Making cheese with cream

[Minamoo]

Hello! I have acquired 2 litres of cream and wanted to make some cheese. I have liquid rennet but no starter and the cream will have gone off by the time any starter I order arrives so I would like a recipe that doesn't use a commercial starter but uses vinegar, lemon juice or yoghurt as the starter (if that's possible?)

Thank you so much!

[Clara]

You could make a fresh cheese (which I usually make with milk..but I think cream would just be nicer!)

Heat the cream, add juice of one lemon. As it boils the curds and whey will separate, if they don´t add a bit more lemon juice (better to have this on hand). Strain through a muslin-lined colander (in the sink), this won´t take long and afterwards add a little salt and herbs to taste. Tie the corners of your muslin and give it a good squeeze. You can eat as is, though if you want something firmer (and usually you can actually slice it and fry like Halloumi), then tie the cheese ball and place a weight on top (I usually use an inverted plate with all my brass weights on top) for 10 minutes or longer.

[SploT]

Is that really how easy cheese making is! So you have your soft cheese in a muslin secured with a weight ...... does it need to be in the fridge? or in the open? How long til it looks like chedder?

I'm off to look on freecycle for some muslin.

Cheers for that.

[farmerdrea]

You can make an easy mascarpone using the cream, by heating it to 185F and adding 1/8 tsp tartaric acid, and stir till the cream becomes the consistency of baby cereal or very fine porridge. You may need to add up to 1/4 tsp tartaric acid (NOT the same as cream of tartar) to get the proper consistency, but don't add too much, or it'll be too grainy. Drain it in a collander lined with some muslin or a claen tea towel; you'll probably have to drain it for 12-24 hours.

You can serve it in savouries (like stuffed pasta), or as in our family favourite - sweeten with icing sugar and put between 2 layers of sponge with raspberry jam. Yum!

Andrea
New Zealand

[Clara]

Is that really how easy cheese making is! So you have your soft cheese in a muslin secured with a weight ...... does it need to be in the fridge? or in the open? How long til it looks like chedder?

I'm off to look on freecycle for some muslin.

Cheers for that.

No this is fresh cheese, if you don´t press it is like Indian Paneer, if you press it is more like Halloumi. Matured cheeses take much longer, and I think you need rennet (but I don´t know why). Because their texture is far more dense you need a lot more milk, I read 10 litres to make 1 kilo. And you need a lot more equipment I think.

Don´t worry bout searching for muslin, lightweight cotton will suffice, I use a single thickness of an old pillowcase.

[Minamoo]

You can make an easy mascarpone using the cream, by heating it to 185F and adding 1/8 tsp tartaric acid, and stir till the cream becomes the consistency of baby cereal or very fine porridge. You may need to add up to 1/4 tsp tartaric acid (NOT the same as cream of tartar) to get the proper consistency, but don't add too much, or it'll be too grainy. Drain it in a collander lined with some muslin or a claen tea towel; you'll probably have to drain it for 12-24 hours.

You can serve it in savouries (like stuffed pasta), or as in our family favourite - sweeten with icing sugar and put between 2 layers of sponge with raspberry jam. Yum!

Andrea
New Zealand

I don't have any tartaric acid. DO you know if I can use citric acid as a substitute? Thanks!

[farmerdrea]

No, you can't. I used the wrong packet from the cupboard one day, and what a glop I made!
Tartaric acid is cheap and available in any supermarket (at least here in NZ).

Cheers
Andrea
NZ

[Minamoo]

Thanks for that! I have found a home brew shop near me that sells tartaric acid so I'm going to go buy it and give it a whirl. I don't have a dairy thermometer (yet) but my sugar thermometer should be arriving tomorrow. I think it starts at 0.C so it should be okay until I get the other one. I have also ordered some starter so I can have more options! I can't wait to make my mascarpone!

[Annpan]

I use my sugar thermometer - it is a slater one and does OK, So you should be fine.

I just can't afford a plethora of different thermometers.

[mrsflibble]

I oly realised last week that my sugar thermometer is in fahrenheit. I'd just been going by the words up the side "hard ball, soft ball" etc not the temps lol!

[LBR]

Clara, this sounds great. What do you do with the whey?

[Minamoo]

I made the mascarpone and it tasted fab! There was hardly any whey at all (unlike when I tried to make mozarella and got 1.5 litres of whey out of 2 litres of milk!) I used mine to make american style pancakes as well as half and half whey and water in my bread machine to make bread. It makes it sooooo much softer!

I finally got round to ordering a starter and a proper thermometer and can't wait to get the time to try out the recipes in my super duper book! I also can't wait to go back home to Kenya where I can get fresh raw milk from the farm!