recipes that might help you out. I keep #10 cans of powdered buttermilk in storage and I've used some of these recipe.
grainlady_ks
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