Simple Cheese Making
Make cheese? Me? Doesn't that take like weeks or months and smell up the place? Isn't there danger of mold and spoilage after all that?
Well, in a word, NO!
Here is a simple recipe for a basic cheese that is similar to those expensive spreadable cheeses with herbs, Allouette and Rondele. They can be prepared in a few minutes, left for the afternoon and finished just in time for a fancy dinner party, or a snack during the movie on TV. I'll provide some pictures later, but for now just the recipe. Like most of my recipes I'll try to give you some variations to make different flavors and styles.
Ingredients:
1 Gallon Whole Milk (Pasteurized is fine, but do not get one labeled "Ultr-Pasteurized.")
1/4 Cup Vinegar (Lemon or lime juice, rice vinegar, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, etc can be used also)
Salt (Kosher or flaked. Be sure NOT to use Iodized Salt as the iodine will ruin the cheese.)
Tools:
Heavy bottom non-reactive pot that can hold the galleon of milk. This must be a non-reactive pot, i.e. it must not be aluminum, tin, brass, etc or the metal will leach out into the cheese making it taste funny and probably making you sick. Stainless steel is the best, but glass, porcelain lined, or enameled will work.
Bowl that can be used to catch the whey (the milk that has separated from the cheese particles) that drains off the curds (the raw cheese).
Colander or strainer that will fit over the bowl leaving enough room for the whey to collect without touching the cheese.
A man's handkerchief or several layers of loosely woven cloth that will line the colander or strainer. I use a mesh cover designed to keep the bugs out of kimchee, haha! Be creative!
Method
Step 1 (About 10 minutes)
Place the milk into the pot and slowly bring up to almost boiling. You must stir gently to keep the milk from scorching on the bottom of the pan. Do not let the milk come to a boil. That is another variation I will talk about later.
When the milk is nice and hot turn off the heat, (remove it if you are on an electric burner) and add the vinegar, slowly pouring it into the pot. You should pour the vinegar around the edge of the pot so that it is spread out evenly into the milk.
The milk will begin to curdle. Let it stand without stirring for at least 10 minutes, 20 minutes is fine.
Step 2 (About 5 minutes)
While you are waiting for this, set up your draining containers. Put the colander or strainer into the big bowl. Wet the cloth, wring it out and line the colander with it, being careful to let the cloth come over the edges of the colander.
You can now either ladle the curds out of the pot, or just gently pour the whey and curds into the cloth.
Let the cheese drain for at least 10 minutes. The more you let it drain, the firmer it will be. I usually let it drain like this for at least 20 minutes, but have let it go as long as 2 hours.
Step 3 (About 10 minutes)
Gather the edges of the cloth up, letting the cheese form a mass in the center of the cloth. With your hands squeeze the cheese gently to remove some more of the liquid.
Sprinkle the salt over the cheese and mix it in gently with a spoon. How much is up to you, but the cheese needs some for flavor and also as a preservative. I usually use about a 1/4 teaspoon, but I am making a low salt version. Most people prefer about 1/2 teaspoon for this batch. You can always add more in step 4 if you want to, so take it easy here!
Tie the cloth into a sort of bag and hang it from a spoon or rod over a bowl if you want to drain it some more. If you do this then I recommend you place it in the refrigerator or at least in a cool spot in the house. Wait a few hours, and if you want it to be firmer and taste better leave it in the refrigerator.
Step 4 (About 10 to 15 minutes)
It's ready! Season the cheese any way you want to! Plain, it has a flavor like ricotta or cream cheese. Add herbs and spices to create your own spreadable cocktail cheese! Some of my favorites are:
Herbed: Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Mixed Dried Herbs (fresh herbs don't last too well, so only use them if you are going to eat it right away.), and some Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Also some salt if you want.
Breakfast Spread: Here your imagination is the limit! I like Honey, Ginger Powder, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, chopped Pecans and a touch of Vanilla Flavoring. Or try just adding some preserves like Apricot or Orange, spread on a warm bagel or toast, and try not to eat more than one!
Italian: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Black Pepper, Basil, Garlic Powder
Plain: Makes a great spread just as it is when used on a sandwich!
Notes and Variations:
The milk in South Korea seems to be of a higher butterfat content than America, so my yield is high, I think. But in America you should be able to get about 8 oz of cheese from a gallon of milk.
The vinegar will determine the tanginess and the subtle flavors in the cheese. I use an apple vinegar (note: it is not an apple cider vinegar, but that would work as well.) It has a faintly fruity note in it. Lemon or lime juice will produce a different flavor. I do not recommend Balsamic Vinegar as this is too strong a flavor for the curdling process. But it would be fine to drizzle some over the finished cheese when you serve it.
You can also add more or less vinegar to make it more or less tangy. But less may make less curds, but more won't make more curds just tangier.
You can add about 1/4 cup cultured sour cream or cultured buttermilk to the warm milk and let it sit for about 8 to 12 hours at room temperature to make a thick cultured milk. Then just put it back on the heat and follow the steps above. This will produce a richer flavored cheese. Make sure the package says cultured, or you wont get the thick milk to make your cheese from.
This cheese can be used as a spread for many different things like sandwiches, canapés, filling for ravioli or dumplings, danish. Can be substituted for ricotta or farmer's cheese in recipes, so it works for lasagna.
This cheese is also known as Queso Blanco in Latin America, and if you let the milk boil and use lemon juice it is Paneer from India!
