chapter 8Cultured Butters, Cultured Creams, and Yogurt and Kefir Cheeses

In yogurt’s native lands, cultured butters and creams made from yogurt and other traditional milk ferments are common. In the United States, though, it’s a pretty novel concept. Now that I’ve been making butter and creams this way for a while, I can’t imagine not using probiotic cultures, and I’ve given you my favorite recipes here. This chapter also includes recipes for both soft and firm probiotic cheeses. When I am making a firm cheese, such as feta or farmhouse cheese, I like to stick with yogurt or cultured kefir rather than kefir from grains. It is a matter of taste, but traditional kefir grains include some rather pronounced yeast and acetic notes, which might be not as pleasant in the cheese as they are in the beverage. You might even get some holes in the cheese due to gas production by the yeasts, but they are only of aesthetic concern. Yogurt and kefir cultures work equally well, but the yogurt cultures work much more quickly.

Yogurt or Kefir Fromage Blanc or Chèvre

Makes 1–2 quarts

In the United States, the term chèvre refers to fresh goat’s milk cheese. Fromage blanc is made using the same recipe as chèvre, but with cow’s milk. Both are long-set, acid-coagulated cheeses with a touch of rennet (a bit more than in the skyr recipe. The resulting curd is drained to a texture ranging from dry and crumbly to slightly wet and spreadable. Both varieties are salted and are great with herbs and spices mixed in. You will need cheesecloth for this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 gallon pasteurized or high-quality raw milk
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon powdered yogurt or kefir culture or ¹⁄₈ cup fresh yogurt or kefir
• 1 drop (0.05 ml) double-strength or 2 drops (0.1 ml) single-strength rennet diluted just before use in 4 tablespoons cool, nonchlorinated water
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Steps

1. 1.Heat the milk to 110°F (43°C) if you are using yogurt culture or to 95°F (35°C) if you are using kefir culture.
2. 2.Add the culture. If using powdered culture, sprinkle it on top of the milk and let sit for 1 minute, then whisk it in. If using fresh yogurt or kefir, combine the yogurt or kefir with ¹⁄₄ cup of the warm milk in a small bowl and whisk until smooth, then add the mixture to the rest of the milk.
3. 3.Stir in the diluted rennet.
4. 4.Incubate at 110°F (43°C) for the yogurt version or at 95°F (35°C) for the kefir version for 8 to 12 hours, or until about ¹⁄₄ inch of whey covers the curd and the sides are pulling away from the container.
5. 5.Line a colander with cheesecloth and pour boiling water over both to sanitize. Spoon or pour the hot curd into the colander, cover, and let drain, stirring occasionally, until the cheese reaches the desired texture, 4 to 6 hours.
6. 6.Turn the cheese into a container and mix in the salt. Refrigerate for a few days before serving to improve the flavor.

Yogurt or Kefir Butter

Makes about 1 cup

Hand-churned butter is a true delight, both in its simplicity and in its epicurean enchantment. Butter is made by warming cream to room temperature and then agitating it. When warm, the fat globules in the cream soften. When the agitation causes them to smash into each other, they will stick together, eventually forming a mass of butter and leaving behind a low-fat liquid — the buttermilk.

This recipe calls for adding kefir or yogurt cultures to the cream to make cultured butter. Cultured butter is only slightly tangy and has wonderful layers of flavor, depending on the variety of starter bacteria used. If you are using a yogurt culture, choose one that doesn’t create very viscous results, as these are much harder to agitate properly. If you are using kefir grains, use light cream or even half-and-half instead of heavy cream — it will be much easier to remove the grains from one of these thinner liquids. You don’t need a butter churn to make butter; a glass quart jar will do just fine.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cream (heavy or light)
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon yogurt or kefir culture, ¹⁄₈ cup fresh yogurt or cultured kefir, or 2 tablespoons kefir grains
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt (optional)
• Seasonings to taste, such as herbes de Provence, tarragon, saffron, smoked salt, or roasted garlic (optional)

