If you’ve never made cheese before, this chapter is the place to start. Experienced cheese makers will also find recipes here to try, but this chapter is structured to introduce the novice to some of the basics of cheese making: handling equipment; heating milk and maintaining its temperature as it ripens; incorporating coagulants and other additives; draining and cutting curds; molding and brief aging; and so on. Work your way through these recipes, referring back to the “Processes and Techniques” section as needed, and you will have a good grounding in the dairying arts.
In that spirit, the chapter opens with recipes for fresh unripened cheeses. These are the simplest cheeses to make successfully in your own kitchen, and they’re delicious. As the category name implies, these cheeses are young, usually ready within one to fourteen days from the time of production, and are best consumed within a few days of ripening. With little or no aging, they have a creamy texture and relatively mild, milky flavor and aroma. These direct-acidification cheeses use acids such as vinegar and lemon juice to coagulate hot milk, which will give you a basic understanding of the processes of heating milk and draining curds.
Next follows a group of recipes for noncheese dairy products like cultured butter, crème fraîche, yogurt, and more. These are among the most satisfyingly delicious kitchen staples to make by hand, and they will introduce you to using cultures.
The third group of recipes, fresh culture-ripened cheeses, allows you to master gentle heating and gradual milk ripening, using starter cultures and rennet to coagulate ripened milk, and draining and setting curds using a variety of techniques. Modern examples include Laura Chenel’s cabécou and chèvre, Cowgirl Creamery clabbered cottage cheese, Vermont Butter & Cheese fromage blanc, Mozzarella Company queso blanco and goat ricotta, and Lucky Layla Farms yogurt cheese.
The chapter ends with a handful of recipes for simple salt-rubbed or brined cheeses like feta and Halloumi; the techniques used to make these cheeses will also be used in later chapters for cheeses such as Saffron-Infused Manchego and Kasseri.
Profile: Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery
Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery is an award-winning creamery that was born out of a chef’s request for fresh chèvre in 1984. Allison Hooper (founder and co-owner along with Bob Reese) had studied cheese making in France. She knew how to make chèvre and did so for the chef. The cheese got rave reviews, requests for more came in, and voilà: VB&CC was born. Over its more than twenty-five years, the creamery has built its fine reputation on thoughtfully executed handcrafted goat’s and cow’s milk cheeses and cultured butter, all made in the European tradition.
Fresh Direct-Acidification Cheeses
These fresh cheeses are made by adding a simple acid such as buttermilk, citrus juice, citric acid, vinegar, or tartaric acid to the milk to cause coagulation. In this introduction to cheese making, you’ll be using accessible kitchen equipment, basic cheese making ingredients, and simple heating, draining, and salting methods to learn how easy and magical it is to make these basic everyday cheeses.
MAKES 12 ounces
MILKS Pasteurized heavy cream, powdered skim milk
START TO FINISH Less than 1 day
Originating in Italy, mascarpone is a mild and creamy fresh cheese with a consistency similar to soft butter or thick crème fraîche and a fat content between 70 and 75 percent. You may know it as the key ingredient in the decadent Italian dessert tiramisu. This recipe hails from Allison Hooper, award-winning cheese maker and co-owner of the notable Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery. The overnight process is virtually effortless, and the resulting cheese may very well be the best mascarpone I’ve ever tasted.
2 cups pasteurized heavy cream without thickeners
⅓ cup powdered skim milk
1 lemon, cut in half
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. In a nonreactive, heavy 2-quart saucepan with a lid, whisk together the cream and powdered milk. Place over low heat and slowly bring to 180°F, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. It should take about 40 minutes to come to temperature. Turn off the heat.
3. Slowly squeeze the juice from half of the lemon into the cream. Switch to a metal spoon and keep stirring; do not use a whisk, as that will inhibit the curd formation. Watch carefully to see if the cream starts to coagulate. You will not see a clean break between curds and whey. Rather, the cream will coat the spoon and you will start to see some flecks of solids in the cream.
4. Add the juice from the remaining lemon half and stir with the spoon to incorporate. Cover the pan and cool the cream in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
5. When the cream is firm to the touch, transfer it to a bowl or colander lined with clean, damp butter muslin. Draw the ends together and twist into a ball to squeeze out the excess moisture. This last step will make the mascarpone thick.
6. This cheese is now ready to eat. It has a very short shelf life, so refrigerate what you don’t eat immediately and use it within 2 days.
MAKES 12 to 14 ounces
MILKS Reduced fat (2 percent) cow’s milk, buttermilk
ALTERNATIVE MILK Pasteurized or raw whole cow’s milk to replace the reduced fat milk
START TO FINISH Less than 1½ hours: 30 minutes to make the cheese; 20 minutes to drain; 30 minutes to press
Panir (often spelled “paneer”) is indigenous to India and is the featured ingredient in the classic spinach and cheese dish saag panir, among many others. Panir is traditionally made with whole cow’s milk; this is a lower-fat version using 2 percent milk and buttermilk to help coagulate the curds. The finished shape is a solid pressed brick about ¾ inch thick, which is then cut into cubes to use in cooking. Panir does not melt easily, which makes it perfect for grilling and stir-fries.
2½ quarts reduced fat (2 percent) pasteurized or raw cow’s milk
5 cups buttermilk, homemade (see variation on Crème Fraîche) or store-bought
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels. For this recipe, you will need a 4-pound weight, such as a ½-gallon jug filled with water or a cast-iron skillet.
2. Put the reduced fat milk in a nonreactive, heavy 4-quart stockpot over medium-low heat and slowly bring it to 175°F to 180°F. It should take about 40 minutes to come to temperature. Turn off the heat.
3. Pour in the buttermilk and gently stir with a whisk just to combine. Coagulation will start to occur immediately, and the curds will begin to form after about 2 minutes. Slowly raise the temperature to 195°F, gently stirring with a spatula. You will see an obvious separation of curds and whey. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir until the majority of the floating curds have attached to the larger mass, about 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat and gently stir around the edge of the curds with the rubber spatula. Cover and allow the milk to ripen for 5 minutes.
4. Place a nonreactive strainer over a nonreactive bowl or bucket large enough to capture the whey. Line it with clean, damp butter muslin and gently ladle the curds into it. Make a draining sack: Tie two opposite corners of the butter muslin into a knot and repeat with the other two corners. Slip a dowel or wooden spoon under the knots to suspend the bag over the whey-catching receptacle, or suspend it over the kitchen sink using kitchen twine tied around the faucet. Let the curds drain for 5 minutes, then open the cloth, distribute the salt over the curds, and gently toss the curds with your hands to incorporate. Tie closed and let drain for 10 minutes more, or until the whey stops dripping. Discard the whey or reserve it for another use.
5. While curds are still hot, open the cloth and flatten and shape the curds into a brick about ¾ to 1 inch thick. Wrap the curds snugly in the same cloth to hold the shape. Place the packet of curds on a draining rack set over a tray and set the weight on top. Press and drain for at least 30 minutes, or longer for a drier cheese.
6. Remove the cloth. The cheese will be dry and will have formed into a solid brick. If you are not using it the same day, tightly wrap the cheese in plastic wrap and store refrigerated for up to 4 days or vacuum-seal and freeze for up to 2 months.
VARIATION
Add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds to the curds with the salt.
MAKES 1 pound
MILK Pasteurized whole cow’s milk
ALTERNATIVE MILKS Raw cow’s milk; pasteurized or raw goat’s milk
START TO FINISH 2 hours: 1 hour to make the cheese; 1 hour to drain
Translated as “white cheese,” queso blanco is one of the fresh cheeses found all over Latin America that are similar to farmer’s cheese. Because queso blanco doesn’t melt completely when heated, it makes a perfect finishing or garnishing cheese, or you can incorporate it into dishes where you want chunks of cheese to remain intact.
1 gallon pasteurized whole cow’s milk
About ⅓ cup cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand)
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. Heat the milk in a nonreactive, heavy 6-quart stockpot over medium heat to 195°F, stirring occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching. It should take about 25 to 30 minutes to bring the milk to temperature. Turn off the heat.
3. Stir in ⅓ cup vinegar using a whisk. Cover, remove from the heat, and let sit for 10 minutes. The milk protein will coagulate into solid curds and the liquid whey will be almost clear and light green in color. Depending upon the milk used, if the whey is still a bit cloudy or there are small bits of curd visible in the whey, you may need to add a bit more vinegar to fully coagulate the curds. If so, add 1 teaspoon at a time and stir the vinegar in with a rubber spatula until the remainder of the curds are formed. Too much vinegar will negatively flavor the curds.
4. Place a nonreactive strainer over a nonreactive bowl or bucket large enough to capture the whey. Line it with clean, damp butter muslin and gently ladle the curds into it. Let the curds drain for 5 minutes.
5. Distribute the salt over the curds and gently toss the curds with your hands to incorporate. Be careful not to break up the curds in this process.
6. Make a draining sack: Tie two opposite corners of the butter muslin into a knot and repeat with the other two corners. Slip a dowel or wooden spoon under the knots to suspend the bag over the whey-catching receptacle, or suspend it over the kitchen sink using kitchen twine tied around the faucet. Let the curds drain for 1 hour, or until the whey has stopped dripping. Discard the whey or reserve it for another use.
