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Technically, this would be week 20, but since I was swamped and didn’t get around to posting last week, we will keep with the numerical succession!
This week’s post is a guest post from my friend Lydia Joy. Lydia is a wonderful gal! She offers nutrition and wellness coaching, so if you’re looking for a little help in that area, give her a shout! I am thrilled that she stopped by this week to share her homemade cream cheese recipe. Remember when I told you that homemade crème fraîche was the simplest ferment you’d ever make? Well, I’m thinking this cream cheese is right up there with it!
Homemade Cream Cheese
Perfect for topping a gluten-free bagel or eating with your favorite vegetables, like carrots, celery, cucumber, and bell peppers.
Ingredients
- 2 quarts organic plain whole milk yogurt (preferably homemade with raw milk from grass-fed cows) OR
- 2 quarts raw milk
Instructions
- Place a large strainer in a bowl and line with a clean dish towel or cheesecloth.
- Pour your yogurt or the separated milk into the lined bowl.
- Cover the bowl and let it sit out at room temperature for a few hours or overnight. The yogurt will take longer than the milk to drain. The whey will run into the bowl and the milk solids will stay in the cheesecloth or towel.
- Tie up the towel or cheesecloth carefully and without squeezing. Then, tie this to a wooden spoon placed across the top of a tall container, like a pitcher so that more whey can drip out. You can also tie it to the handle on one of your cabinets with a bowl underneath (this is what Jessica does). When the whey stops dripping from the sack, the cheese is ready.
- Pour the whey up in a clean glass jar and store it in the fridge. The whey will keep up to 6 months. From this batch, you should end up with about 2 cups of cream cheese.
Notes
If you are using raw milk, you will need to plan ahead. It will take several days for your raw milk to separate. To do this, pour the raw milk in a very clean glass jar and leave it on the counter room temperature until it separates. This can take anywhere from 1 to 4 days, depending on the temperature of your house.
Lydia is the author of Lydia Joy and her desire is to help people live happier, healthier lives through whole food nutrition, proper supplementation, and overall well-being. She is just finishing up her certification from the Nutritional Therapy Association and is also the co-chapter leader for the Weston A. Price Foundation in Delaware County, PA. You can learn more about Lydia on her website. You can also keep up with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
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I can’t wait to try this!
I made this and it was delicious! I did have some trouble because my kitchen is too cold, so I put the glass jar full of raw milk into the oven with the light on. It worked perfectly!
I have a question. I’ve tried making cream cheese before using raw milk, and it always has a bit of aroma and taste of sour milk. It’s not easy to get over said smell and taste either. Anyone have suggestions as to how I can work with the cream cheese to cover the taste?
Soli – I’ve never made it with raw milk, because I don’t have access to it here, so I can’t answer your question 🙁 Hopefully another reader will chime in!
Add me to your list. Thanks!
Hi Ulises – Thanks for your interest! You can sign up for my newsletter here: https://www.deliciousobsessions.com/newsletter/.
I have made my own cream cheese many times and love it. I don’t keep the whey because I don’t know what to use it for. You must have some ideas.
Hi Frances – Thanks for stopping by. It’s so good isn’t it?! I sure do miss dairy as I can no longer tolerate it. In regards to the whey, a lot of people would use it to add to smoothies and other beverages. Some folks drank it straight (I enjoyed this after making butter). You can also use it for cooking liquid like you would broth. It will freeze so you can save it for a later date if needed. Enjoy!