Steps

1. 1.Pour the cream into a glass quart jar or butter churn. Add the culture and stir to mix it in.
2. 2.If you are using yogurt culture, incubate at 110°F (43°C) for 4 to 6 hours, then cool to 68°F to 72°F (20°C to 22°C). If you are using kefir culture, incubate at 68°F to 72°F (20°C to 22°C) for 18 hours.
3. 3.Shake the jar or churn the butter until the butter and buttermilk separate. If you are shaking a jar, be sure not to overwarm the cream by holding the jar portion in your warm hands. Instead, grip the lid portion and shake the jar sharply up and down. This step could take anywhere from a few seconds to 10 minutes, depending on your technique and the amount of fat in the cream.
4. 4.Drain off the buttermilk. You can save it for drinking or use it to make delicious biscuits, pancakes, and waffles. Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
5. 5.Remove the glob of wet butter from the jar or churn and place it in a medium bowl. Set the bowl in the bowl of ice water and, using a large spoon, work the butter with the back of the spoon, gently pressing out and draining excess moisture.
6. 6.When very little moisture remains, blend in the salt, if using. If you want to flavor the butter, add the seasonings now as well.
7. 7.Work the butter a bit longer, or use a butter press to remove as much moisture as possible. The less moisture in the butter, the longer its shelf life, the better its texture when frozen, and the less likely it will be to splatter when cooking.
8. 8.Press the butter into a butter bell or tub. If you have used a butter press, then the formed butter can be wrapped in parchment or waxed paper. Depending on how much moisture is in the butter, it should keep for many weeks, or even months, in the refrigerator, and indefinitely in the freezer.

Real Buttermilk

The translucent liquid and little droplets of moisture that you drain and work from your freshly churned butter are real buttermilk. Most of us are familiar with cultured buttermilk, but real buttermilk is quite different. It’s a bit like whey but has more solids and, of course, little fresh butter freckles throughout. When squeezed from fresh cream butter, not cultured butter, it is sweet and simple, but when collected from cultured butter it is complex, nourishing, and delicious. So don’t forget to save the buttermilk when you make yogurt or kefir butter — it’s simply amazing! In fact, I can rarely even wait to chill it before drinking it. It’s the reward for all that effort of churning.

Yogurt or Kefir Ricotta

Makes about 2 cups

The word ricotta literally means “re-cooked.” Cheesemaking produces a lot of whey (up to 90 percent of the original milk volume), which contains a lot of whey proteins. When that slightly acidic whey is heated to 180°F (82°C) or a bit higher, those proteins spontaneously curdle and float to the top. The traditional ricotta maker then scoops out those curds and drains them. In this way, traditional ricotta is a by-product of making Italian cheeses such as mozzarella.

We’ll use plain kefir or yogurt as the acid source to curdle hot milk. The resulting ricotta is much more interesting than whole-milk ricotta, thanks to the flavor of the kefir or yogurt. This is a great use for older yogurt or kefir that is not only more acidic and will curdle the milk more readily but that has already lost a good deal of its probiotic potential.You’ll need cheesecloth for this recipe.

Ingredients

• 4 cups milk
• 2 cups yogurt or kefir (cultured or from grains)
• ¹⁄₄–¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt (optional)

Steps

1. 1.Pour the milk into a large stainless-steel pot and set it over medium-high heat. Heat to boiling, constantly scraping the bottom with a spatula so the milk doesn’t stick and scorch. Cool to about 195°F (91°C).
2. 2.Gently stir in the yogurt or kefir. You will see the curds form instantly, and the clear whey will begin to separate.
3. 3.Line a colander with cheesecloth and place it over the sink or another pot. Scoop, ladle, or pour the hot whey and curd into the colander. Let the curd drain for about 10 minutes, or until it reaches the desired texture. Every few minutes, gently lift two sides of the cloth and tip the curd back and forth to encourage draining.
4. 4.Mix in the salt, if using, then transfer the curd to a container and cool in the refrigerator. Use within 1 week or freeze.

Whipped Yogurt or Kefir Crème Fraîche

Makes 2 cups

Crème fraîche is simply sour cream’s more decadent cousin. The fat content of sour cream is regulated in the United States to about 18 percent, while the fat content of crème fraîche can vary but is usually closer to that of light cream (20 percent). I make mine with heavy whipping cream (about 37 percent fat) and have no regrets! This recipe is great for desserts of all kinds.

