Cream Cheese
Get ready for the best cream cheese of your LIFE.
A friend shared this with me. She said, “be prepared to never be able to have store cream cheese again.” And, man, was she right. I try to keep my dad in ready supply of this because he’s a big cream cheese guy. He doesn’t like anything else anymore!
There’s lots of “easy cream cheese” recipes out there that are essentially just whipped ricotta. This is not it. This takes time. It’s a traditional cheese with rennet and other ingredients. It takes about 48 hours pending on your home’s conditions. But trust me, it’s worth it.
You can use this for a spread on baked goods or use it in recipes! It makes amazing cheesecake. Any way you would use store bought cream cheese, you can use this!
Cream Cheese
Ingredients:
1 gallon raw milk
2 cups raw cream
1/4 teaspoon calcium chloride
1 packet (1/8 teaspoon) direct set buttermilk
8 drops single strength animal rennet
Instructions:
In a large pot, pasteurize the milk and cream. You do this so that you kill any competing bacteria that could negatively impact the cheese making process. It also helps with older milk. Heat the milk until it reaches 161 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds. I then cool the pot in cold water in the sink until it reaches 84-88 degrees. You can cool it on the stove, but it will take more time.
Once the milk is cooled to 84-88 degrees, stir in the calcium chloride. Then sprinkle the buttermilk set over the milk mixture. Let it sit on top for a few minutes before stirring in. Add the rennet and stir in an up and down motion.
Cover and let sit on the counter at room temperature (68-72 degrees) until the whey pools and the curd pulls away from the sides. This will take about 12-24 hours.
Cut the curd. Scoop it into a large sanitized colander lined with a double layer of butter muslin and allow to drain for 2 hours. If you drain over a bowl, you can save the whey to use in other recipes.
After the first 2 hours, put the curd in fresh muslin and tie for hanging. Hang it over a bowl or sink where it can drain undisturbed at room temperature for 10-20 hours. You can open it muslin to encourage drainage if desired. Drain longer if a thicker consistency is desired or for less time if you want it to spread more easily. Once it’s at your desired consistency, place in a glass storage container with a lid.
You can add salt and herbs to it if you want for a savory cheese or fruit and honey for a sweet spread. You can use it for baking or recipes just like you would for store bought cream cheese. But I promise you, this will be so much better than anything from the store! Enjoy!
