We highly recommended that you start with soft cheeses. The following recipes use already ripened dairy products (yogurt) or an acid added directly to the milk in order to separate the curds and whey. These cheeses are ready to eat in is little as 1 day. Making them will demonstrate to you the separation of water and milk solids as well as introduce the basics of heating milk and draining cheese using cheesecloth.  CHEESE MAKING INSTRUCTIONS CHEESE INGREDIENTS EQUIPMENT & TOOLS THE PROCESS SEMI-HARD CHEESE RECIPES HARD CHEESE RECIPES GLOSSARY SOFT CHEESE RECIPES YOGURT CREAM CHEESE YOGURT DESERT CHEESE LEMON CHEESE SPREAD LEMON GARLIC CHEESE DIP MASCARPONE CHEESE CREAM CHEESE YOGURT CREAM CHEESE 1 quart plain yogurt This is a simple overnight cheese with a surprising flavor. Use it like cream cheese or prepare the desert cheese below.    Line a colander with a double layer of cheesecloth. Pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth. Allow to drain for 1 hour. Tie the corners of the cheesecloth and hang the yogurt to drain overnight. This cheese will keep up to a week in the refrigerator. YOGURT CHEESE MAKER MAKE YOGURT CREAM CHEESE $14.95    Yogurt Cheese is a delicious low fat substitute for cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream and whipping cream. Serve yogurt cheese plain, or flavor with fruit, sugar or vanilla for a sweeter taste. Use homemade or store bought yogurt. Yogurt is actually composed of coagulated particles called curds which are suspended in a watery liquid called whey. As the whey is drained off in the strainer, the remaining curds become a thick cheese-like spread. Serve yogurt cheese plain, or flavor with fruit, sugar or vanilla for a sweeter taste. LEMON CHEESE SPREAD 1/2 gallon whole milk 2 large lemons 1/4 teaspoon cheese salt    This is a quick and easy cheese to make and can be used as a cheese spread. Warm the milk to 165oF. Stir often to avoid scorching the milk. Add the juice of two lemons to the milk. Stir for 5 seconds then allow the milk to set off the stove for 15 minutes. The warm milk will separate into a stringy white curd and a greenish liquid whey.    Line a colander with cheesecloth or use our Yogurt Cheese Maker and pour the curd and whey into the colander. Tie the four corners of the cheesecloth into a lose knot and hang the bag of curds to drain for an hour or until it stops dripping. Remove the cheese from the cloth and place it in a bowl. Add cheese salt to taste. This cheese will keep up to one week in the refrigerator. LEMON GARLIC CHEESE DIP 1 batch of Lemon Cheese 1 small garlic clove 1 tablespoon Half and Half 1/4 teaspoon dill weed    Finely crush garlic then combine all ingredients. Mix until smooth. A small food processor works very well to blend the ingredients. Serve with rye crackers and a sweet white wine. To use as a dip for raw vegetables add more Half and Half until the desired consistency is reached. CHEESEMAKING BOOKS HOME CHEESEMAKING GOATS PRODUCE TOO GOAT CHEESE BUTTER & YOGURT YOGURT COOKING MAKING ICE CREAM CHEESE KITS DELUXE CHEESE KIT MOZZARELLA KIT HARD CHEESE KIT CHEESE CULTURES MESOPHILIC THERMOPHILIC ITALIAN STARTER RENNET FROMAGE BLANC CREME FRAICHE YOGURT CULTURE BUTTERMILK SOUR CREAM FLAVORING MOLDS BLUE CHEESE WHITE CANDIDUM PROPIONIC SHERMANII MILD LIPASE SHARP LIPASE BACTERIA LINENS CHEESE ADDITIVES CHEESE COLORING CHEESE SALT CALCIUM CHLORIDE CITRIC ACID TARTARIC ACID SHAPE & DRAIN MOLDS SAINT MAURE CAMEMBERT CHEVRE SAINT MARCELLIN CHEESE EQUIPMENT CHEESE PRESS CHEESE WAX STRAINERS CHEESE CLOTH DRAINING BAGS CHEESE WRAP DRYING MATS pH TESTER pH PAPERS THERMOMETERS THERMOSTATS YOGURT MAKING YOGURT COOKING YOGURT ICE CREAM YOGURT STARTER YOGURT MAKER YOGURT CHEESE CREAM CHEESE 3 cups whole milk 3 cups heavy cream 1/4 tsp Mesophilic starter 1/4 tsp calcium chloride 2 drops of liquid rennet or 1/4 rennet tablet    Whisk together the milk and cream in double boiler. Slowly warm to 72 degrees. Remove pot from heat and stir in Mesophilic-M starter.    Add calcium chloride and stir. Add rennet and stir. Cover pot and set in draft-free area at 70 - 74 degrees for 24 hours to ripen. When done it will look like yogurt.    Line colander with cheesecloth and place in basin to drain. Ladle cheese mixture into colander. Pull up ends of cheesecloth and knot them together to hang. Hang cloth over pot for draining. Let curds drain for 12 hours or until it no longer drips and is a solid mass.    Spoon into an airtight container and stir till creamy. You can add fruit or herbs to the cheese to blend the flavors in. Store up to 1 week in the refrigerator. MASCARPONE CHEESE 1 quart light cream (no substitutes) 1/4 teaspoon tartaric acid    This is the cheese in the Italian pastries! It is also very good as a spread for sweet breads. Please note that this cheese can only be made from light cream.    In a double boiler heat cream to 180oF. Add tartaric acid and stir for a few minutes. The cream will slowly thicken into a custard like consistency with noticeable tiny flecks of curd. If the cream does not coagulate add a speck more tartaric acid and continue stirring. Avoid using to much acid or the cheese will become grainy.     Line a stainless steel colander with a double layer of fine cheese cloth or use our Yogurt Cheese Maker. Pour the cream into the colander and let drain for 1-2 hours. Place the colander into a shallow bowl and refrigerate over night. Place the finished cheese in an airtight container and keep refrigerated. It will keep for up to two weeks. YOGURT DESERT CHEESE 1 batch Yogurt Cream Cheese 2 teaspoons honey 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon allspice Combine ingredients and serve with fresh cut apples. << CHEESE PROCESS << PREVIOUS CHEESE MAKING CATALOG NEXT >> SEMI HARD CHEESE RECIPES >> copyright 2004 J.R.Leverentz