The whipping process demonstrates the amazing effect that temperature has on the milk fat globule. Since the cream is agitated when cold, the fat globules will not stick together (as opposed to when you make butter with warm cream). Instead, air is incorporated into the cream, doubling the volume and creating whipped cream. Cultured heavy cream usually whips into a very thick product. If you don’t want it that thick, use a lighter cream or add about ¹⁄₄ cup milk to the heavy cream.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cream (heavy or light)
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon powdered yogurt or kefir culture or ¹⁄₈ cup fresh yogurt or cultured kefir
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt (optional)
• 2 teaspoons sugar or maple syrup (optional)

Steps

1. 1.Pour the cream into a glass quart jar. Add the culture and stir to mix it in.
2. 2.If you are using yogurt culture, incubate at 110°F (43°C) for 1 to 2 hours, then cool to 68°F to 72°F (20°C to 22°C). If you are using kefir culture, incubate at 68°F to 72°F (20°C to 22°C) for 4 to 8 hours.
3. 3.Place the cultured cream in the refrigerator or in an ice water bath until cold, between 35°F and 40°F (2°C and 4°C).
4. 4.Pour the cultured cream into a bowl. Mix in the salt and sugar, if using. Using a whisk or a hand mixer, beat until stiff peaks form. The whipped crème fraîche will keep in the refrigerator, without losing its texture, for several days.

Yogurt or Kefir Sour Cream

Makes 1 quart

from left to right: Yogurt Sour Cream; Yogurt Ricotta; Whipped Yogurt Crème Fraîche

Commercial sour cream is made from milk that contains about 18 percent butterfat (for comparison, half-and-half is about 12 percent butterfat, light cream about 20 percent, and whipping or heavy cream 35 to 38 percent). For this recipe, I prefer using half-and-half to create an incredibly rich and thick sour cream. Many commercial sour creams include quite an array of additives, from thickeners to flavoring agents. You’ll be amazed at how easy, and superior, this sour cream is!

Whether to use yogurt or kefir culture will depend simply on which cultures you have and how much time you have. The yogurt version is much faster. If you use kefir grains, note that they are a bit of a challenge to fish out of the thickened cream. This is our go-to sour cream now, and we get probiotics with every rich dollop.

Ingredients

• 1 quart half-and-half
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon yogurt or kefir culture, ¹⁄₈ cup fresh yogurt or cultured kefir, or 2 tablespoons kefir grains

Steps

1. 1.Pour the half-and-half into a glass quart jar. Add the culture and stir to mix it in.
2. 2.If you are using yogurt culture, incubate at 110°F (43°C) for 8 to 12 hours, then cool to between 68°F and 72°F (20°C and 22°C) and hold the cream there for 4 to 6 hours longer. If you are using kefir culture, incubate at about 75°F (24°C) for 24 hours. Chill before serving. Store the sour cream in the refrigerator; it will remain fresh tasting for 2 to 3 weeks.

Quick Yogurt Mozzarella

Makes approximately 1 pound

The traditional process of making mozzarella is an all-day affair that, while gratifying, requires more dedication than many of us have time for. Quick, 30-minute mozzarella was popularized by my mentor and hero Ricki Carroll in her seminal book Home Cheese Making. The trick is to add a precise amount of citric acid, which makes the milk plasticize and stretch when heat is applied. Here we’ll use yogurt along with a bit of citric acid to create a fresh mozzarella with almost as much flavor as traditional, long-process curds.

As with all of the quick mozzarella recipes, there is a risk of adding too much or too little acid to the milk. The goal pH, if you are able to check it, is between 5.1 and 5.2. Depending upon the acidity of the milk, you might miss this target. To help reduce this risk, be sure to measure the yogurt carefully. Use undrained yogurt that has a tart, but not too sour, flavor. I don’t recommend kefir for this recipe as it is usually more acidic than yogurt and might drop the pH too low. If your curd won’t stretch and is rubbery and firm, add a bit more citric acid next time. If it starts to stretch and then falls apart, add less. You’ll need a thermometer, cheesecloth, a long knife, and gloves for handling the hot curd.

Tips for Working Mozzarella Curd

• Pull and stretch the curd only when it gives easily; reheat as soon as resistance is firm.
• Pull and refold the curd in the same direction each time to help the protein strands elongate.
• If you are forming the curd into balls, work the curd by gently pressing your thumbs around the sides in a circular motion that pushes the sides into the center back (similar to forming a loaf of bread dough).
• Remember, less is more! Fats and tenderness will be lost from overworking.