7. Remove the solid mass of cheese from the cloth and place in an airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Fresh cheeses such as queso blanco are best when eaten within 24 hours, though queso blanco may be stored for up to 1 week.
MAKES 1 pound
MILKS Pasteurized or raw whole cow’s milk, heavy cream
ALTERNATIVE MILK Pasteurized or raw goat’s milk
START TO FINISH About 1½ hours: 1 hour to make the cheese; 20 to 30 minutes to drain
Ricotta is a simple, fresh cheese that takes little time to make. It is best when used within a few days while its flavor is bright and the texture is still moist and creamy. Traditionally, ricotta is made by reheating whey (ricotta means “recooked” in Italian) after making other cheeses such as mozzarella, though it takes a fair amount of whey to yield a usable amount of ricotta. This home-crafted formula using whole milk and citric acid is very basic. If you like an even richer and creamier ricotta, try replacing the milk with more heavy cream. In place of citric acid, lemon juice may be used to coagulate.
1 gallon pasteurized or raw whole cow’s milk
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon citric acid powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand)
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. In a non-reactive, heavy 6-quart stockpot, combine the milk, cream, citric acid, and 1 teaspoon of the salt and mix thoroughly with a whisk. Place over medium-low heat and slowly heat the milk to 185°F to 195°F. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir frequently with a rubber spatula to prevent scorching.
3. As the milk reaches the desired temperature, you will see the curds start to form. When the curds and whey separate and the whey is yellowish green and just slightly cloudy, remove from the heat. Gently run a thin rubber spatula around the edge of the curds to rotate the mass. Cover the pan and let the curds set without disturbing for 10 minutes.
4. Place a nonreactive strainer over a nonreactive bowl or bucket large enough to capture the whey. Line it with clean, damp butter muslin and gently ladle the curds into it. Use a long-handled mesh skimmer to capture the last of the curds. If any curds are stuck to the bottom of the pan, leave them there. You don’t want scorched curds flavoring your cheese.
5. Distribute the remaining 1 teaspoon salt over the curds and gently toss the curds with your hands to incorporate. Be careful not to break up the curds in the process.
6. Make a draining sack: Tie two opposite corners of the butter muslin into a knot and repeat with the other two corners. Slip a dowel or wooden spoon under the knots to suspend the bag over the whey-catching receptacle, or suspend it over the kitchen sink using kitchen twine tied around the faucet. Let the curds drain for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the desired consistency has been reached. If you like moist ricotta, stop draining just as the whey stops dripping. If you like it drier or are using it to make ricotta salata, let the curds drain for a longer period of time. Discard the whey or keep it for another use.
7. Transfer the cheese to a lidded container. Cover and store, refrigerated, for up to 1 week.
VARIATIONS
To make goat ricotta, substitute goat’s milk and use 1½ teaspoons of citric acid, adding an additional ½ teaspoon of citric acid if needed to cause coagulation. The curds will be softer and more delicate than the cow’s milk curds and the whey will be slightly cloudy.
To make smoky ricotta affumicata, place the curds in a plastic Italian draining basket lined with butter muslin or cheesecloth and let drain on a rack for 24 hours. Remove the cheese from the cloth, then dry salt it with 2 teaspoons sea salt, wrap it in a dry cheesecloth sack, and cold smoke it in a cool wood-fired oven or smoker for 3 days. Remove the cheese from the smoker and allow to air-dry for at least 1 week and up to 1 month. Use it right away, or vacuum-seal and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
MAKES 3 cups
MILKS Fresh cow’s milk whey, pasteurized whole cow’s milk, pasteurized heavy cream
START TO FINISH About 1¼ hours: 1 hour to make the cheese; 10 minutes to drain
This formula from Robin Rosemon at the Beverage People reflects the traditional method for making ricotta. When making other cow’s milk cheeses, the fresh whey is reserved and combined with fresh whole milk and cream, and vinegar is used as the coagulant. Any fresh whey should be used within a few hours of collecting it because it can go sour if left for too long. Always smell and taste the whey before using; if it’s sour, toss it into the garden to feed your acid-loving plants. You will need to make a 2-gallon batch of mozzarella or other cow’s milk cheese to have enough whey to make this ricotta.
1 gallon fresh cow’s milk whey from making a cow’s milk cheese using 2 gallons of milk
1 gallon pasteurized whole cow’s milk
3½ tablespoons distilled vinegar
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
¼ cup pasteurized heavy cream without additives
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. Assemble a water bath using a 10-quart stockpot set inside a larger pot. Pour water into the larger pot to come two-thirds of the way up the side of the smaller pot. Remove the smaller pot and place the pot of water over low heat. When the water reaches the boiling point (212°F), put the smaller pot back in the water to warm slightly, then pour the whey into the smaller pot. Gently stir the whey with a whisk using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes to evenly distribute the heat. Add the cow’s milk, cover the pot, and slowly warm the milk to 192°F over the course of about 20 minutes, lowering the heat, adding cool water to the water bath, or removing from the heat if the temperature is rising too quickly. Turn off the heat.
3. Slowly pour the vinegar over the surface of the milk. Using a whisk, thoroughly incorporate the vinegar into the milk using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Small curds will begin to form. Cover the pot and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once around the edge of the curds with a rubber spatula. The curds will settle down into the pot. Ladle off the whey until you can see the curds.
4. Place a nonreactive strainer over a nonreactive bowl or bucket large enough to capture the whey. Line it with clean, damp butter muslin and gently ladle the curds into it. Let the curds drain for 10 minutes. Distribute the salt over the curds and gently toss the curds with your hands to incorporate. Be careful not to break up the curds in this process. Discard the whey or reserve it for another use.
5. Transfer the ricotta to a bowl and gently mix in the cream using a rubber spatula, being careful not to break up the curds. Serve while warm, or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Cultured dairy products—including yogurt, sour cream, cultured butter, and buttermilk—are related to cheese because of the cultures used. However, the process of making them differs from cheese making in that there is no coagulation and formation of curds, but rather fermentation of the milk or cream. All of these products are easy to make and far more flavorful than their store-bought counterparts.
Sour cream, cultured buttermilk, and crème fraîche form after milk or cream is inoculated with cultures and left to develop overnight, and cultured butter can be made in a food processor while you prepare a meal. Yogurt is made from milk inoculated with strains of thermophilic bacteria. A few artisan American examples include Kendall Farms crème fraîche, Redwood Hill goat yogurt, and Vermont Butter & Cheese cultured butter.
MAKES 1 pound (6 ounces if starting with raw milk)
MILK Pasteurized heavy cream or raw cow’s milk
START TO FINISH About 24 hours: 12 hours to make the butter; 12 hours to chill
Cultured butter has a more pronounced flavor than plain butter because it is made from cream ripened with a lactic bacterial culture. Basically, you make crème fraîche, then use a food processor to churn it into rich, flavorful butter. Choose the highest-fat, freshest raw or pasteurized cream you can find to make this butter. The recipe will not work with homogenized or ultra-pasteurized cream or cream with additives or thickeners; check the label carefully.
1 quart pasteurized heavy cream or raw cow’s milk
⅛ teaspoon Aroma B powdered mesophilic starter culture
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. To start with pasteurized cream, pour the cream into a nonreactive 2-quart saucepan and bring to 68°F over low heat. This should take 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3. Sprinkle the starter over the cream, and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. Whisk the starter into the cream to incorporate, using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Cover and set aside for 12 hours at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for an additional 12 hours. Allow the cream to come to 54°F before churning.
4. To start with raw milk, pour the milk into a shallow stainless steel bowl and cover with cheesecloth. Place in a warm (70°F to 72°F) part of your kitchen to stand and ripen for 24 hours. Refrigerate for 12 hours to firm the milk fat, then, using a skimmer, remove the cream layer from the top of the milk. Allow the cream to come to 54°F before churning.
5. To churn, fill the bowl of a food processor halfway with cream and start churning continuously. Do not overload the processor, because the cream needs expansion room. After 5 to 7 minutes, the cream will become very stiff and yellowish in color. Keep going; gradually, over the course of about 10 minutes, the volume of the cream will reduce and the texture will become grainy with small flecks of butter. Next, the mixture will become more liquid and the flecks of butter will separate from the buttermilk. Do not overchurn: stop when there’s a slight splashing sound from the buttermilk.
6. Place a strainer over a bowl and pour the butter and buttermilk into it. Reserve the buttermilk for another use. Rinse the butter under very cold running water to wash off any milk residue. Return the butter to the strainer and place the strainer over a chilled bowl to keep the washed butter cool. Quickly knead the butter with your fingertips to remove any excess water. Form the butter into a ball or log, wrap in foil, and refrigerate until firm. Repeat the churning, straining, rinsing, kneading, and rolling with any remaining cream.
MAKES 4 cups
MILK Pasteurized heavy cream
ALTERNATIVE MILK Half-and-half
START TO FINISH 18 to 48 hours: 30 minutes to make the crème fraîche; 18 to 48 hours to ripen
Crème fraîche is a cultured cream similar to sour cream but not as tangy. This easy version comes from the Beverage People, who smartly suggest you make it overnight in glass canning jars. Excellent dolloped on fresh fruit or fruit desserts, crème fraîche is also a miraculous cooking ingredient that can, for example, be stirred into tomato sauce for a tomato-cream sauce, blended with curry powder and stirred into pasta with peas, or drizzled over roasted salmon. One of its best qualities is that it doesn’t curdle when heated. The recipe will not work with ultra-pasteurized cream or cream with additives or thickeners; check the label carefully.
