Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.
Ingredients:
1 quart whole milk
1 1/2 cups whole or low-fat buttermilk
2 teaspoons coarse salt
Directions:
Cut out three pieces of cheesecloth
into 12-inch squares or use folded flour sack cloth. Line a colander or medium sized fine strainer
with the cheesecloth or flour sack. Set
the colander in the sink or in a pot. I
prefer using the flour sack.
Combine the ingredients into a large
heavy-bottomed saucepan or pot, and heat over medium-high heat until mixture
has separated into white curds and translucent whey, about 10 - 15 minutes. The whey
is the watery part of milk that remains after the formation of curds. If using lowfat buttermilk, separation occurs at about
180 degrees and the curds will clump together readily. If using whole buttermilk, separation occurs
closer to the boiling point, about 212 degrees, and the curds are finer grained.
When using whole buttermilk, let curds
and whey stand off heat for about 3 minutes after separation, so the curds
cling together and help the straining step.
You will see that the images of my cheese has little dark specks, it’s
because I used truffle salt. This has
little bits of black truffles and I love the flavor it gives the cheese!
Scoop the contents of the saucepan into
the prepared colander or strainer. Let
the whey drain, 3 to 4 minutes.
Lift the
four corners of the cheesecloth and gather them together. Gently twist the gathered cloth over
the cheese and press out any excess whey.
Cheese can be unwrapped immediately and
served, or cooled to room temperature, about 10 minutes more. To serve
a firmer cheese, place the cheese, in its cloth, to a small flat-bottomed dish
or pie plate and refrigerate until cool. Unwrap cheese and gently overturn onto plate. You can then tent cheese with plastic wrap and
keep refrigerated for up to 2 days. Remove
from refrigerator and let stand for 10 minutes at room temperature before
serving.
Servings: 1 - 6-ounce round
Tip: Homemade
buttermilk cheese tastes somewhere between mozzarella and a cream cheese. Instead of cheese cloth I opted for a flour sack cloth. Flour sacks are not
really sacks at all, but sheets of fabric made of very thin cotton threads. The
weave is tighter than cheesecloth, but loose enough that you can see through
the cloth.
Flour sack towels have many food uses. Because there is no dye applied to flour
sacks, they are extremely safe to use around foods. For generations, cooks have used flour sack
towels for poaching and straining foods, cheese making and so many other uses
in the kitchen! Further, they are considered gourmet towels amongst chefs and
professionals everywhere. When you see a
towel over a chef’s shoulder or tucked in an apron, it’s probably a flour sack
towel. As far as I’m concerned they are
perfect for staining the cheese. I have
found that cheese cloth is too flimsy!
Plus, I can wash the cloth and reuse it!
