This recipe makes a creamy, delicious cottage cheese that's great for snacks or even dessert!
5 minutes
55 minutes
10 Servings
INGREDIENTS AND EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE AT CULTURES FOR HEALTH
Mesophilic Direct-Set Starter Culture
Mesophilic Direct-Set Starter Culture
$14.99
From cheddar, Colby, and Monterey Jack to Feta, Chevre, and more, you'll enjoy the flavor and variety of homemade cheeses made using this starter culture.
Creme Fraiche Starter Culture
Creme Fraiche Starter Culture
$14.99
Making truly rich and mild creme fraiche at home is as easy as heating up cream or half-and-half. This direct-set culture is one of our easiest and cultures on your countertop.
Cheese Salt
Calcium Chloride
Liquid Vegetable Rennet
Liquid Vegetable Rennet
$7.99
Double-strength liquid vegetable rennet. Each bottle contains enough rennet to set (24) 2-gallon batches of cheese.
Pocket Test Thermometer
Butter Muslin
Butter Muslin
$7.99
Butter Muslin is a tightly woven cloth, similar to cheesecloth, used for draining, pressing, and straining soft cheeses, yogurt or milk kefir. Butter muslin cloth also works as a breathable jar cover for all sorts of fermenting applications.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 gallon pasteurized whole cow milk
- 3/8 tsp. Mesophilic Direct-Set Starter Culture
- 1/4 tsp. calcium chloride diluted in ¼ cup of cool water
- 1/4 tsp. vegetable rennet diluted in ¼ cup of cool water
- Cheese salt
- 1 1½ cups crème fraîche
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Heat the milk to 70°F in a hot water bath or double boiler. Maintain the milk at 70°F for 15 minutes.
- Add the starter, stirring in gently using up-and-down motions for 1 minute; add the diluted calcium chloride and incorporate using the same method.
- Remove the pot from the heat source.
- Add the diluted rennet and incorporate using an up-and-down motion.
- Cover the pot and let the milk sit undisturbed 5-6 hours or until you have a clean break.
- Cut the curds into ¾-inch pieces. Gently stir with a rubber spatula or a cheese spoon for 5 minutes.
- Return the pot to the water bath or double boiler and heat the curds to 115°F, raising the temperature by only about 1°F per minute. Continue to gently stir the curds to help them release more whey and become firmer.
- Line a colander with clean butter muslin and half fill a large bowl with clean, cold water and ice. When the curds are at temperature, begin ladling them into the colander. (They will be firm and a bit small). Place the colander of curds into the cold water to stop the ripening process and to set them up. Let them sit in the cold water bath for about 5 minutes.
- Remove the colander from the cold water and drain. Pour the cottage cheese curds into a medium bowl. Salt them, tossing the curds with your fingers until they are well combined with the salt.
- Begin folding in the crème fraîche, coating the curds evenly. Once it is all combined, put them into a covered container in the fridge to chill. Your cheese will keep for about 10 days if kept chilled.
