Cream Cheese
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the milk
Set the milk in a cool place overnight.
In the morning, remove the thick cream and strain the milk into the same vessel.
Warm the milk to 90°F (32°C).
Soak the rennet in salt and water overnight, then add it to the milk.
Set and cut the curd
Let it set for 15 minutes until it coagulates, then cut the curd with a long knife in both directions.
Let it stand for 1 hour, stirring gently every 10 minutes for 4 to 5 times.
Drain and press
Place a thin cloth strainer over a basket or tub with holes.
Move the curd from side to side a few times, then let it set for a few minutes.
Twist the cloth to drain excess whey, then cut the curd into 1-inch squares.
Continue twisting the cloth every few minutes until the curd is dry enough to chop.
Add ½ teaspoon of salt for every pound of curd, then place it in a hoop and press.
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
- Its proteins form the curd, and its fat gives the cheese richness and a soft, creamy texture.
- Rennet
- An enzyme that clots the milk proteins into a firm curd that can be cut and drained.
The step that matters
Cutting the curd. The cuts release whey from the curd. Clean, even cuts in both directions help the curd drain at a steady rate, so the texture of the finished cheese stays consistent.
“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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