Ingredients

• 1 gallon whole milk (not ultra-pasteurized)
• ¹⁄₂ cup fresh plain yogurt
• 1¹⁄₄ teaspoon citric acid diluted in ¹⁄₈ cup cool water
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon double-strength or ¹⁄₄ teaspoon single-strength rennet diluted just before use in ¹⁄₈ cup cool, nonchlorinated water
• 2 teaspoons salt

Steps

1. 1.Combine the milk and yogurt in a 5- or 6-quart pot and whisk until well blended. Stir in the diluted citric acid.
2. 2.Place the milk pot inside a larger pot, and fill the larger pot with enough water to come up the sides of the inner pot. Set over medium heat and warm the milk, stirring gently, to 95°F (35°C). Remove from the heat but leave in the water bath.
3. 3.Hold a slotted spoon or cheese ladle over the milk and pour the diluted rennet through the spoon into the milk (the spoon helps disperse it). Use the slotted spoon to stir the milk with five to seven up-and-down strokes, then hold it to the top of the milk in several spots to help still the milk. Cover the milk and let sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.
4. 4.Using a long knife, cut the curd into approximately ¹⁄₄-inch cubes by first cutting vertical columns and then making horizontal cuts, angled down, through the curd mass. Note that it’s impossible to get actual cubes! Just do your best and average the size. Let rest for 5 minutes longer. The curds will have a spongy, soft texture and will likely become very small during stirring.
   
5. 5.Gently stir the curds with a rubber spatula. Then place the pot in its water bath setup over low heat and heat to 105°F (41°C). (The temperature will have already increased somewhat from the residual heat in the water bath.)
6. 6.Line a colander with cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Pour the warm curds into the cloth. Use the cheesecloth to flip the curds over a couple of times to allow them to drain more. You don’t need to keep them warm.
7. 7.Pour the whey back into the pot and add 1 teaspoon of the salt. Set over medium heat and heat to 130°F (54°C). Fill a large bowl half full of cool water.
8. 8.Stir the remaining 1 teaspoon salt into the whey. Cut a small piece of curd and immerse it in the hot whey for about 30 seconds. Pull at the curd to see if it stretches. If necessary, you can increase the whey temperature up to 150°F (66°C) to help the curd stretch.
9. 9.Gently work the curd (see the tips), reheating as needed. It’s very easy to overwork it and squeeze out the butterfat, turning it into rubbery balls, so be gentle!
   
10. 10.Once the mozzarella has taken shape, place it in the cool water bath. Quick mozzarella is best eaten just after making, when it’s at its tenderest. However, it can be firmed up in the fridge for a few days for use as a melting cheese for pizza and the like. Once made, it should be used within about 1 week.

Cheesemaker’s Tip

What Is Cheese Salt?

At classes, I’m often asked, “What is cheese salt?” The short answer is, “There is no such thing!” When making cheese, salt is used for two reasons: to add flavor and to help preserve the cheese. In some cases, such as cheeses meant to be eaten immediately like ricotta and quick mozzarella, the salt is there just to add flavor. For those cheeses that utilize starter bacteria to help create flavor over time, it’s important to use only pure salt, because additives, such as iodine, can harm the microbes. You can buy pure sodium chloride at any grocery store. Look for a fine salt. Sea salt is a great choice.

Yogurt or Kefir Feta

Makes 1¹⁄₂–2 pounds

If you want to start making more complex cheeses, feta is a great place to start. It can be enjoyed fresh or aged in the refrigerator, and it takes very few supplies to make it. Whether or not it is due to my Greek heritage and childhood of enjoying feta I can’t say, but I am picky about feta. Most commercial American feta is not made with the craftsmanship the cheese deserves. Once you get comfortable with this recipe, set a batch aside for aging and see the marvelous wonders that time can work on cheese. You’ll need a thermometer, cheesecloth, and a long knife for this recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 gallons whole milk
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon powdered yogurt or kefir culture or ¹⁄₄ cup fresh yogurt or kefir
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon calcium chloride diluted in 2 tablespoons cool water (optional; suggested for store-bought, homogenized milk)
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon double-strength or ¹⁄₄ teaspoon single-strength rennet diluted just before use in ¹⁄₄ cup cool, nonchlorinated water
• 2 tablespoons pure salt (such as sea salt or any noniodized salt with no added anticaking agents)

