Cheese
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the milk
Use a common can or small milk vat to handle the milk.
Add 1 pound of starter to 4 pounds of milk, or adjust based on temperature.
Beat or shake the starter and strain it through cheesecloth.
Heat the milk to 80°F (27°C).
Set the curd
Dilute 2.5 ounces of rennet extract in water and mix with the milk for 3 minutes.
Cover the milk and let it sit for 30 to 60 minutes until curd forms.
Check if the curd is ready by breaking it; if the whey is clear, it's ready.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Milk
- Forms the body of the cheese; its proteins coagulate into the curd.
- Lactic-acid bacteria starter
- Produces lactic acid that acidifies the milk, aiding curd formation and flavor.
- Commercial rennet extract
- Enzyme that clots the milk proteins, turning the milk into a solid curd.
The step that matters
Checking the curd before cutting or moving on. Rennet needs time to set the milk fully. If the curd is not firm enough, the whey will look cloudy and the curd will break apart or lose moisture unevenly, so it should be tested by breaking it before proceeding.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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