Category: Cheesemaking -

Cream Cheese     

Ingredients:
1 gallon whole milk (not UltraPasteurized)
1 pint cream
1/2 cup cultured buttermilk
1/4 tsp liquid rennet or 1/2 rennet tablet dissolved in 1/4 cup cold unchlorinated water

Preparation:
In a large bowl or pot combine the whole milk, cream, buttermilk and rennet. Set the milk on the counter top at room temperature and cover for 24 hours, undisturbed.

The next day the milk should have become a solid mass of a single cheese curd. Place a colander in the sink or over a large pot to catch the whey. Line colander with cheese cloth. Gently spoon in curd.

Cover with a clean cloth or plastic wrap and allow to drain on the counter for another 8-24 hours, depending on how dry and thick you like your cream cheese. Wetter cheese is more spreadable, drier cream cheese is great for cheese cake and baking. At this point the cheese can be unfolded into a sealed container and refrigerated. This soft cheese should last a few weeks.

Date added: 2016-01-04
Number of visits: 2592