Steps

1. 1.Pour the milk into a large pot and place that pot inside a larger pot. Fill the larger pot with enough water to come up the sides of the inner pot. Set over low to medium heat and warm the milk to between 88°F and 90°F (31°C and 32°C). The water in the outer pot will be hotter than the milk, so either turn the heat off before the milk reaches its goal or be ready to remove the milk pot from the water bath.
2. 2.Add the culture. If using powdered culture, sprinkle it on top of the milk and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes, then stir gently for 2 to 5 minutes. If using fresh yogurt or kefir, combine the yogurt or kefir with ¹⁄₂ cup of the warm milk in a small bowl and whisk, then add the mixture to the rest of the milk.
3. 3.If you are using yogurt culture, incubate at 105°F (41°C), stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. If you are using kefir culture, incubate at 88°F to 90°F (31°C to 32°C), stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. You can usually accomplish this by covering the milk pot and letting it sit in the water bath. Stir in the diluted calcium chloride, if using.
4. 4.Using a slotted spoon or cheese ladle, stir the milk using an up-and-down motion for a few strokes. Hold the ladle over the milk and pour the diluted rennet over it and into the milk. Stir for 1 minute longer, then hold the ladle to the top of the milk in several spots to help still the milk.
5. 5.Cover the pot and let sit undisturbed until a clean break is achieved; that will be 25 to 30 minutes if you are using yogurt culture and about 45 minutes if you are using kefir culture.
   
6. 6.Using a long knife, cut the curds into ¹⁄₂-inch columns. With your blade at an angle, make a few horizontal cuts through the columns. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes to allow the curds to firm up a bit.
   
7. 7.Gently stir the curds just enough to move them slowly in the pot. Check the temperature. If the yogurt-cultured mixture is not 105°F to 110°F (41°C to 43°C) or if the kefir-cultured mixture is not 88°F to 90° (31°C to 32°C), return the pot in its hot water bath setup to the stovetop and reheat to that temperature. Continue to stir for a total of 20 minutes. The curds will shrink and firm up a bit during this time.
8. 8.Line a colander with cheesecloth and slowly pour the curds into the cloth. Let drain for a few minutes. Alternatively, the curd can be drained in a basket form (as in photo).
9. 9.Gather the corners of the cloth into a knot and loop a shoelace or string through the knot. Hang the draining cheese over a pot and allow to drain for 18 hours at room temperature. If using a form, flip the wheel twice over the 18 hours.
10. 10.Remove the cheese from the cloth and slice into 1-inch slabs. Stack in layers in a small container or ziplock bag, and cover all sides with the salt. Cover and place in the fridge.
11. 11.Allow the cheese to lightly age and mellow for a few days. Turn the slabs daily to allow the collecting salty whey (brine) to coat each slice. You can age feta for months in the fridge as long as it is fully submerged in the brine and the air space is filled or covered to the level of the whey with plastic film. If air is touching the brine and/or cheese, harmless but unsightly molds will develop.

Farmhouse Wheel

Makes approximately one 2-pound wheel

Cow’s milk farmhouse wheel vacuum-sealed and aged 5 months

The term farmhouse has no strict definition in the cheesemaking world. It’s meant to evoke thoughts of small handmade batches, and this recipe certainly fits that bill! I like to use this recipe to introduce the technique of making pressed cheese. Not only is this cheese fairly simple to make (compared to a traditional cheddar), but it also lends itself to added flavors and some brief aging to improve the flavor. If you decide you want to age it longer, you’ll need to read up on aging options for the home cheesemaker (see the resources section). You’ll need a thermometer, cheesecloth, a long knife, a cheese form with a follower, a water jug or other weight for pressing, and a large tub with a lid for this recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 gallons whole milk
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon powdered yogurt or kefir culture or ¹⁄₄ cup fresh yogurt or kefir
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon calcium chloride diluted in ¹⁄₄ cup cool water (optional; suggested for store-bought, homogenized milk)
• 2 teaspoons hot pepper flakes or lavender buds, or a few drops of truffle oil (optional)
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon double-strength or ¹⁄₄ teaspoon single-strength rennet diluted just before use in ¹⁄₄ cup cool, nonchlorinated water
• 2 tablespoon pure salt (such as sea salt or any noniodized salt with no added anticaking agents)

