I've started to make my own soft cheese.

[oilandwater]

I've started to make my own soft cheese and if I say so myself it's bloody good. It's easy enough to make, and I enjoy making it too. Anyone else tried?

[cqueen]

Hmmm never even thought about it. How does it work?

[oilandwater]

Basics are;
Milk, live yoghurt or butter milk, rennet.

Temperature of milk is crucial, so a thermometer is good.

Heat milk to approx 30degs stir in Yoghurt, add rennet, leave overnight. Next day cut curd, transfer into muslin lined colander to drain whey from curd, sprinkle with salt for more drainage.

[cqueen]

How long do you have to leave it before it turns into 'chesse'? and waht type of cheese is it? where do you get the ingredients from?

[oilandwater]

This makes a soft fresh white cheese.

2 litres of semi skimmed milk. warmed to 30 degs in large pan.
300ml (2 small pots) live yoghurt. Stir into milk .
1/4 teaspoon of rennet mixed with 1tblspn cooled boiled water. stir into milk and yoghurt.
Leave overnight at room temp.
Next day, cut curd into blocks and left into muslin lined colander over a bowl to drain for about 3 hours at room temp.
Sprinkle with salt and place curd into another muslin lined 'basket' (or anything with holes to allow drainage.)placed over a bowl in the fridge.

Ready to eat in the next hour, will keep in the fridge for 5 days covered.
I have mixed some of mine with lemon juice a cracked black pepper and garlic.

edit; I get my rennet from Lakeland but any deli should stock it.

[mrsshpub]

How much soft cheese does that recipe produce?

[cqueen]

What if you want to make cheddar, stilton etc?

[bertieg]

my mother made some recently with the milk from our cows (only had 6 cows, not a big farm)

tasted utterly horrific, binned the lot in the end

[oilandwater]

mrsshpub said:

How much soft cheese does that recipe produce?

It makes about 500 grams.

I use the whey to make scones.

[oilandwater]

cqueen said:

What if you want to make cheddar, stilton etc?

I have only tried soft cheese, I will update you when I have made hard cheese, it takes a few weeks of 'resting' I believe.

[oilandwater]

bertieg said:

my mother made some recently with the milk from our cows (only had 6 cows, not a big farm)

tasted utterly horrific, binned the lot in the end

Oh dear. I have made it a few times now, and still tastes good.

[johnnywgk]

cqueen said:

What if you want to make cheddar, stilton etc?

Then you have to leave it alone for 20 years, after
what the the OP said.

Oh yeah. Don't take my word for it.


Mature cheese is best left to the Pro's.

All them germs that need controlling and stuff

Mmmm leave it to the Pro's.


Or you will die, I think.