1 quart pasteurized heavy cream
¼ teaspoon Aroma B powdered mesophilic starter culture
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer and 2 pint-size glass canning jars with lids; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. Pour the cream into the 2 sterilized pint jars and place in a 4-quart stockpot. Fill the pot with warm water to halfway up the sides of the jars. Over low heat, slowly heat the cream to 86°F. This should take about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3. Sprinkle the starter over the cream and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes, maintaining the temperature. (Refer to tips on maintaining milk or curds at a steady temperature over a period of time.) Then thoroughly incorporate the starter into the cream using a whisk in an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes.
4. Place the lids loosely on the jars, and leave the jars in the warm water bath to ripen for 12 hours or overnight. The water bath will cool slowly, keeping enough warmth to develop the culture.
5. Take the jars out of the water bath, tighten the lids, and continue to ripen at room temperature for at least 6 more hours and up to 48 hours total. The cream should be as thick as creamy yogurt at the point of full development.
6. Refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 weeks. Refrigeration thickens the crème fraîche further and improves its flavor.
VARIATION
To make cultured buttermilk, follow the method for making crème fraîche with these changes: substitute whole, 2 percent, or 1 percent milk for the cream, and inoculate and ripen at room temperature rather than first heating the milk.
MAKES 3½ cups
MILKS Pasteurized heavy cream, pasteurized whole cow’s milk, cultured buttermilk
START TO FINISH About 24 hours: 30 minutes to make the sour cream; 24 hours to ripen
Buttermilk sour cream is made with a blend of whole milk and cream that is acidified by adding cultured buttermilk. It is thinner in consistency than cultured sour cream but can be whipped to become thicker. The acidity of the buttermilk makes this sour cream extra tangy and delicious. Try making it with homemade cultured buttermilk (see variation on Crème Fraîche).
1½ cups pasteurized heavy cream
1½ cups pasteurized whole cow’s milk
¾ cup cultured buttermilk, homemade (see variation on Crème Fraîche) or store-bought
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer and 2 pint-size glass canning jars with lids; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. While the pint jars are still warm from sterilizing, whisk together the cream, milk, and buttermilk and pour into the jars. Put the jars in a 4-quart stockpot and fill the pot with warm water to halfway up the sides of the jars. Over medium-low heat, slowly heat the milk to 75°F. This should take about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3. Place the lids loosely on the jars, and leave the jars in the warm water bath to ripen for 12 hours or overnight. The water bath will cool slowly, keeping enough warmth to develop the culture.
4. Take the jars out of the water bath, tighten the lids, and continue to ripen at room temperature for 24 hours total. The sour cream should have the consistency of thick yogurt at this point.
5. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. The sour cream is better after 2 days, as refrigeration thickens it further and enhances the flavors.
MAKES 4 cups
MILK Pasteurized light whipping cream
START TO FINISH 12 to 36 hours: 30 minutes to make the sour cream; 12 to 36 hours to ripen
Cultured sour cream is far superior in taste to store-bought sour cream, which often has stabilizers added for firmer texture and extra thickness. This sour cream is similar to but thicker than crème fraîche and is made with light whipping cream instead of heavy cream. The recipe will not work with ultra-pasteurized cream or cream with additives or thickeners; check the label carefully.
1 quart pasteurized light whipping cream
⅛ teaspoon Aroma B powdered mesophilic starter culture
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer and 2 pint-size glass canning jars with lids; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. While the pint jars are still warm from sterilizing, pour the cream into them and place in a 4-quart stockpot. Fill the pot with warm water to halfway up the sides of the jars. Over medium-low heat, slowly heat the cream to 86°F. This should take about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3. Sprinkle the starter over the cream and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes, maintaining the temperature. (Refer to tips on maintaining milk or curds at a steady temperature over a period of time.) Then thoroughly incorporate the starter into the cream using a whisk in an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes.
4. Place the lids loosely on the jars, and leave the jars in the warm water bath to ripen for 12 hours or overnight. The water bath will cool slowly, keeping enough warmth to develop the culture.
5. Take the jars out of the water bath, tighten the lids, and continue to ripen at room temperature for up to 36 hours total. The sour cream should have the consistency of creamy yogurt at this point.
6. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. The sour cream is better after 2 days, as refrigeration thickens it further and enhances the flavors.
MAKES 2 cups
MILK Pasteurized whole cow’s milk
ALTERNATIVE MILK Pasteurized or raw goat’s milk
START TO FINISH 5½ to 7½ hours: 1 hour to make the yogurt; 4 to 6 hours to ripen; 20 to 30 minutes to drain (optional)
Yogurt can be made from just about any milk; if goat’s milk is used, the yogurt will be softer than if made with cow’s milk. In this recipe, you can use either commercial powdered yogurt starter or a quantity of cultured yogurt plus rennet. If you like, use the commercial starter for the first batch, then save 2 to 3 tablespoons of the finished yogurt to use as a starter for the next batch. If you’re using the powdered starter with cow’s milk, you won’t need to use any rennet. If you’re making goat’s milk yogurt, use rennet regardless of whether you are starting the yogurt with powdered starter or with cultured yogurt.
The natural bacterial cultures in homemade yogurt have general health benefits and make this yogurt more digestible, even for people who are lactose intolerant. The live lactic bacteria do the job of converting the lactose into lactic acid before you eat it.
1 quart pasteurized whole cow’s milk
1 teaspoon Bulgarian 411 powdered yogurt starter, or 2 tablespoons plain yogurt with live cultures at room temperature
1 drop liquid rennet diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water (omit if using powdered starter)
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. Place the milk in a nonreactive, heavy 4-quart stockpot over medium-low heat and slowly heat it to 115°F to 116°F over the course of about 40 minutes.
3. Keeping the milk at temperature, sprinkle the starter, if using, over the milk and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. (Refer to tips on maintaining milk or curds at a steady temperature over a period of time.) Then thoroughly incorporate the starter into the cream using a whisk in an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. If you are not using yogurt starter culture, whisk in 1 tablespoon of the rennet solution using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes, then stir in the 2 tablespoons of cultured yogurt and mix well. (This amount of rennet will create a soft yogurt. For a firmer yogurt, use the entire ¼ cup of diluted rennet.)
4. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat, and let sit for 4 hours at room temperature, until a solid mass of curds forms. If a more tart flavor is desired, let the curds develop for another 2 hours. Gently stir with a rubber spatula for 20 seconds to slightly break up the mass into large chunks. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
5. Place a nonreactive strainer over a nonreactive bowl or bucket large enough to capture the whey. Line it with clean, damp butter muslin and gently ladle the curds into it. Let the curds drain for 20 minutes, or until the whey stops dripping. Discard the whey or reserve it for another use.
6. Transfer the yogurt to a container, cover, and store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. The yogurt will firm up when refrigerated.
MAKES 1½ cups
START TO FINISH About 14 hours: 12 hours to drain; 2 hours to set
Yogurt cheese is essentially well-drained yogurt. The cultures present in the yogurt are the flavor contributors, so start with very good-quality yogurt, preferably homemade. Yogurt cheese is delicious plain or can be flavored with any of your favorite dried herbs and used as a spread. It can also be used to top Moroccan Chickpea Soup.
3 cups Greek-style yogurt or plain whole or 2 percent cultured yogurt
1 teaspoon kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand)
1½ tablespoons dried mint
Zest from 1 lemon
1. Place the yogurt in a bowl, then sprinkle the salt over it and gently fold it in using a rubber spatula. Set a plastic strainer over a bowl and line it with clean, damp butter muslin, then pour the yogurt into it. Make a draining sack and leave the yogurt to drain for 12 hours or overnight. Discard the liquid.
2. Combine the drained yogurt with the mint and lemon zest and leave it at room temperature for 2 hours, or refrigerate uncovered overnight to dry it out a bit and firm it up. Bring to room temperature and stir before using. Yogurt cheese may be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
MAKES 2 cups
MILKS Pasteurized half-and-half, plain cultured yogurt
ALTERNATIVE MILK Pasteurized reduced fat (2 percent) cow’s milk
START TO FINISH 9½ hours: 1 hour to make the yogurt; 8 hours to ripen; 20 to 30 minutes to drain
This style of yogurt is typically richer than plain whole milk yogurt due to the fat content of the milk used: either half-and-half or, in Greece, sheep’s milk. The method for growing the desired bacteria to create this style of yogurt is to inoculate the milk with live cultures from a premade yogurt, such as in the recipe for Yogurt. You may also use store-bought plain yogurt with live active cultures and no stabilizers. The rennet helps to set up the curds. The recipe will not work with ultra-pasteurized half-and-half; check the label carefully. You can save ¼ cup of the finished yogurt as a starter for the next batch.
1 quart pasteurized half-and-half
1 drop liquid rennet diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water
¼ cup plain cultured yogurt, homemade or store-bought
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. Place the half-and-half in a nonreactive heavy 4-quart stockpot over medium-low heat and slowly heat the half-and-half to 180°F. This should take about 55 minutes. While the half-and-half is heating, fill a large pot or bowl with cold water and ice.