Steps

1. 1.Pour the milk into a large pot, and place that pot inside a larger pot. Fill the larger pot with enough water to come up the sides of the inner pot. Set over low to medium heat and warm the milk to 88°F to 90°F (31°C to 32°C). The water in the outer pot will be hotter than the milk, so either turn the heat off before the milk reaches its goal or be ready to remove the milk pot from the water bath.
2. 2.Add the culture. If using powdered culture, sprinkle it on top of the milk and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes, then stir gently for 2 to 5 minutes. If using fresh yogurt or kefir, combine the yogurt or kefir with ¹⁄₂ cup of the warm milk in a small bowl and whisk to combine, then add the mixture to the rest of the milk.
3. 3.Stir in the diluted calcium chloride, if using.
4. 4.If you are using yogurt culture, incubate at 105°F (41°C), stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. If you are using kefir culture, incubate at 88°F to 90°F (31°C to 32°C), stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. You can usually accomplish this by covering the pot and letting it sit in the water bath.
5. 5.If you are adding dried herbs, simmer them in 1 cup water for 5 minutes to soften. Strain and add the liquid only to the milk (you’ll add the herbs later). If you are adding truffle oil or any other liquid flavoring, add it now.
6. 6.Using a ladle, stir the milk using an up-and-down motion for about 1 minute. Hold the ladle over the milk and pour the diluted rennet over it and into the milk. Stir for 1 minute longer, then hold the ladle to the top of the milk in several spots to help still the milk.
7. 7.Cover and let the milk sit undisturbed, maintaining the temperature at 102°F to 105°F (39°C to 41°C) if using yogurt culture or at 88°F to 90°F (31°C to 32°C) if using kefir culture until a clean break is achieved, about 45 minutes. You can usually maintain the temperature by covering the pot and leaving it in the water bath. If it cools off during this phase, don’t try to rewarm it until step 9.
8. 8.Using a long knife, cut the curds into columns. With your blade at an angle, make a few horizontal cuts about ³⁄₈ inches apart through the columns to make cubes. Then let the curds rest for 5 minutes.
9. 9.Heat the curds gradually, over the course of 30 minutes, stirring gently, to 110°F (43°C) if using yogurt culture or 100°F (38°C) if using kefir culture; increase the temperature very slowly during the first 15 minutes. If needed, cut any large curds into smaller pieces during stirring. Hold at that temperature (110°F/43°C if using yogurt culture, or 100°F/38°C if using kefir culture), stirring gently, for 20 minutes. The curds will shrink and become slightly springy — a bit like a hard-boiled egg white.
10. 10.Remove the pot from the heat and let the curds set for 5 minutes.
11. 11.Line a colander with cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Pour the curds into the colander. Save the whey for later use. Stir the softened herbs, if using, into the curds.
12. 12.Place the cheese form on a tray or a drain board. Lift the bundle of curds from the colander and lower into the form. Hand-press the curds into the bottom and pack as tightly as you can. Fold the cloth over the top and add the follower. Place about 1 pound of weight on top. Let press for 15 minutes. All pressing stages are best done at warm room temperature (about 85°F/29°C). You can cover the wheel while it is being pressed with a large tub and then put towels over that to help keep it warm.
    
13. 13.Remove the weight and the follower. Remove the wrapped cheese from the form, unwrap it, and flip it over. Rearrange the cheesecloth in the form, and then replace the cheese, pressing the cloth into the form along with it; the cheese should still look a bit wrinkled and the rind not yet smooth. Set the follower and the 1-pound weight back in place and press for 30 minutes.
14. 14.Repeat step 13. This time the rind should be smoother but still not evenly closed. Add another 1 pound of weight for a total of 2 pounds. Now press for 60 minutes.
    
