Making Artisan Cheese by Tim Smith Read Free Book Online Page A

cheeses.

PROCEDURE
    Heat the milk in a cooking pan to 180° F (82°C). As soon as it reaches this temperature, it should be removed from the burner. Cool the milk to 108°F–112°F (42°C–44°C).
    In a measuring cup, dissolve the packet of starter culture in a small amount of milk. Pour this mixture into the pan of milk and stir. Cover and keep the milk at 116°F (47°C) for four to four and a half hours until the mixture has reached the desired consistency. Spoon the finished yogurt into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
    Yield: 1 quart (0.9 l)

Homemade yogurt is an easy-to-make, healthy, and delicious treat—and it can be used as a starter culture for making other fresh cheeses. When making cheese, save the watery whey for making ricotta cheese or for baking.

Variation: Crème Bulgare Use the same procedure as for yogurt, but simply substitute light cream for milk.

Yogurt Cheese
    Yogurt cheese is one of the easiest cheeses to make. Its beauty lies in its simplicity; no special tools are required, and it can be made in as little as eight hours. Light and delicious, with a cream-cheese texture and a tangy flavor like that of sour cream, it has many uses. Although traditionally made with plain yogurt, try it with some of the flavored varieties, such as lemon, vanilla, or better yet, coffee.

PROCEDURE
    Select a low-fat or nonfat yogurt variety labeled as containing live cultures. Do not use the Swiss- or custard-style yogurts, because they contain gelatin, which prevents the whey from separating from the yogurt and thus prevents it from forming cheese. You can use as much or as little yogurt as you like. Keep in mind that you’ll get half as much cheese as the yogurt you put into it.
    Line a colander with cheese cloth, and place a catch bowl underneath. Pour the yogurt into the lined colander, and spread the yogurt across the cheese cloth, taking care not to compress it. Cover the colander with a clean towel or plastic wrap, and set the yogurt, colander, and catch bowl in the refrigerator to drain.
    Check on it after two hours; you should notice that a considerable amount of whey has drained from the yogurt into the catch bowl. Discard the whey (or save it for baking). Gather the cheese cloth into a ball, and tie the ends around a wooden spoon, as shown on page 84 . Suspend the yogurt above a deep bowl or stock pot by resting the wooden spoon on the rims of the container, so that there is room for whey to drain into the container.

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds (0.9 grams) low-fat or nonfat yogurt
TECHNIQUES
For tools and illustrated steps, see Techniques for Making Fresh, Soft Cheeses, page 48 .

Traditionally made with plain yogurt, yogurt cheese can be topped with sun-dried tomatoes for a savory spread.

Allow the bundle of cheese to continue draining in the refrigerator—without disturbing it—for another eight to twenty-four hours, until it reaches the desired consistency. After eight hours it will be a soft spread; at the twenty-four-hour mark, the yogurt cheese should have a consistency comparable to cream cheese.
    Remove the cheese from the cloth, form it into a ball, and place it in a covered plastic container in the refrigerator. Stored this way, yogurt cheese should keep for up to two weeks.
    Yield: 2 cups (400 g)

Cream Cheese
    If you have never had fresh cream cheese, you are in for a treat. Virtually all of the commercially produced cream cheese contains stabilizers and gums that extend its shelf life. With this recipe you will have a wholly natural cream cheese, and you’ll never need to shop for it at the supermarket.

PROCEDURE
    Heat the creams to 90°F (32°C), then stir in the buttermilk and pour the mixture into a sanitized mixing bowl, preferably glass or any nonreactive metal. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Wrap a few kitchen towels around the bowl, making certain that they fit snugly. Place the bowl in a warm area, and let it sit for twenty-four hours.
    After twenty-four