Cultures at room temperature. Requires refrigeration.
You will receive:
4 packets Cream Cheese culture (includes rennet) and instructions
A soft, mildly flavored cheese with practically unlimited uses. Made with milk or cream, Cream Cheese is meant to be consumed fresh. It's not aged or matured like other soft cheese. Used in making dips and spreads, and (of course) cheesecake!
You will need:
stainless steel pot with lid (no aluminum)
non-aluminum spoon
Thermometer
butter muslin, tight-weave dish towel, or yogurt bag
Colander
Bowl
raw or pasteurized cream or whole milk, or a mix of both (avoid ultra-pasteurized or UHT)
1 packet Cream Cheese starter culture (store remaining packets in freezer for future use)
non-iodized salt
Directions:
Slowly heat (on low)1-4 quarts of milk or cream to 86° F. (heat the milk no faster than 1 degree per minute- this can take 30-40 minutes for a gallon). Remove from
Add one packet of Cream Cheese starter and mix thoroughly, using an up-and-down motion rather than a stirring motion. Mix no longer than 15 seconds.
Place the lid on the pot and allow to culture in a warm spot, 72-77° F, for 12 hours.
The Cream Cheese should be set after 12 hours. There may be some separation of the whey- this is normal. Place the colander in a bowl & line the colander with a double layer of butter muslin or dish towel. Spoon the cheese curds into the colander, gather up the corners of the cloth, and tie them together to make a bag (a yogurt bag can also be used).
Hang the Cream Cheese- filled bag over a bowl to drain the whey for 6-12 hours (the whey can be reserved for other uses).
Knead salt into the Cream Cheese, flavoring it to your taste.
Store your finished Cream Cheese in a closed container in the refrigerator for about a week. If freezing, remove as much whey as possible and salt well first.