3. When the half-and-half is at temperature, put the pot in the ice bath and whisk the half-and-half to cool to 100°F to 105°F.
4. Using a whisk, stir in 1 tablespoon of the rennet solution using an up-and-down motion to incorporate, then stir in the yogurt and mix well. Cover and let sit for 8 hours or overnight at room temperature, until a solid mass of curds forms. As soon as the curds are set, gently stir with a rubber spatula for 20 seconds to slightly break up the mass into large chunks. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
5. Place a nonreactive strainer over a nonreactive bowl or bucket large enough to capture the whey. Line it with clean, damp butter muslin and gently ladle the curds into the strainer. Let the curds drain for 20 minutes, or until the whey stops dripping. Discard the whey or reserve it for another use.
6. Transfer the yogurt to a container, cover, and store refrigerated for up to 5 days. The yogurt will firm up when refrigerated.
At the next level of making fresh cheeses, starter cultures and enzyme coagulants are used. Though still young and fresh, culture-ripened fresh cheeses develop much of their flavor through the use of cultures added to the milk before coagulation. The enzyme rennet is the general coagulant here, rather than simple acids as used in the direct-acidification fresh cheeses. As a result, there is more flavor developed than in the simple direct-acidification cheeses. You’ll learn the use of both direct and water-bath heating methods, how to fill cheese molds, how to drain molded curds, and how to dry salt and air-dry the shaped curds.
MAKES Four 1½- to 2-ounce disks
MILK Pasteurized goat’s milk
ALTERNATIVE MILK Raw goat’s milk (see note)
START TO FINISH About 2 weeks: 30 minutes to make the cheese; 18 hours to ripen; 2 days to drain; 2 days to dry; 1 week to age
The name of this classic French cheese means “little goat” in the dialect of Languedoc, where it originates. It typically is formed into petite disks and ripened for ten to fifteen days. This short ripening time keeps the cheese soft and mild. After fifteen days of ripening, cabécou may develop a little blue mold on the surface, sharpening the flavor, while some cabécou is ripened up to six weeks for a more pungent cheese with a firm texture suitable for grating. This marinated version of cabécou was made popular in the United States by American goat cheese maker Laura Chenel and is considered one of her company’s signature cheeses. The recipe was contributed by Jacquelyn Buchanan, culinary director of Laura Chenel’s chèvre and their cheese maker. You can use the marinating oil as a dipping oil once the cheese is finished.
2 quarts pasteurized goat’s milk
¼ teaspoon MA 011 or C20G powdered mesophilic starter culture
1 drop liquid rennet diluted in 5 tablespoons cool nonchlorinated water
2 teaspoons kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand)
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence (optional)
2 teaspoons whole mixed peppercorns
4 bay leaves
About 4 cups fruity extra-virgin olive oil
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. Assemble a water bath using a nonreactive 4-quart stockpot set inside a larger pot. Pour water into the larger pot to come halfway up the side of the smaller pot. Remove the smaller pot and place the pot of water over low heat. When the water reaches 85°F, put the smaller pot back in the water to warm slightly, then pour the milk into the smaller pot. Gently mix the milk with a whisk using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes to evenly distribute the heat. Cover and slowly warm the milk to 75°F over the course of about 10 minutes, lowering the heat, adding cool water to the water bath, or removing from the heat if the temperature is rising too quickly.
3. When the milk is at temperature, remove it from the heat. Sprinkle the starter over the milk and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. Using a whisk, stir the starter into the milk to incorporate, using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Add the diluted rennet to the milk, whisking with an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes to incorporate.
4. Cover and allow the milk to set at 72°F for 18 hours, until it coagulates. During maturation, do not touch or move the milk. The curds will form a solid mass during this period.
5. Set 4 crottin molds on a draining rack set over a tray and, using a ladle or skimmer, scoop the curds into the molds. When the molds are full, cover the rack with a kitchen towel or lid and let drain at room temperature.
6. After 2 days of draining, the cheeses will have sunk down to about 1 inch in height. Unmold them; they should be firm enough to maintain their shape. Salt the cheeses on both sides and dry them in the lower portion of the refrigerator for 2 days on mesh cheese mats, turning once a day. Keep them uncovered, as they need to air-dry until the surface is dry to the touch.
7. Place each disk of cheese in a sterilized glass jar. Divide the herbes de Provence, peppercorns, and bay leaves among the jars and cover the cheeses with olive oil. Close the lids tightly. The olive oil will preserve the cheese, add its own flavor, and carry the flavor of the herbs. Please note that the olive oil will solidify in the refrigerator but will return to liquid at room temperature. Age for 1 week to let the flavor develop; use within 3 weeks.
NOTE
If using raw goat’s milk, pasteurize at 160°F for 1 minute (see method). Cool, covered, for 20 minutes (do not remove the cover or you will recontaminate the milk). Bring the milk back to 75°F before adding the culture and rennet.
VARIATION
Substitute truffle-infused oil or walnut oil for the olive oil.
Profile: Laura Chenel’s Chèvre
Laura Chenel is considered the pioneer of goat cheese making in the United States. Established in the late 1970s, Laura Chenel was the first US creamery to make goat cheese. Her first love was for the goats, and after her experiments to make chèvre at home did not succeed, she went to France to study with the farmstead goat cheese authority Jean-Claude Le Jaouen. When she returned to Sonoma County, she was skilled enough to start making chèvre—and not only did she start, but Laura Chenel’s Chèvre has never since ceased production. She began selling to a few innovative chefs, such as John Ash in Sonoma County, and in 1979 she took her chèvre to Alice Waters at Chez Panisse. Production grew from there, and today the label is a national brand.
It is largely due to Laura’s efforts that the American taste for goat cheese—especially soft and creamy chèvre—developed. Laura took her company full circle: first inspired by the work of the most respected French cheese making authority, she later sold Laura Chenel’s Chèvre to a highly respected French company, the Rians Group. She is no longer involved in the company, though her cheese making heirs, her staff, still work alongside the cheese makers and management from Rians. The creative team is guided by culinary director Jacquelyn Buchanan, a talented chef and culinary visionary.
MAKES 1½ pounds
MILKS Pasteurized whole, reduced fat (2 percent), or low-fat (1 percent) cow’s milk, pasteurized heavy cream
ALTERNATIVE MILKS Raw cow’s milk; pasteurized or raw goat’s milk
START TO FINISH 18½ to 20½ hours: 30 minutes to make the cheese; 12 hours to ripen; 6 to 8 hours to drain
Cream cheese originated in the United States, though not in Philadelphia as the popular brand name suggests. It is typically made with a blend of whole cow’s milk and cream, though reduced fat and nonfat versions are made as well. Much of what is marketed as cream cheese is factory made and mixed with stabilizers to create a firm cheese with an extended shelf life. This recipe is for real cream cheese, made from cultured milk that’s allowed to ripen for twelve hours or longer, until a firm curd mass is formed. This process develops fabulous flavor and a wonderful creamy texture.
1 quart pasteurized whole cow’s milk
1 quart pasteurized heavy cream
¼ teaspoon MA 4001 powdered mesophilic starter
2 drops calcium chloride diluted in 2 tablespoons cool nonchlorinated water
3 drops liquid rennet diluted in 2 tablespoons nonchlorinated water
1 teaspoon kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand)
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. Assemble a water bath using a non-reactive 4-quart pot set inside a larger pot. Using this method as described on page 17, heat the milk and cream in the smaller pot until it reaches 75°F, stirring occasionally. This should take about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3. Sprinkle the starter over the milk and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. Whisk the starter into the milk to incorporate, using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Add the diluted calcium chloride and incorporate in the same way, and then the diluted rennet. Cover, remove from the water bath, and let sit at room temperature for 12 hours, or until solid curds form and liquid whey floats on top. The whey will be almost clear and light green in color.
4. Place a nonreactive strainer over a nonreactive bowl or bucket large enough to capture the whey. Line it with clean, damp butter muslin and gently ladle the curds into it. Tie the ends of the muslin to fashion a draining sack and let drain for 6 to 8 hours, or until firm to the touch. Discard the whey or reserve it for another use.
5. Transfer the curds to a bowl, add the salt, and stir or knead to combine. Form into a brick and wrap with plastic wrap or store in a covered container. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
MAKES 1½ pounds
MILKS Pasteurized whole, reduced fat (2 percent), or low-fat (1 percent) cow’s milk, cultured crème fraîche
ALTERNATIVE MILKS Raw cow’s milk; pasteurized or raw goat’s milk
START TO FINISH 7 to 8 hours: 1½ hours to make the cheese; 5 to 6 hours to ripen; 15 minutes to drain
Cottage cheese has been produced in Europe for many years using a range of milks. Traditionally, this fresh cheese is made by natural lactic acid coagulation rather than with rennet. Because this recipe is made with pasteurized milk, small amounts of mesophilic culture and rennet are used to enhance bacterial development and aid coagulation. Many of us know cottage cheese as the mass-produced variety, which has little flavor. This rich cottage cheese is anything but flavorless, made with whole cow’s milk with cultured crème fraîche folded in after the curds are set. Commercial crème fraîche can be used successfully if it’s a high-quality artisan brand such as Bellwether or Kendall Farms. You can use low-fat milk instead of whole milk or fold in Greek yogurt rather than crème fraîche. Play with combinations that satisfy your palate and desired fat intake.
