Dandelions have really captured my heart this Spring. The more I've learned about their amazing benefits for our skin and joints, the more inspired I am to create new recipes making use of them! 

Last week I shared my dandelion salve. A lovely rich, thick, waxy balm - ideal for chapped skin and sore joints. Today's whipped body butter is a lighter consistency, but equally hydrating for tired, dry skin. 

To make this recipe you will first need to make your dandelion infused oil (see recipe below). Homemade body butter starts with butter. I’ve found that shea butter is the perfect base, since it’s soft, inexpensive and easy to work with. Shea butter has its own scent which is not particularly strong or pleasantly fragrant, so you might like to add some essential oils to make the butter smell delicious. Always patch test new oils on your skin before using them to make sure you're not allergic.  

INGREDIENTS 

• 200g shea butter
• 100ml dandelion infused oil
• 50 drops essential oil (optional, I used Frankincense)

1. Boil a pan of water with a glass bowl set on top. Simmer the pan to keep a constant heat beneath the bowl and add 200g shea butter, plus 100ml dandelion oil 
2. Keep warming the butter & oil until they are well melted together
3. Remove the bowl from the heat and allow to cool 
4. Once cool, place your bowl in the freezer. It will need to be in there for about half an hour. The mixture will turn opaque and a bit firm (not solid as a rock) You can also do this in the fridge if your freezer is full, but it will take longer
5. Remove the bowl from the freezer and add your essential oil of choice
6. Use an electric whisk to whip up your body butter
7. Scoop the body butter into a clean jar or tin with a lid. Store at room temperature (out of sunlight).
8. The butter should last for about four months, if bacteria isn't introduced to the pot via dirty hands

DANDELION INFUSED OIL 

Before we can move on to making soaps and salves we're going to need our basic dandelion infused oil. This is really simple to make and only requires a little patience! You can speed the process up, but there's something lovely about patiently letting the flowers do their thing. 

What You Need

• 750ml oil (you can use olive, sunflower or almond)
• 1 Litre Jar
• A fine sieve or muslin cloth for straining

1. Use boiling water to sterilise a 1 litre jar
2. Place the flowers into the jar until almost full and cover with your choice of carrier oil
3. Using a wooden handle of a kitchen utensil, or a chopstick to carefully poke the mixture to remove air bubbles
4. Seal the jar with a breathable lid such as a square of muslin cloth and elastic band and place it on a sunny windowsill or in other bright, warm location. Leave it for 1-2 weeks gently shaking once a day. The cloth will let some water evaporate and potentially prevent any mold formation
5. If you prefer a more traditional infusion, store your jar into a dark place or in a cupboard and leave it there for 4-6 weeks, gently shaking every few days
6. If you really want to speed things up on the other hand, set the open jar down into a small saucepan filled with a few inches of water. Heat over a low flame for 1-2 hours, making sure the water doesn’t evaporate entirely
7. When your infusion is ready, strain the mixture through a sieve or muslin cloth, then pour into a clean sterilised bottle or jar
8. Oil infusions generally have a shelf-life of up to a year if stored properly out of direct sunlight