15. 15.Repeat step 13 again. Now the rind should be very even, perhaps with a few small openings. If not, you may add up to 2 pounds more weight. Now press for 4 hours.
16. 16.Remove the cheese from the form, cut off a tiny piece, and taste it. It should have a very mild tang and taste milky with a hint of buttermilk or yogurt. If it isn’t slightly tangy, press it for 1 hour longer and taste it again. If you are checking pH, the goal is 5.2 to 5.4.
17. 17.When you have achieved the desired tang, take the cheese from the form, unwrap it, and rub the cheese all over with 1 tablespoon of the salt. Return the cheese to the form, without the cheesecloth, weight, or follower, and let it set for 30 minutes.
18. 18.Remove the cheese from the form and rub it with the remaining 1 tablespoon salt. Place the cheese in a tub, put on the lid, and let it set in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours. After this initial setting, there may be some salty whey at the bottom of the tub; if so, rub the whey all over the cheese and flip it over.
19. 19.Continue to age the cheese in the refrigerator for 3 more days, flipping it and rubbing whey over it as needed two or three times a day. During this time the texture and flavor of the cheese will change as the salt moves through the wheel and the cheese mellows.
20. 20.Pat the cheese dry with paper towels and wrap tightly in plastic wrap or a plastic bag. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. It will last longer and even age if there is very little air in the container. If a little mold develops on the outside, either cut it off before eating the cheese or rub it with a bit of vinegar to remove it. Alternatively, vacuum seal and age in the refrigerator for several months to develop flavor and character.

Cheesemaker’s Tip

The Chemistry of Acid and Heat

One of the simplest ways to make cheese is to utilize heat and acid to curdle the milk. In fresh milk, the milk proteins stay suspended in the liquid by literally repelling each other. They have an overall negative charge, and if you recall playing with magnets as a kid (or more recently), you’ll remember that like repels like — that is, negative charges repel each other. You might also recall from school science that heat excites molecules, making them easier to alter. When you heat the milk and add acid, which, simply put, has a positive electrical charge, you alter the milk proteins, making them clump together. The hotter the milk, the less acid you need. Typically, a cheesemaker will use vinegar or diluted citric acid to cause the curdling, but tart kefir or yogurt is also a great acid source.

Myths and Misunderstandings

Can You Use Ultra-pasteurized Milk?

According to many cheese- and yogurt-making books, blogs, and articles, you should never use ultra-pasteurized milk. This isn’t always true! A quick review: When milk is heated beyond 135°F (57°C), some changes start to happen that really matter to the cheesemaker. The longer the milk is held warm, the more whey proteins are altered. Instead of staying in the liquid part of the milk, they start sticking to the cheese proteins. If you are making a rennet-coagulated cheese, the sticky whey proteins basically block the rennet from doing its job. The result is a weak, pasty curd. However, and that’s a big however, if you are making an acid-coagulated product such as yogurt, kefir, ricotta, or fromage blanc, it doesn’t matter at all! In fact, we regularly use high heat to purposefully alter, or denature, those whey proteins to improve the texture and protein content of yogurt. So feel free to use ultra-pasteurized milk in your acid-coagulated dairy ferments and cheeses that don’t use any rennet.

Quick ’n’ Squeaky Curds

Makes about ¹⁄₄ pound

Fresh, squeaky cheddar curds are one of the most fun cheesy things to eat. Traditional recipes, however, take most of the day to make. I came up with this recipe as a way to shave off a few hours and still have great results. I use yogurt and adore the fresh, unique flavor and the texture. Try your fresh curds plain, with pesto, with caramelized garlic, or even as poutine — that north-of-the-border treat of French fries topped with cheese curds and drenched in brown gravy — or even deep-fried curds (pictured in Really Ranch Dressing). Yum! You will need a thermometer, a long knife, and a colander for this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 gallon whole milk
• 1 cup fresh yogurt or kefir
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon calcium chloride diluted in 2 tablespoons cool water (optional; suggested for store-bought, homogenized milk)
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon double-strength or ¹⁄₂ teaspoon single-strength rennet diluted just before use in ¹⁄₈ cup cool, nonchlorinated water
• 1 teaspoon salt