1 gallon pasteurized whole cow’s milk
⅜ teaspoon Aroma B powdered mesophilic starter culture
¼ teaspoon calcium chloride diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water (omit if using raw milk)
¼ teaspoon liquid rennet diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water
1 teaspoon kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand) or cheese salt
1 to 1½ cups crème fraîche, homemade or store-bought
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. Assemble a water bath using a 6-quart stockpot set inside a larger pot. Pour water into the larger pot to come two-thirds of the way up the side of the smaller pot. Remove the smaller pot and place the pot of water over low heat. When the water reaches 80°F, put the smaller pot back in the water to warm slightly, then pour the milk into the smaller pot. Cover the pot and slowly warm the milk to 70°F over the course of about 15 minutes, lowering the heat, adding cool water to the water bath, or removing from the heat if the temperature is rising too quickly.
3. When the milk is at temperature, sprinkle the starter over the milk and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. Whisk the starter into the milk to incorporate, using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Add the diluted calcium chloride and incorporate in the same way, and then the diluted rennet. Cover, remove from the water bath, and let sit at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours. The milk protein will coagulate into solid curds, and the liquid whey will be almost clear and light green in color.
4. Check the curds for a clean break, using a sanitized long-blade curd cutting knife or 10-inch cake decorating spatula. If the cut edge is clean and there’s some accumulation of light-colored whey in the cut area, the curds are ready. If the cut edge is soft and the curds are mushy, the curds are not ready; allow them to sit longer before testing again. When ready, cut the curds into ¾-inch pieces and gently stir using a rubber spatula for 5 minutes to firm up the curds slightly.
5. Return the pot to the water bath over low heat and slowly bring the temperature of the curds to 115°F, raising the temperature about 5°F every 5 minutes. This will take about 40 minutes. During this time, gently stir the curds two or three times to expel more whey and firm them up slightly. When the curds are near temperature, half-fill a large bowl with cold water and ice and line a colander or strainer with clean, damp butter muslin. When the curds are at temperature, they should be firm and bean-sized. Ladle the curds into the cloth-lined colander and immediately set the colander in the ice water bath. This will set up the curds and stop them from ripening any further.
6. Let the curds drain completely in the colander, about 15 minutes, then toss with the salt until evenly combined. Gently fold in enough crème fraîche to coat the curds. The cheese may be refrigerated for up to 10 days.
MAKES 2 pounds
MILK Pasteurized whole cow’s milk
START TO FINISH 11 hours: 2 hours to make the cheese; 6 hours to drain; 2 hours to brine; 1 hour to dry
Crescenza is a soft, creamy cow’s milk cheese made seasonally in the Po Valley region of Italy. It is eaten fresh, usually not more than a week old. Square in shape, it has a texture similar to that of a young, mild Taleggio and a rind that’s barely begun to form. Traditionally, raw milk would be allowed to ripen naturally overnight. My version uses pasteurized milk with a starter culture and is ripened for a short period of time.
2 gallons pasteurized whole cow’s milk
¼ teaspoon Aroma B powdered mesophilic starter culture
¼ teaspoon calcium chloride diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water
¼ teaspoon liquid rennet diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water
Kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand) or cheese salt
Nonchlorinated water, chilled to 55°F
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. In a nonreactive, heavy 10-quart stockpot, heat the milk over low heat to 90°F. This should take about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3. Sprinkle the starter over the milk and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. Whisk the starter into the milk to incorporate, using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Cover and, maintaining the temperature at 90°F, allow the milk to ripen for 30 minutes. (Refer to tips on maintaining milk or curds at a steady temperature over a period of time.) Add the diluted calcium chloride and incorporate in the same way, then add the diluted rennet. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes, or until the curds are firm and there is a clean break between curds and whey.
4. Cut the curds into 1-inch pieces and let rest for 10 minutes. Gently stir with a rubber spatula for 5 minutes to firm up the curds slightly. Allow the curds to settle to the bottom of the pot. Ladle off enough whey to expose the tops of the curds.
5. Place a Taleggio mold on a draining rack set over a tray and line the mold with clean, damp butter muslin. Gently ladle the soft curds into the mold, cover the curds with the tails of the muslin, and let drain for 3 hours at room temperature. Lift the cloth sack from the mold, unwrap the cheese, flip it over, and return it to the cloth. Place the sack back in the mold and let drain for another 3 hours, then remove the cheese from the cloth.
6. In a food-grade container with a lid, make enough brine to cover the unwrapped cheese by combining 1 part salt with 5 parts of the chilled water. Place the cheese in the brine for 2 hours at room temperature, flipping the cheese after 1 hour to ensure even salt absorption.
7. Remove the cheese from the brine, pat dry, and place on the draining rack to further drain and air-dry for 1 hour at room temperature, or until the surface is dry to the touch.
8. Wrap thoroughly in plastic wrap or vacuum-seal and refrigerate until ready to use. This cheese is best when consumed within 1 week of wrapping, though if vacuum-sealed it can keep for up to 1 month.
MAKES 1 pound
MILK Pasteurized goat’s milk
START TO FINISH 18 to 24 hours: 30 minutes to make the cheese; 12 hours to ripen; 6 to 12 hours to drain
Chèvre is the common name for spreadable goat cheese. This fresh cheese is easy to make and, in its log shape, it is the most recognizable goat cheese in the United States. It often has dried herbs or other flavorful additives blended into the cheese or used to coat the log. This version uses a premixed blend of culture and rennet from New England Cheesemaking Supply designed specifically for making chèvre. This is the simplest method, perfect for any novice cheese maker.
1 gallon pasteurized goat’s milk
½ teaspoon C20G powdered mesophilic starter culture
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. In a nonreactive, heavy 6-quart stockpot, heat the milk over low heat to 86°F. This should take 18 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3. When the milk is at temperature, sprinkle the starter over the milk and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. Whisk the starter into the milk to incorporate, using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Cover and, maintaining the temperature between 72°F and 78°F, allow the milk to ripen for 12 hours. (Refer to tips on maintaining milk or curds at a steady temperature over a period of time.)
4. The curds are ready when they have formed one large mass in the pot with the consistency of thick yogurt, surrounded by clear whey. Place a nonreactive strainer over a nonreactive bowl or bucket large enough to capture the whey. Line it with a single layer of clean, damp butter muslin and gently ladle the curds into it. Let drain for 5 minutes, then gently toss the curds with the salt. At this point you can cover the curds with the tails of the muslin and leave to drain over the bowl, or you can spoon the curds into 2 chèvre molds set on a draining rack set over a tray. Let drain at room temperature for 6 hours for creamy cheese, or 12 hours if you wish to shape the cheese. If you are using the molds, flip the cheeses once during the draining process.
5. Remove the cheese from the cheesecloth or molds and place in a covered container. Use right away, or store refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Typically, soft-ripened lactic-acid or young bloomy-rind goat or mixed milk cheeses are the ones that get trussed up in leaves. However, sheep’s milk, cow’s milk blue, or even pressed cheeses can be aged in plain or macerated leaves. The major cheese making regions of Europe have been wrapping local cheeses in local leaves for hundreds of years, from chestnut to fig, grape to kale, and even fern fronds, nettle leaves, straw, and hay. Today’s cheese makers have also adopted hoja santa leaves, banana leaves, and even seaweed. Sometimes the bundles are also rubbed with olive oil and herbs are tucked inside for added flavor, or the leaves are soaked in alcohol (macerated) before being wrapped around the cheese. These aged cheeses are uncloaked just before serving, often presented on the leaf that dressed them.
Leaves protect a fragile fresh cheese or its newly forming rind from air, light, and unwanted bacteria, yet many are porous enough to let the cheeses breathe. And leaves contribute desirable earthy, mushroomy, and vegetal flavors to the finished cheese.
Here’s how to prepare and store leaves for wrapping cheeses. For large leaves such as grape, fig, cabbage, or kale, collect the leaves just before they fall from the tree or vine or, in the case of vegetable leaves, pick them at their prime. Remove the tough center stem or end to make the leaf more pliable. Drop the leaves into a shallow skillet of simmering lightly salted water just to wilt them, then remove and shock them in an ice bath. Let them drain on paper towels and air-dry. Either stack the blanched leaves flat, store in resealable bags, and freeze until ready to use, or store them in a macerating alcohol. Thaw, let drain, and pat the leaves dry before wrapping the cheese. Small leaves that are used fresh, such as nettles, young grape, persimmon, hoja santa, bay, and lemon, are simply steamed to soften and patted dry before using.
Toasted Grape Leaf–Wrapped Chèvre
This is a very simple wrapped cheese to create, so it’s a good way to get comfortable with the process of leaf-wrapping cheese. The combination of tangy chèvre with toasted, wine-soaked grape leaves creates the perfect aging environment for the young cheese. If desired, you could also add a little smokiness by cold smoking the chèvre, the macerated grape leaves, or the wrapped parcels themselves—ideally using grape vine pieces or chips as a smoking wood. When you’re ready to serve these, unwrap each cheese and present it on the leaf it was ripened in.
