- 5 quarts whole milk
- 1/2 cup cultured buttermilk
- 2 tbsp diluted rennet (Dilution = 3 drops liquid rennet into 1/3 cup cool water)
- Yield: 1 1/2 – 2 pounds
Warm milk to 80 degrees. Stir in buttermilk; mix well. Add 2 Tablespoons of diluted rennet mixture. Stir well and cover. Let set at room temperature for 8-12 hours. Cheese is ready to drain when it looks like thickened yogurt. Curds may have a thin layer of whey floating on top.
Only use muslin cheesecloth or pillowcase cloth to drain. Line a large bowl or pan with cloth. Pour curds into center of cloth. Tie top closed; hang to drain 6-8 hours.
When dripping has stopped, cheese is ready. It should be the consistency of cream cheese. To speed up draining, scrape the sides of the bag towards the center several times during the draining process.
Cheese is soft and mild. It can be seasoned with a variety of herbs or spices. Or, use it as a substitution for cream cheese in other recipes. Cheese keeps well, refrigerated for 2 weeks.
Freeze unseasoned, in one-pound packages. Keeps well frozen for 6 months. Do not freeze seasoned cheese; herbs & spices will lose their potency and flavor. Thaw at room temperature. Season after thawing.
Note: 1 pound = 2 cups. Wrap well before freezing, or use heavy freezer bags. Remove excess air before sealing.
DILL & GARLIC
Mix the following ingredients:
- 1 lb. cheese
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tsp dill weed
PINEAPPLE WALNUT
Mix the following ingredients:
- 1 lb cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup drained crushed pineapple
SEASONED SESAME
Mix the following ingredients:
- 1 lb cheese
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons minced onion
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp seasoned salt
Shape and roll outside only in sesame seeds. Refrigerate.