Steps

1. 1.Pour the milk into a large pot, and place that pot inside a larger pot. Fill the larger pot with enough water to come up the sides of the inner pot. Set over low to medium heat and warm the milk to 95°F (35°C).
2. 2.Combine the yogurt or kefir with 1 cup of the warm milk in a small bowl and whisk together, then add the mixture to the rest of the milk. It’s okay if the milk cools to 93°F (34°C) or so. Stir in the diluted calcium chloride, if using.
3. 3.Hold a slotted spoon or cheese ladle over the milk and pour the diluted rennet through the spoon into the milk (the spoon helps disperse it). Then use the ladle to stir the milk with five up-and-down strokes. Hold the ladle to the top of the milk in several spots to help still the milk.
4. 4.Cover the milk and let sit undisturbed, maintaining the temperature between 93°F and 95°F (34°C and 35°C) until it coagulates, 30 to 45 minutes. Test the curd for a clean break (see the illustration, step 6). Note: If it cools off during this phase, don’t try to rewarm it until step 9.
5. 5.Using a long knife, cut the curd mass into ³⁄₈- to ¹⁄₄-inch columns, then with your blade at an angle, make a few horizontal cuts about ³⁄₈ inch apart through the columns. Let rest for 5 minutes.
6. 6.Maintaining the temperature at 95°F (35°C), stir the curds very gently for 5 minutes. Then warm the curds to 110°F (43°C) by increasing the heat very slowly over 30 minutes.
7. 7.Line a colander with cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Heat a pot of water to about 120°F (49°C).
8. 8.Pour the curds into the colander and tie the cloth in a bundle. Set the colander and bundle over the pot of warm water to help keep the curds between 102°F and 105°F (39°C and 41°C). Cover the pot with a lid if needed. Let sit for 15 minutes.
9. 9.Open the bundle and cut the curd ball in half. Line the colander with the cheesecloth. Stack the curd halves on top of each other and place back in the cloth-lined colander. Fill a plastic ziplock bag with 110°F (43°C) hot water and set on top of the curds. This helps keep the curd slabs warm and create the desired texture. Let sit for 15 minutes.
10. 10.Uncover and rotate the two curd slabs and re-cover with the bag of hot water. Let sit for 15 minutes longer. Repeat rotating and warming the curd slabs until they have the texture of cooked chicken breast, about 1 hour.
11. 11.Cut the slabs into pieces that are ¹⁄₂ to 1 inch by ¹⁄₄ to ¹⁄₂ inch.
12. 12.Set the colander over the pot of hot water. Place the curd pieces in the colander and sprinkle with ¹⁄₂ teaspoon of the salt. Stir, then cover with the hot water bag, rewarming as needed, and let sit for 5 minutes. This step is called mellowing.
13. 13.Repeat the salting and mellowing one more time. Eat the curds right away, or refrigerate for up to 3 weeks, but they lose their squeakiness within the first day.

Cheesemaker’s Tip

Working with Homogenized Milk

Fresh, whole nonhomogenized milk is always your best choice for cheesemaking because homogenization restructures the milk fat in a way that interferes with rennet coagulation. However, unless you have your own dairy animals, nonhomogenized, or cream-top, milk can be hard to find and is also quite expensive. If homogenized milk is your best option, you can get pretty good results if you adapt your recipe as follows:

• For firm rennet-set cheeses such as feta, farmhouse wheel, and squeaky curds, add liquid calcium chloride solution (32 to 33 percent concentration, purchased from a cheesemaking supply company) at a rate of ¹⁄₈ teaspoon per gallon of milk. While calcium chloride doesn’t strictly solve the issues of homogenization, it does help create a firmer curd when using milk that has been sitting around on the supply chain shelf for a while, which all homogenized milk has been.
• After cutting the curds, allow them to sit and “heal” for twice as long as the recipe recommends before stirring them.
• Be very gentle when stirring the curds. You may even need to just rock the pot back and forth for the initial stirring. Even when you are gentle, they will gradually break into much smaller pieces. Expect this.

Myths and Misunderstandings

Probiotics in Cheese

It sounds great — just use yogurt or kefir cultures to make cheese, and voilà, probiotic cheese! Right? Well, maybe. Whether you make the cheese from raw milk or pasteurized milk with added probiotic cultures, the beneficial bacteria may not survive for long. As we’ve discussed, the acid environment of yogurt and kefir means that the more they age, the fewer probiotics they have. However, it’s believed that the lower-acid environment of cheese (with a pH of about 5.4 compared to 4.4 in yogurt) provides a more hospitable environment for the bacteria. In fact, some strains of probiotic bacteria not only survive in aged cheese, but their numbers can actually increase!

Because of the health benefits and the marketing value of probiotic foods, more researchers are investigating which strains survive and in what numbers so that cheese producers can honestly make health benefit claims on their labels. For the sake of this book, all of the cheeses we’re making are meant to be eaten fresh or after a short aging period, so you can feel fairly confident that the probiotic microbes will be alive and well when you consume the cheeses.