Homemade Cream Cheese
Description
The recipe won't take much time. You'll only need the simplest, most accessible ingredients: sour cream and kefir, and the process is so easy that even a beginner home cook can manage it. The cheese turns out soft and tender, with a creamy texture. Perfect for breakfast with tea, toast, and honey. Be sure to use the whey for other dishes: for baking bread, making pancakes, or preparing okroshka.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare all the necessary ingredients. Choose quality, natural, tasty dairy products for making the cheese—the flavor of the finished product will depend on this. The fattier they are, the more cheese you will get. Be sure to taste the kefir and sour cream to make sure they are not too sour.
- 2
Step 2
Take a large bowl and transfer the sour cream into it.
- 3
Step 3
Then add the kefir and salt. If the cheese will be used for desserts, limit yourself to a pinch. You shouldn't skip it entirely — salt enhances the flavor of the cheese.
- 4
Step 4
Mix the mixture well until smooth. A regular whisk is enough; even a simple spoon will do.
- 5
Step 5
Take a colander and line it with cheesecloth folded into several layers. I have special molds for cheese. Place the colander in a bowl—the whey will drain into it. Pour in the kefir-sour cream mixture. Let it sit on the counter for about 2 hours.
- 6
Step 6
Then cover the mixture on top with the hanging ends of the cheesecloth and refrigerate for 6–8 hours.
- 7
Step 7
During this time, some of the whey will drain off, and the mixture will become significantly thicker.
- 8
Step 8
Take out the colander and cover it with an upside-down plate of a suitable size. Place some weight on top. I used a thick glass filled with water. Return the setup to the refrigerator for another 10–12 hours.
- 9
Step 9
By the end of the cooking time, the cheese will be ready. Lightly press it directly in a paper towel to remove any remaining liquid. By the way, a large amount of whey will collect in the bowl—you can use it to prepare other dishes.
- 10
Step 10
You can transfer the cheese to a jar. This cheese is perfect for sandwiches, with or without toppings—it will be equally delicious. Store the cheese in the refrigerator in a closed container; its shelf life is the same as for dairy products—about 7 days. From this amount of ingredients, I got about 400 grams of cheese. Wishing you successful culinary experiments!