You will need four 2-ounce rounds of Basic Chèvre; 4 large fresh grape leaves, stemmed, blanched, and patted dry; ½ cup Sauvignon Blanc; 1½ teaspoons flake sea salt; 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence; and four 2-foot-long strands of raffia.
Over an open flame on your kitchen stove or an outdoor grill, lightly toast the grape leaves by passing them over the flame a few times—just enough to release their aroma and give a little charred flavor to the leaves. Do this to both sides of each leaf. Place the grape leaves in the wine in a resealable bag overnight; lay flat and refrigerate. Drain the leaves before using.
Lay the rounds of chèvre on a draining rack and lightly salt on both sides. Sprinkle one side of each round with a light dusting of herbs de Provence. Stack the macerated leaves with the leaves open flat. Place 1 seasoned round of chèvre in the center of the top leaf, herb side up. Carefully wrap the leaf around the cheese to encase it. Secure with a length of raffia by tying as you would a gift package, finishing with a bow. Place the parcels in a ripening box at 50°F to 55°F for 2 weeks. Consume at 2 weeks, or vacuum-seal or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store refrigerated for another 1 to 2 months.
MAKES Four 3¼-ounce cheeses
MILK Pasteurized goat’s milk
START TO FINISH 2 weeks to 2 months: 1 hour to make the cheese; 8 hours to ripen; 14 to 20 hours to drain; 2 weeks to 2 months to age
Fashioned after the leaf-wrapped Provençal cheese Banon, O’Banon is an award-winning goat cheese made by Judy Schad and her crew at Capriole in Greenville, Indiana—this recipe is an adaptation of that cheese, developed with Judy for home cheese making. Judy has made O’Banon since the creamery opened for business in 1988. Like its smaller relative, O’Banon is made of goat’s milk and wrapped in alcohol-soaked chestnut leaves. But Judy’s farmstead cheese is an American original, rooted in farm-raised goat’s milk and rural Indiana traditions. Rather than being flavored by eau-de-vie as Banon is, O’Banon’s chestnut leaves are macerated in good old Kentucky bourbon before being wrapped around fresh chèvre rounds. The rounds are tied securely with raffia and set to air-dry overnight before being refrigerated. The tannins in the leaves and the bourbon give this creamy, dense cheese a delightful kick. O’Banon is terrific at two weeks and even better when allowed to ripen in its leafy cocoon for up to two months.
1 cup bourbon
½ cup nonchlorinated water
4 prepared chestnut or maple leaves (see Leaf-Wrapped Cheeses)
1 gallon pasteurized goat’s milk
¼ teaspoon MA 011 powdered mesophilic starter culture
⅛ teaspoon calcium chloride diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water
¼ teaspoon liquid rennet diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water
3 teaspoons kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand) or cheese salt
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. Twenty-four hours before you make the cheese, combine the bourbon with the water and chill to 55°F. Place the leaves in a resealable bag with the bourbon and water and lay flat in the refrigerator. Drain when ready to use.
3. In a nonreactive heavy 6-quart stockpot, heat the milk over low heat to 86°F. This should take about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat.
4. When the milk is at temperature, sprinkle the starter over the milk and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. Whisk the starter into the milk to incorporate, using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Add the diluted calcium chloride and gently whisk in, then add the rennet in the same way. Cover and maintain 72°F, allowing the milk to ripen for 8 hours, or until the curds have formed a solid mass with the consistency of thick yogurt and clear whey is floating around the sides of the pot. (Refer to tips on maintaining milk or curds at a steady temperature over a period of time.) Check the curds for a clean break, using a sanitized long-blade curd cutting knife or 10-inch cake decorating spatula. If the cut edge is clean and there’s some accumulation of light-colored whey in the cut area, the curds are ready. If the cut edge is soft and the curds are mushy, the curds are not ready; allow them to sit longer before testing again.
5. Place a nonreactive strainer over a nonreactive bowl or bucket large enough to capture the whey. Line it with clean, damp butter muslin. When the curds are ready, gently cut them into ½-inch-thick slices using a ladle or skimmer and gently place them into the strainer to drain for 20 minutes. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the salt over the curds and gently but thoroughly toss with clean hands to combine. Let the curds drain for another 20 minutes.
6. Place four 2¾-inch crottin molds on a draining rack set over a tray. Gently ladle the curds into the molds and let drain for 12 to 18 hours at room temperature, until the cheeses are firm. After 8 hours, or when the molded curds are firm enough to handle, flip the cheeses over and replace in the molds to finish draining. At this point the cheese will have compressed to slightly over 1 inch in thickness.
7. Remove the firmed cheeses from their molds and sprinkle ½ teaspoon over the top and bottom of each cheese. Set the cheeses on a rack and air-dry at 58°F to 60°F with good air circulation for 8 hours.
8. Remove the macerated leaves from their liquid and lay them flat on a cutting board. Place 1 round of goat cheese in the center of each leaf and wrap the leaf around the cheese to enclose, then tie securely with a 2-foot length of raffia (you will need 4 lengths of raffia in all).
9. Place the parcels 1 inch apart on a mat in a ripening box with the lid ajar and ripen at 50°F to 55°F and 80 percent humidity for 2 weeks. The cheese will be ready to eat at this point, or it can be aged in the ripening box for 6 more weeks. Vacuum-seal or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
Profile: Judy Schad and Capriole Farmstead Goat Cheeses
Capriole Goat Cheese and its ingenious proprietor, Judy Schad, are synonymous with American artisan farmstead cheese making. Judy, like many cheese makers, started making goat cheese in her home kitchen with milk from her farm’s dairy goats—a benefit of raising goats as part of her children’s 4-H projects. Judy has been selling her award-winning farmstead goat cheeses since 1988. Early on, Judy banded together with other women who were raising and showing dairy goats, among them Jennifer Bice, Mary Keehn, and Laura Chenel. This group soon became the genesis of a goat sisterhood. It didn’t take long for these creative women to start experimenting with making French-style goat cheeses, which were virtually unheard of in America at that time. These visionary cheese makers helped bring goat cheeses to their current stature in America.
MAKES 1½ pounds
MILK Pasteurized reduced fat (2 percent) cow’s milk
ALTERNATIVE MILKS Pasteurized whole, low-fat (1 percent), or nonfat cow’s milk; raw cow’s milk; pasteurized or raw goat’s milk
START TO FINISH 16 to 18 hours: 30 minutes to make the cheese; 12 hours to ripen; 4 to 6 hours to drain
Literally translated, fromage blanc means “white cheese” in French. This unripened, spreadable cheese is similar in texture and consistency to cream cheese. In France, it is traditionally made with nonfat milk, though some cheese makers add cream to give it a richer flavor. This version is made with reduced fat (2 percent) milk, but you may use combinations of milks with different fat levels or add cream if you choose. Note that if you make it with only nonfat milk, the yield will decrease and the cheese will have a drier texture. As with cream cheese, fromage blanc can have flavors added to it, such as herbs or spices. It makes a lovely substitute for ricotta in cooking.
1 gallon pasteurized reduced fat (2 percent) cow’s milk
¼ teaspoon MA 4001 powdered mesophilic starter culture
4 drops calcium chloride diluted in 2 tablespoons cool nonchlorinated water (omit if using raw milk)
4 drops liquid rennet diluted in 2 tablespoons cool nonchlorinated water
1 teaspoon kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand) or cheese salt
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. Assemble a water bath using a 6-quart stockpot set inside a larger pot. Pour water into the larger pot to come two-thirds of the way up the side of the smaller pot. Remove the smaller pot and place the pot of water over low heat. When the water reaches 85°F, put the smaller pot back in the water to warm slightly, then pour the milk into the smaller pot. Cover the pot and slowly warm the milk to 75°F over the course of about 15 minutes, lowering the heat, adding cool water to the water bath, or removing from the heat if the temperature is rising too quickly. Turn off the heat.
3. When the milk is at temperature, sprinkle the starter over the milk and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. Whisk the starter into the milk to incorporate, using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Add the diluted calcium chloride and incorporate in the same way, then add the diluted rennet in the same way. Cover and let set at room temperature for 12 hours, or until the curds are solid and the whey is almost clear and yellowish in color and is floating on top.
4. Place a nonreactive strainer over a nonreactive bowl or bucket large enough to capture the whey. Line it with clean, damp butter muslin and gently ladle the curds into it. Make a draining sack or leave the curds to drain in the colander for 4 to 6 hours, or until the desired consistency is achieved. Discard the whey or reserve it for another use.
5. Transfer the curds to a bowl and sprinkle with the salt, then whisk to combine. Use right away, or store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
MAKES 2 pounds
MILK Pasteurized whole cow’s milk
ALTERNATIVE MILKS Raw cow’s milk; pasteurized or raw goat’s milk
START TO FINISH About 8½ hours: 2½ hours to make the cheese; 6 hours to press
Widely popular in Latin cuisines, queso fresco (“fresh cheese” in Spanish) is in the same family as queso blanco. Instead of using vinegar as the coagulant, here we are using rennet along with mesophilic culture to develop a more complex flavor than its blanco relative. Additionally, this cheese is pressed and allowed to age slightly over two weeks or longer.
