Cheese - recipes for making cheese yoghurt

Cheese Starter

The taste of the final product will vary slightly from that of a true cheese culture.

1.    Start with 2 cups of FRESH store bought Cultured Buttermilk.

2.    Let the 2 cups of buttermilk reach room temperature (70 degrees F/21 degrees C).

3.    Then allow the buttermilk to ripen for about 6-8 hours. (Store bought buttermilk does not have a high enough concentration of bacteria to serve as a starter culture without ripening.)

4.    The resulting buttermilk will be much thicker and sour then what you started with. It should have the consistency of fresh yoghurt, if it doesn't let it sit a few more hours.

5.    Pour this culture into a full sized CLEAN ice cube tray and put into your FREEZER. As with all steps of cheesemaking, cleanliness is of utmost importance.

6.    Once frozen, remove the cubes and put into a CLEAN sealed container or plastic freezer bags. It is a good idea to label the container to distinguish it from your thermophilic culture.

7.    The resulting ice cubes are each 1 ounce of mesophilic starter.

8.    Add these cubes (thawed) to your recipes as required. The cubes will keep for about one month.

To make more starter simply thaw one cube and add into 2 cups of fresh milk. Mix thoroughly with a fork or a whisk. Allow the milk/culture to stand at room temperature (70 degrees F/21 degrees C) for 16-24 hours or until the consistency of fresh yoghurt. Then follow from step 5.

Creamy Cheese

This is very much like a Coeur a la creme.

 

Ingredients

4 cups half-and-half

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons cultured buttermilk

Salt (optional)

 

Recipe

 

1: (allow 24 to 48 hours)

• Heat creams until lukewarm (about 90 degrees F) then stir in buttermilk and pour into a bowl.
• Cover bowl with clear plastic and wrap snugly in a bath towel; place in warm area.
• In 24-48 hours it will have developed a consistency like soft yoghurt. When it no longer flows as the bowl is tilted, you are ready for the next step.

 

2: (allow 12 to 18 hours)

• Rinse several lengths of cheesecloth to remove sizing.
• Line colander with cheesecloth and place in kitchen sink.
• Gently pour softly curdled creams into the colander and allow to drain about 15 minutes.
• Fold cheesecloth over cheese and place colander with cheese in a deep bowl.
• Cover completely with plastic wrap to make an airtight seal and place in the refrigerator to continue draining 12-18 hours.

 

3: (allow 36 to 48 hours)

• Spoon drained curd from cloth into bowl and stir in any seasonings you might want (try adding chopped basil) or leave plain and add the salt to taste.
• Shape into balls and put into a cheesecloth-lined unvarnished basket or back into the colander.
• Put in shallow pan to catch drippings.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 36-48 hours, depending on how firm you want the cheese.
• Tightly covered and refrigerated, the cheese will last about 5 days.

Fresh yoghurt Cheese

Ingredients

Spread this cheese on crusty slices of rustic bread or use it as a savory chip or vegetable dip base.

1 (16 ounce) container plain yoghurt or plain goat's milk yoghurt*

2 teaspoons finely snipped fresh herbs: basil, thyme, oregano, marjoram, chervil, rosemary or parsley or 1/2 teaspoon ground spice: black pepper, white pepper, red pepper, coriander or chilli powder

 

• Line a yoghurt strainer, sieve or a small colander with three layers of pure cotton cheesecloth or a clean paper coffee filter.
• Suspend lined strainer, sieve or colander over a bowl.
• Spoon in yoghurt.
• Cover with plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
• Remove from refrigerator. Drain and discard liquid.
• Stir herbs or spices into the cheese, if desired.
• Store, covered, in refrigerator for up to 1 week. Makes 3/4 to 1 cup.

Yoghurt Cheese

• Line a deep mixing bowl with a double layer of cheesecloth.
• Spoon 4 cups plain, low fat yoghurt onto the cheesecloth.
• Gather the ends of the cheesecloth and knot them around the handle of a wooden spoon.
• Rest the spoon across the top of the bowl so the bundle of yoghurt is suspended about 2 inches above the bottom of the bowl; if the bowl isn't deep enough, use a pot or large jar instead.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 hours.
• The whey will drain out of the yoghurt, leaving thick, creamy yoghurt cheese, which has a fresh, tangy taste.

 

 

 

These dip and appetiser recipes are brought to you by eat yogurt. Return to main Yoghurt recipes page.