Fresh cheese and Cream Cheese

Our new Brasilian advisor Dina shares one of her favourite recipes. 

Fresh cheese:

1.Pour the milk, powdered milk and salt into the mixing bowl and heat for 12 minutes/35 °C speed 3 without measuring cup.

2. Meanwhile pour the vinegar or the lemon juice spirit or rennet through the opening of the measuring cup and stir 20 sec/speed 3. The milk will curd (seperating the liquid from the solids).

3. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes. Line simmering basket with a nut milk or muslin cloth and place over a large bowl. Pour mixture in to lined simmering basket and set aside to drain. Tighten the fine  tea towel or cloth to get rid of the last liquid. Transfer solids along with the cloth into one or two small loaf tin or cheese forms. Reserve the whey (liquid).

4. Let it rest in the fridge for 2 days.  Unmould and serve to your taste. 

Cream cheese:

1.Pour the reserved whey and salt in the mixing bowl 25 minutes/90°C/speed 2 with measuring cup.

2. Add milk and heat for another 2 minutes/90°C/speed 2. The milk will slowly curd.

3. Cover the simmering basket or a colander with a clean fine tea towel or muslin cloth, pour the mixture and press the cloth carefully  till there is no more liquid.

4. You can use a small round bowl to put the cream cheese, keep in refrigerator for about 4 hours or until firm.

Serve both cheeses with toast or any bread you like.

Tip:

As not everyone has a cheese mould and cheese press, you can also make this yourself very easily. Take an empty plastic container, e.g. an empty cottage cheese or yoghurt cup, margarine tub, etc. Pierce a number of holes in the bottom so that the moisture can drain off later. Cut a kind of lid from the lid of the container or from another piece of plastic that fits exactly into the plastic container so that you can put it on the cheese.