Make cheese? Me? Doesn't that take like weeks or months and smell up the place? Isn't there danger of mold and spoilage after all that?
Well, in a word, NO!
Here is a simple recipe for a basic cheese that is similar to those expensive spreadable cheeses with herbs, Allouette and Rondele. They can be prepared in a few minutes, left for the afternoon and finished just in time for a fancy dinner party, or a snack during the movie on TV. I'll provide some pictures later, but for now just the recipe. Like most of my recipes I'll try to give you some variations to make different flavors and styles.
Ingredients:
1 Gallon Whole Milk (Pasteurized is fine, but do not get one labeled "Ultr-Pasteurized.")
1/4 Cup Vinegar (Lemon or lime juice, rice vinegar, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, etc can be used also)
Salt (Kosher or flaked. Be sure NOT to use Iodized Salt as the iodine will ruin the cheese.)
Tools:
Heavy bottom non-reactive pot that can hold the galleon of milk. This must be a non-reactive pot, i.e. it must not be aluminum, tin, brass, etc or the metal will leach out into the cheese making it taste funny and probably making you sick. Stainless steel is the best, but glass, porcelain lined, or enameled will work.
Bowl that can be used to catch the whey (the milk that has separated from the cheese particles) that drains off the curds (the raw cheese).
Colander or strainer that will fit over the bowl leaving enough room for the whey to collect without touching the cheese.
A man's handkerchief or several layers of loosely woven cloth that will line the colander or strainer. I use a mesh cover designed to keep the bugs out of kimchee, haha! Be creative!
Method
Step 1 (About 10 minutes)
Place the milk into the pot and slowly bring up to almost boiling. You must stir gently to keep the milk from scorching on the bottom of the pan. Do not let the milk come to a boil. That is another variation I will talk about later.
When the milk is nice and hot turn off the heat, (remove it if you are on an electric burner) and add the vinegar, slowly pouring it into the pot. You should pour the vinegar around the edge of the pot so that it is spread out evenly into the milk.
The milk will begin to curdle. Let it stand without stirring for at least 10 minutes, 20 minutes is fine.
Step 2 (About 5 minutes)
While you are waiting for this, set up your draining containers. Put the colander or strainer into the big bowl. Wet the cloth, wring it out and line the colander with it, being careful to let the cloth come over the edges of the colander.
You can now either ladle the curds out of the pot, or just gently pour the whey and curds into the cloth.
Let the cheese drain for at least 10 minutes. The more you let it drain, the firmer it will be. I usually let it drain like this for at least 20 minutes, but have let it go as long as 2 hours.
Step 3 (About 10 minutes)
Gather the edges of the cloth up, letting the cheese form a mass in the center of the cloth. With your hands squeeze the cheese gently to remove some more of the liquid.
Sprinkle the salt over the cheese and mix it in gently with a spoon. How much is up to you, but the cheese needs some for flavor and also as a preservative. I usually use about a 1/4 teaspoon, but I am making a low salt version. Most people prefer about 1/2 teaspoon for this batch. You can always add more in step 4 if you want to, so take it easy here!
Tie the cloth into a sort of bag and hang it from a spoon or rod over a bowl if you want to drain it some more. If you do this then I recommend you place it in the refrigerator or at least in a cool spot in the house. Wait a few hours, and if you want it to be firmer and taste better leave it in the refrigerator.
Step 4 (About 10 to 15 minutes)
It's ready! Season the cheese any way you want to! Plain, it has a flavor like ricotta or cream cheese. Add herbs and spices to create your own spreadable cocktail cheese! Some of my favorites are:
Herbed: Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Mixed Dried Herbs (fresh herbs don't last too well, so only use them if you are going to eat it right away.), and some Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Also some salt if you want.
Breakfast Spread: Here your imagination is the limit! I like Honey, Ginger Powder, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, chopped Pecans and a touch of Vanilla Flavoring. Or try just adding some preserves like Apricot or Orange, spread on a warm bagel or toast, and try not to eat more than one!
Italian: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Black Pepper, Basil, Garlic Powder
Plain: Makes a great spread just as it is when used on a sandwich!
Notes and Variations:
The milk in South Korea seems to be of a higher butterfat content than America, so my yield is high, I think. But in America you should be able to get about 8 oz of cheese from a gallon of milk.
The vinegar will determine the tanginess and the subtle flavors in the cheese. I use an apple vinegar (note: it is not an apple cider vinegar, but that would work as well.) It has a faintly fruity note in it. Lemon or lime juice will produce a different flavor. I do not recommend Balsamic Vinegar as this is too strong a flavor for the curdling process. But it would be fine to drizzle some over the finished cheese when you serve it.
You can also add more or less vinegar to make it more or less tangy. But less may make less curds, but more won't make more curds just tangier.
You can add about 1/4 cup cultured sour cream or cultured buttermilk to the warm milk and let it sit for about 8 to 12 hours at room temperature to make a thick cultured milk. Then just put it back on the heat and follow the steps above. This will produce a richer flavored cheese. Make sure the package says cultured, or you wont get the thick milk to make your cheese from.
This cheese can be used as a spread for many different things like sandwiches, canapés, filling for ravioli or dumplings, danish. Can be substituted for ricotta or farmer's cheese in recipes, so it works for lasagna.
This cheese is also known as Queso Blanco in Latin America, and if you let the milk boil and use lemon juice it is Paneer from India!