I’d often wondered about making cheese: it always seemed like such a homely thing to do, reminiscent of owning a house cow grazing contentedly in the sunshine in a lush green paddock. But for years it remained just one of those artisan activities on my bucket list.
It never really went away though, this curiosity about the whole process. Perhaps it related to an idyllic summer we once spent on a friend’s dairy farm. It was the busy hay-making season, yet the milking still had to be undertaken each day. The aroma of the fresh, steaming milk when it was brought in from the dairy each morning was amazing.
More recently, one of my daughters gave me a simple cheesemaking kit, and, tentatively, I began to experiment with some basic fresh cheeses such as ricotta, mozzarella and haloumi. I found it remarkably easy, so long as a few simple rules are followed.
I had some failures along the way – mozzarella was my curse – but I found I loved the process nevertheless. Now each week I can be found in the kitchen making the (now successful) mozzarella, haloumi, cottage cheese, ricotta, paneer, labna and more. And, always, the aroma of the rich Tasmanian grass-fed cow’s milk I use transports me back to that wonderful hay-making summer so long ago.
In fact, I’ve come to enjoy it so much that I’ve included a cheesemaking class in my cooking school here.
You’ll find that incorporating homemade cheeses into your cooking lifts dishes to a whole new level of tastiness and creaminess. Recipes in this chapter are for the simplest of cheeses, a great way to make a start.
• Full-fat milk should be used, not skim or semi-skim. UHT (ultra heat treated) milk can’t be used to make cheese.
• Unless otherwise specified, use pasteurised milk rather than homogenised.
• It’s best to use milk from different brands, in the one batch of cheese.
• Choose milk with different (but not imminent) use-by dates.
• As each stage of processing of commercial milk reduces the calcium content, for some cheeses (such as feta and Halloumi) it’s advisable to add a minute amount of calcium chloride.
• Rennet is added to milk to promote coagulation of the curds. It should be mixed with a little water, just before using.
• Don’t be tempted to mix the rennet until ready to use, as rennet prepared any earlier may cause your curds not to form properly. Keep rennet tablets or liquid rennet in the freezer to extend shelf life. If liquid rennet is used, ¼teaspoon is equivalent to ¼vegetable rennet tablet.
• Lipase is an enzyme that’s added to milk to help break down the fat and add flavour. When called for in the recipe, it should be mixed with water 20 minutes before using, to activate.
• Cultures are added to some cheeses, especially those that are heated to no more than 40°C.
• This can be citric acid, vinegar or lemon juice and is added to some cheeses to promote formation of the curds.
• Non-iodised, kosher or sea salt should be used in cheese.
• Be sure all equipment is scrupulously clean and sterilised. (I use an iodine solution, available from cheesemaking kit suppliers.)
• Don’t make cheese and bread on the same day in the same room, as yeast from breadmaking can get into the air. Even a small amount is enough to contaminate your cheese.
• Don’t use chlorinated or fluoridated water to make cheese – use boiled rainwater or bottled water.
• Cheesemaking ingredients, such as rennet, lipase, cultures, citric acid and cheese salt are readily available from kitchen supplies stores or online.
Makes approximately 400g
This is one of the simplest and most versatile of homemade cheeses.
1kg Greek yoghurt
Juice of 1 small lemon
1½ teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons olive oil
Sunflower oil
Olive oil, extra
Combine the yoghurt, lemon juice, salt and 3 teaspoons olive oil in a bowl and mix well.
Line another bowl with a double thickness of muslin. Pour the yoghurt mixture into this, and tie the top with a piece of string to form a bag. Hang this bag over the bowl and leave for 2 days in a cool place. If you live in a warm climate, or in summer in cooler climates, this may need to take place in the fridge.
Roll the resulting yoghurt cheese into walnut-sized balls, and place in a sterilised 1 litre jar.
In a jug, combine 4 parts sunflower oil and 1 part olive oil, and pour over the labna balls, making sure there are no air pockets. Store in the fridge.
Hint: Once the balls of labna have been used, strain the oil and refrigerate. It can be used to sauté meats, chicken, fish and vegetables.
Note: Be sure that the balls of labna remain submerged in the oil at all times.
This is another simple cheese with a multitude of applications.
2 teaspoons salt
8 cups (2 litres) pasteurised, non-homogenised milk
1 teaspoon citric acid, dissolved in ¼ cup (60ml) cool water
Put the salt and milk in a saucepan and heat to 95°C, stirring constantly.
Stir in the citric acid solution.
Leave to cool for 25–30 minutes. By now, the curds should be quite firm. If not, leave for 30 minutes more.
Scoop with a slotted spoon or sieve into a special cheese draining basket or small colander lined with muslin, and leave to drain until it reaches the desired consistency. Store in the fridge.
4 cups (1 litre) milk
½ teaspoon salt
2–3 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar
This cheese is delicious in a curry.
Bring the milk to the boil over a low heat. Add the salt and lemon juice, and stir to combine. Leave to stand 5 minutes until curds form.
Line a kitchen sieve with one thickness of muslin, place it over a large jug or pot, and pour the paneer mixture into this. Weigh down (I use the lid of a large jar or small flat plate, then place a jar of jam on top). Leave to stand for at least 30 minutes, then cut into cubes as desired.