2 gallons pasteurized whole cow’s milk
¼ teaspoon Meso II powdered mesophilic starter culture
¼ teaspoon calcium chloride diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water (omit if using raw milk)
¼ teaspoon liquid rennet diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water
1½ teaspoons kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand) or cheese salt
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer, a 5-inch tomme mold with a follower, and a cheese press or 8-pound weight such as a gallon jug filled with water. Clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. In a nonreactive, heavy 10-quart stockpot, heat the milk over medium heat to 90°F, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula to prevent scorching. This should take about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3. When the milk is at temperature, sprinkle the starter over the milk and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. Whisk the starter into the milk to incorporate, using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Cover and maintain the temperature at 90°F for 30 minutes to ripen the milk. (Refer to tips on maintaining milk or curds at a steady temperature over a period of time.) Add the diluted calcium chloride and gently incorporate with a whisk using an up-and-down motion for 1 minute. Add the diluted rennet and incorporate in the same way. Cover and maintain the 90°F temperature for 45 minutes more, or until the curds give a clean break when cut with a knife.
4. Cut the curds into ¼-inch pieces and let them set for 10 minutes. Return the uncovered pot to low heat and gradually increase the temperature to 95°F over 20 minutes, gently stirring the curds a few times to keep them from matting. Remove the pot from the heat and let the curds settle for 5 minutes, then ladle off enough whey to expose the curds.
5. Place a nonreactive strainer over a nonreactive bowl or bucket large enough to capture the whey. Line it with clean, damp butter muslin and gently ladle the curds into it. Let drain for 5 minutes. Distribute the salt over the curds and gently toss to incorporate, being careful not to break up the curds in the process.
6. Lift the cloth full of curds from the strainer and place it into the 5-inch tomme mold. Using your hands, distribute the curds evenly in the mold. Cover the curds with the tails of the cloth and set the follower in place, then place in a press at 8 pounds of pressure for 6 hours at room temperature. You may also use a 1-gallon container full of water for the weight.
7. Remove the cheese from the mold and the cloth and use right away, or store refrigerated in a covered container for up to 2 weeks.
MAKES 1½ pounds
MILKS Pasteurized whole cow’s milk, pasteurized reduced fat (2 percent) cow’s milk
START TO FINISH 18 to 29 hours: 30 minutes to make the cheese; 12½ to 18½ hours to ripen; 6 to 10 hours to drain
The word quark means “curd” in German, and this soft cultured cheese is a favorite in Germany and across central Europe. The consistency of sour cream or yogurt, quark is often flavored with dried fruits. It is traditionally made fat free, though blends of higher-fat milks and cream can be used. In keeping with American tastes, this is a lower-fat version. American cheese makers such as Vermont Butter & Cheese and Marin French produce award-winning versions of quark.
2 quarts pasteurized whole cow’s milk
2 quarts pasteurized reduced fat (2 percent) cow’s milk
¼ teaspoon Aroma B powdered mesophilic starter culture
¼ teaspoon calcium chloride diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water
¼ teaspoon liquid rennet diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water
1½ teaspoons kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand) or cheese salt
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. In a nonreactive 6-quart stockpot slowly heat both milks over low heat to 72°F. This should take about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3. When the milk is at temperature, sprinkle the starter over the milk and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. Whisk the starter into the milk to incorporate, using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Cover and, maintaining the temperature at 72°F, allow the milk to ripen for 30 minutes. (Refer to tips on maintaining milk or curds at a steady temperature over a period of time.) Add the diluted calcium chloride and gently stir with a whisk using an up-and-down motion for 1 minute. Add the diluted rennet and incorporate in the same way.
4. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours, until the whey is floating on top and the curds give a clean break when cut with a knife. If the cut edge is clean and there’s some accumulation of light-colored whey in the cut area, the curds are ready. If the cut edge is soft and the curds are mushy, the curds are not ready; allow them to sit 10 minutes longer before testing again.
5. Slowly return the curds and whey to 72°F over low heat. Cut the curds into ½-inch pieces, remove from the heat, and gently stir for 5 minutes. Let the curds rest and sink to the bottom of the pot, maintaining temperature. Ladle off whey until the curds are exposed, then ladle the curds into a colander lined with clean, damp butter muslin. Let the curds drain for 6 to 10 hours, or until the desired moisture level is achieved; longer draining will result in drier quark.
6. Transfer the curds to a bowl and toss with the salt, gently folding it in using a rubber spatula. Let drain for another 5 minutes if excess whey exists. Use right away, or store refrigerated in a covered container for up to 2 weeks.
Salt-Rubbed and Brined Cheeses
After working through the fresh cheeses and cultured dairy products, you have the skills to tackle cheeses soaked or stored in concentrated brine or rubbed with salt while fresh—practices that result in a distinctive brininess or tang and a firm texture. Many popular varieties of salt-rubbed or brined cheeses we know today are still made in the traditional way, including cotija, feta, Halloumi, Manchego, ricotta salata, and São Jorge. Haystack Mountain’s goat feta and Matos’s St. George are two modern American examples. Some of these cheeses are very young, ripened for only a week or two, while others age for several months. If allowed to age until very dry, they can also be used as grating cheeses.
These simple cheeses are made using direct acidification or mesophilic starter cultures. Some styles are hung to drain off their whey, while others are pressed before brining or salt-rubbing.
MAKES 1¾ pounds
MILK Pasteurized whole cow’s milk
ALTERNATIVE MILKS Pasteurized goat’s milk; sheep’s milk
START TO FINISH 16 days to 6 weeks: about 3 hours to make the cheese; 8½ hours to press; 24 hours to brine; 2 to 6 weeks to mature
Cotija is a very popular Mexican cheese that’s dry, crumbly, and salty. Pressed in round or rectangular shapes, it is used in a manner similar to Parmesan, as a grating or finishing cheese. Cotija is most frequently used young, though if left to age, the saltiness will dissipate and mellow.
2 gallons pasteurized whole cow’s milk
¼ teaspoon Meso II powdered mesophilic starter culture
¼ teaspoon Thermo B powdered thermophilic starter culture
¼ teaspoon calcium chloride diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water
¼ teaspoon liquid rennet diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water
Kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand) or cheese salt
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer, a 5-inch tomme mold with a follower, and a cheese press or 15-pound weight. Clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. In a nonreactive 10-quart stockpot over low heat, slowly heat the milk to 100°F, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. This should take about 25 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3. When the milk is at temperature, sprinkle the starters over the milk and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. Whisk the starters into the milk to incorporate, using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Cover and, maintaining the temperature at 100°F, let the milk ripen for 30 minutes. (Refer to tips on maintaining milk or curds at a steady temperature over a period of time.) Add the diluted calcium chloride to the milk and incorporate using the same up-and-down technique, then add the diluted rennet in the same way. Cover and maintain the temperature at 100°F for 1½ hours, or until the curds give a clean break when cut.
4. Continuing to maintain the curds at 100°F, cut them into ½-inch pieces and let sit for 10 minutes. Slowly raise the temperature to 105°F over 10 minutes, gently stirring around the edge of the pot with a rubber spatula and moving the curds continuously to firm up the surface and prevent them from matting. The curds will expel whey and shrink to the size of lentils. Let the curds rest for 10 minutes, still maintaining 105°F.
5. Place a nonreactive strainer over a nonreactive bowl or bucket large enough to capture the whey. Line it with clean, damp butter muslin and gently ladle the curds into it. Let drain for 15 minutes, or until the whey stops dripping. Distribute 1½ teaspoons of salt over the curds and use your hands to gently toss the curds to incorporate, being careful not to break up the curds in the process.
6. Place the 5-inch tomme mold on a draining rack set over a baking sheet. Line the mold with damp cheesecloth or butter muslin. Gently transfer the drained curds to the lined cheese mold, cover with the tails of the cloth, and set the follower on top of the curds. Press at 15 pounds for 30 minutes. Remove the cheese from the mold and peel away the cloth, flip the cheese over, and redress. Press again at the same pressure for 8 hours or overnight.
7. Two or more hours before you’ll need it, make the brine by combining 1½ cups of salt and 1 quart of water in a noncorrosive bucket or a container with a lid; chill to 50°F to 55°F. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it, then place it in the brine. Let it soak at 50°F to 55°F for 24 hours, flipping it over after 12 hours to evenly distribute the brine.
8. Remove the cheese from the brine and pat dry. Air-dry for 6 hours, then place on a cheese mat in a ripening box. Age at 55°F at 80 to 85 percent humidity, turning daily. Remove any unwanted mold with cheesecloth dampened in a vinegar-salt solution and wipe down the box to maintain humidity. After 2 weeks, wrap the cheese in cheese paper and store in your refrigerator for up to 4 more weeks. Alternately, vacuum-seal the cheese and refrigerate for up to 2 months.
MAKES 12 ounces
MILKS Raw or pasteurized whole cow’s milk, heavy cream
ALTERNATIVE MILK Pasteurized or raw goat’s milk
START TO FINISH 3 to 9 weeks: 1½ hours to make the fresh ricotta; 1 day to press and dry; 7 days to salt cure; 2 weeks to 2 months to age
Ricotta salata is a dry, salted ricotta that is often shaved into slivers and used as a garnishing cheese. It can be eaten young (two to four weeks after making) or used as a grating cheese when it is more mature (five weeks to two months after making). The younger the cheese the saltier it will be; by two months the cheese will have bloomed into a lovely, mellow-flavored treat.
