Homemade Cream Cheese
2 Days | Serves 6
½ gal Whole Pasteurized Milk (Not Ultra Pasteurized)
1 pt Heavy Whipping Cream (Ultra Pasteurized is OK)
⅛ tsp Flora Danica Cultures
⅛ tsp Calcium Chloride diluted in 2 Tbsp Purified Water
3-4 drops Animal Rennet diluted in 2 Tbsp Purified Water
2-3 tsp Kosher Salt
Place the milk and cream in a nonreactive pot with a heavy bottom. A 6-qt Dutch oven works well. Stir the milk and cream together.
Place on medium-low heat and heat to 86-90 degrees, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat completely and sprinkle the Flora Danica cultures over the top of the milk and cream. Allow the cultures to hydrate for 2-3 minutes.
Add the diluted rennet. Add the diluted calcium chloride. Stir everything together for 30 seconds. Cover the pot and set aside for 13-15 hours. You can wrap the pot in a bath towel or blanket to maintain the warmth.
You will notice the curds thicken and start to resemble yogurt texture and smell when the process is close to complete. Do not mix the curds or disturb the pot during the ripening process.
Transfer the contents of the pot to a strainer lined with a cheesecloth. Place a pot under the strainer to catch the whey.
Initially drain for 30 minutes. Bring the ends of the cheesecloth together and tie with string. Hang the cloth and allow it to drain for at least 12 hours. Every few hours, move the curds around to encourage the draining process. If you are draining overnight, you can do this a few times in the morning.
Transfer the drained curds to a mixing bowl. Add the salt and thoroughly mix together. This is when you would add any seasonings like herbs, fresh fruit, honey etc. The options are endless.
Transfer to a container and refrigerate for a few hours to achieve the expected cream cheese texture.
½ gal Whole Pasteurized Milk (Not Ultra Pasteurized)
1 pt Heavy Whipping Cream (Ultra Pasteurized is OK)
⅛ tsp Flora Danica Cultures
⅛ tsp Calcium Chloride diluted in 2 Tbsp Purified Water
3-4 drops Animal Rennet diluted in 2 Tbsp Purified Water
2-3 tsp Kosher Salt
Place the milk and cream in a nonreactive pot with a heavy bottom. A 6-qt Dutch oven works well. Stir the milk and cream together.
Place on medium-low heat and heat to 86-90 degrees, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat completely and sprinkle the Flora Danica cultures over the top of the milk and cream. Allow the cultures to hydrate for 2-3 minutes.
Add the diluted rennet. Add the diluted calcium chloride. Stir everything together for 30 seconds. Cover the pot and set aside for 13-15 hours. You can wrap the pot in a bath towel or blanket to maintain the warmth.
You will notice the curds thicken and start to resemble yogurt texture and smell when the process is close to complete. Do not mix the curds or disturb the pot during the ripening process.
Transfer the contents of the pot to a strainer lined with a cheesecloth. Place a pot under the strainer to catch the whey.
Initially drain for 30 minutes. Bring the ends of the cheesecloth together and tie with string. Hang the cloth and allow it to drain for at least 12 hours. Every few hours, move the curds around to encourage the draining process. If you are draining overnight, you can do this a few times in the morning.
Transfer the drained curds to a mixing bowl. Add the salt and thoroughly mix together. This is when you would add any seasonings like herbs, fresh fruit, honey etc. The options are endless.
Transfer to a container and refrigerate for a few hours to achieve the expected cream cheese texture.
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