Artisan Cheese Kit Instructions
8
Makes approx: 300 g (10.5 oz)
Cottage
Cheese
Cottage cheese can be eaten by itself, with
fruit, on toast or in salads.
The term “cottage cheese” originated
because the simple cheese was usually
made in cottages from any milk left over
from making butter. The unpasteurised milk
would sour itself when left in a warm place
overnight. Cottage cheese was then made
from this soured milk the next day.
Difficulty: Very easy
INGREDIENTS
.
2 L (1/2 US Gal) of full fat,
homogenised milk
.
1/2 sachet (1 smidgen tsp) of Mesophilic
Starter Culture
.
1/2 tablet of rennet diluted in 1/8 cup
(35 ml) of cool, non-chlorinated water.
NOTE: Rennet will not dissolve fully.
Stir just before adding to the milk.
.
1 ml of calcium chloride. Measure using
your pipette
.
Cheese salt (to taste)
.
Herbs (optional, to taste)
EQUIPMENT
.
Pot
.
Curd knife
.
Draining spoon
.
Thermometer
.
Colander
.
Cheese cloth
.
Pipette
METHOD:
STEP 1:
Inoculating the Milk
.
Thoroughly sterilise equipment with
steriliser (see bottle instructions for use).
If not included, use baby bottle steriliser
or boiling water.
.
Pour milk into a pot and warm the milk
using the stove to 22°C (72°F) before stirring
in calcium chloride. Ensure the two
indentation points on the lower half of
your thermometer are fully submerged
in the milk when reading the temperature.
.
Stir in the starter culture.
.
Add diluted rennet and stir in an up and
down motion for 1 minute.
.
Cover and leave to set at 22°C (72°F) for
4 - 8 hours, or until milk is set firmly. (See
water bath p.4).
STEP 2:
CUTTING THE CURDs
.
Using your curd knife, cut the curd into
3 cm (1“) cubes and allow to sit
undisturbed for 10 minutes.
STEP 3:
COOKING THE CURDs
.
Slowly increase the heat until the
temperature
reaches 43°C (110°F). Continue to
stir to prevent curds from clumping together.
.
Maintain temperature at 43°C (110°F) for 20
minutes or until the curds have shrunk and
are firm enough so that they no longer have
a soft interior.
.
Turn off heat and let the curds settle to the
bottom of the pot for 5 minutes.
STEP 4:
DRAINING THE CURDS
.
Pour off whey and pour curds into a
cheese cloth lined colander. Tie the
corners of the cheese cloth together to
form a bag, hang, and leave to drip
drain for several minutes.
.
Open bag and put curds into a bowl.
.
Break the curds up and add salt or herbs
to taste if desired. For a creamier cottage
cheese, add cream, or try adding a few
tablespoons of quark for a lower fat version.
.
Can be stored for up to 1 week covered
in the fridge.