1 gallon pasteurized whole cow’s milk
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon citric acid powder
Kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand) or cheese salt
1. Follow the whole milk ricotta recipe through the first draining in the colander (step 4).
2. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt or cheese salt to the curds and toss with your hands to distribute. Line a ricotta mold with clean, damp cheesecloth and place on a draining rack set over a tray. Press the cheese into the mold, cover with the tails of the cheesecloth, and weight it down with a slightly less than 2-pound weight, such as a pint jar full of water. Press for 1 hour, then unmold the cheese, unwrap it, flip it over, redress it in the same cheesecloth, and return it to the mold. Press it at the same weight for 12 hours or overnight.
3. Unmold and unwrap the cheese, then lightly rub the surface with kosher or cheese salt. Redress the cheese with clean cheesecloth, return it to the mold, set it on a drying rack in a ripening box, and refrigerate for 12 hours.
4. Take the cheese out of the cheesecloth, flip it over, and rub all over with more salt, then return the undressed cheese to the mold. Continue this process of flipping and salting once a day for 7 days to pull out moisture and assist in the curing process. After 3 days, remove the cheese from the mold and keep aging it on the rack. If any unwanted mold appears, wipe it off with cheesecloth dampened in a vinegar-salt solution.
5. After 1 week, or when the desired firmness has been reach, brush any excess salt from the surface, cover, and age the cheese in the refrigerator until the desired texture is achieved. Use right away, or wrap in cheese paper and store in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks and up to 2 months.
MAKES 1 pound
MILK Pasteurized or raw goat’s milk
ALTERNATIVE MILKS Cow’s milk; sheep’s milk
START TO FINISH 5 to 26 days: 2½ hours to make the cheese; 4 hours to drain; 5 days to cure dry salted; 21 days to cure in brine (optional)
Though feta is often associated with Greece as its place of origin, many Balkan countries also make it. Known for its crumbly texture, feta is traditionally made with sheep’s or goat’s milk, and its unique salty flavor is created by brining. This home-crafted formula is made with goat’s milk and cured with salt, though I’ve also offered a brine option. I like to salt cure for twenty-four to thirty-six hours to expel more of the whey, then place the feta in a light brine to finish curing. For a stronger flavor, add lipase powder to the milk before ripening.
1 gallon pasteurized goat’s milk
¼ teaspoon mild lipase powder diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water 20 minutes before using (optional)
¼ teaspoon Aroma B powdered mesophilic starter culture
¼ teaspoon liquid calcium chloride diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water (omit if using raw milk)
½ teaspoon liquid rennet diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water
2 to 4 tablespoons flake sea salt or kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand)
Kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand) or cheese salt for brining (optional)
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. In a nonreactive, heavy 6-quart stockpot, combine the milk and the diluted lipase, if using, gently whisking the lipase into the milk using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Place over low heat and slowly heat the milk to 86°F. This should take 18 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3. When the milk is at temperature, sprinkle the starter over the milk and let it rehydrate for 2 minutes. Whisk the starter into the milk to incorporate, using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Cover and, maintaining the temperature at 86°F, let the milk ripen for 1 hour. (Refer to tips on maintaining milk or curds at a steady temperature over a period of time.)
4. Add the diluted calcium chloride to the ripened milk and gently stir with a whisk using an up-and-down motion for 1 minute. Add the diluted rennet and incorporate in the same way. Cover and maintain at 86°F for 1 hour, or until the curds form a solid mass with light yellow whey floating on top and show a clean break. If there is no clean break after 1 hour, test again in 15 minutes.
5. Cut the curds into ½-inch pieces. Still maintaining a temperature of 86°F, allow them to sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir the curds for 20 minutes to release more whey and keep the curds from matting. The curds will look more pillowlike at the end of this process. If you want a firmer curd, raise the temperature to 90°F for this step. Let the curds rest for 5 minutes, undisturbed, still at temperature. The curds will settle to the bottom of the pot.
6. Line a colander with clean, damp cheesecloth or butter muslin and, using a slotted spoon, transfer the curds to the colander. Tie the corners of the cloth together to create a draining sack, then let drain for 2 hours, or until the whey has stopped dripping. The curds should form a solid mass and feel firm; if not, let them dry for another hour. If you desire a more uniform shape, after ½ hour of draining in the colander, transfer the sack to a square cheese mold or plastic mesh tomato basket set over a draining rack. Line the mold with the sack of curds, press the cheese out into the corners of the mold, and finish draining. Remove the cheese from the cloth and flip it over every hour in this draining process to help even out the texture and firm up the cheese.
7. When it is drained, transfer the cheese to a bowl. Cut it into 1-inch-thick slices and then into 1-inch cubes. Sprinkle the chunks with flake sea salt, making sure all the surfaces are covered. Loosely cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and allow to age in the salt for 5 days in the refrigerator. Check daily and pour off any expelled whey. The feta can be used at this point or stored in a brine. Or, for a saltier flavor, dry salt and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours, then transfer to a light brine (see Brine Chart) to finish for another 21 days. If the finished cheese is too salty for your taste, soak the cheese in nonchlorinated water for 1 hour, then let drain before using. Feta can be stored for a few months in a brine.
MAKES 12 ounces
MILK Pasteurized or raw whole cow’s milk
ALTERNATIVE MILKS A blend of cow’s and goat’s milk; sheep’s milk
START TO FINISH From 5½ days to 2 months: 1½ hours to make the cheese; 6 hours to press; 1 hour to cook; 45 minutes to dry; 5 days to 2 months to brine
Originating in Cypress, this cheese is traditionally made from sheep’s milk or a combination of sheep’s and goat’s milk with only rennet added for coagulation. This simple version is made with cow’s milk with a small amount of lipase powder added to emulate the rich flavor of the original. (If you use other milks—goat’s milk plus cow’s milk, or sheep’s milk—omit the lipase.) For a variation, you can add dried mint to the drained curds as a nod to the traditional regional flavors. As a bonus, the whey from cooking the pressed curds will be lightly flavored with mint and is absolutely delicious; use it within a few hours to cook rice or as soup stock.
1 gallon pasteurized whole cow’s milk
¼ teaspoon mild lipase powder dissolved in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water 20 minutes before using (optional)
½ teaspoon calcium chloride diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water (omit if using raw milk)
½ teaspoon liquid rennet diluted in ¼ cup cool nonchlorinated water
½ teaspoon dried mint (optional)
Kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand) or cheese salt for brining
1. Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; you will also need a 5-inch tomme mold with a follower and a cheese press or an 8-pound weight (a gallon container filled with water will do). Clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
2. In a nonreactive, heavy 6-quart stockpot, slowly heat the milk over low heat to 90°F. This should take about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3. If using lipase, gently whisk it into the milk using an up-and-down motion for 1 minute, then let rest for 5 minutes. Add the diluted calcium chloride and gently stir with a whisk using an up-and-down motion for 1 minute. Add the diluted rennet and incorporate in the same way. Cover and, maintaining the temperature at 90°F, let the milk ripen for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the curds give a clean break when cut with a knife. Still maintaining 90°F, cut the curds into ¾-inch pieces and let sit for 5 minutes.
4. Over low heat, slowly bring the curds to 104°F over a 15-minute period. The curds will break up slightly. Maintaining the 104°F temperature, gently and continuously stir with a rubber spatula for 20 minutes. The curds will shrink and firm up slightly, taking on an individual shape. Let the curds rest for 5 minutes, maintaining temperature. They will sink to the bottom and the whey will rise to the top. Ladle off enough whey to expose the top of the curds.
5. Place a nonreactive strainer over a nonreactive bowl or bucket large enough to capture the whey. Line it with clean, damp butter muslin and gently ladle the curds into it. Toss the dried mint with the curds if using, and let drain for 15 minutes, or until the whey stops dripping. Reserve the whey for later use in the recipe, storing it in the refrigerator to prevent souring.
6. Place the 5-inch tomme mold on a draining rack set over a tray. Line the mold with clean, damp cheesecloth, then gently transfer the drained curds to the mold. Cover the top of the curds with the excess cheesecloth and set the follower on top. Place the mold in a cheese press or place an 8-pound weight on top of the follower and press at 8 pounds of pressure for 3 hours.
7. Remove the cheese from the mold, peel away the cheesecloth, flip the cheese over, and redress with the cheesecloth. Press again at 8 pounds for another 3 hours.
8. Remove the pressed curds from the mold and cut off the rounded edges to create a 4-inch square. Reserve the trimmings to use as a crumbled cheese topping. If the pressed curds are 2 inches thick or more, halve the slab horizontally.
9. Using a cheese making pot, slowly heat the reserved whey to 190°F over 30 minutes. Place the square or squares of curds in the hot whey and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cheese shrinks slightly and floats on the top of the whey. Be sure to maintain the temperature throughout cooking and do not let the whey boil.
10. Using a mesh skimmer, remove the cheese from the whey and place it on a draining rack to cool. Air-dry, flipping at least once, until the surfaces are dry to the touch, about 45 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, make a medium-heavy brine (see Brine Chart) by combining the salt with 1 gallon of 50°F to 55°F water. Place the dried cheese in a noncorrosive container and cover with the cool brine. Store covered in the refrigerator for 5 days or up to 2 months. Save the unused brine in a labeled container at 50°F to 55°F for another brining.
