Home cheese-making
Cream cheese
IntermediateAbout Cream cheese
Cultured cream and milk set overnight and drained thick.
- Hands-on
- 20 min
- Waiting
- 1 day
- Ageing
- None
- Yield
- About 500 g
Milk & ingredients
1 litre whole milk + 500 ml cream (pasteurised)
- 1 litre milk
- 500 ml cream
- Mesophilic culture (pack dose)
- 1–2 drops rennet
- Salt
Culture: Mesophilic
Coagulant: Culture acid + a drop of rennet
Equipment
- Pot
- Thermometer
- Muslin
- Sieve
Temperatures by stage
| Stage | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Culture | 22–24 °C |
Steps
- 1.Hands-onWarm milk and cream to 22–24 °C; stir in culture and rennet.
- 2.WaitingCover and leave 12–24 hours until set like yoghurt.
- 3.WaitingLadle into muslin and drain in the fridge 6–12 hours.
- 4.Hands-onSalt and blend smooth.
Storage: Refrigerate; use within about a week.
Troubleshooting
- Too thin
- Drain longer.
Cook with it
Sources
- Cheese Making Technology e-book — University of Guelph, Food Science
- Raw drinking milk — UK Food Standards Agency
Guidance changes: check the source for current wording. Original text; figures quoted from the sources where stated.