Cream Cheese
also called farmer style cream cheese · soft cheese · schmear base · fresh cream cheese · cheese spread
- Deli
- serves 12
- recipe says 1 day 1 hr 30 min
- Dressings & Dips
Three ways to read this recipe
The table
| 4 cups(950 mL)whole milk | warm the milk and cream to 72°F (22°C) | stir in the culture, ferment 12 hr | set with rennet 1 hr | drain in cloth 12 hr | beat with salt |
| 2 cups(475 mL)heavy cream | |||||
| 1/4 cup(60 mL; live, check the label)cultured buttermilk | |||||
| 1 drop(diluted in 2 Tbs of cool water)liquid rennet | |||||
| 1 tspkosher salt | |||||
What to lay out
Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.5 things to get out.
1warm the milk and cream to 72°F (22°C)
2stir in the culture, ferment 12 hr
goes in with what step 1 made
3set with rennet 1 hr
goes in with what step 2 made
5beat with salt
goes in with what step 4 made
Cooking it
Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.
The clock
- Start to finish
- at least 1 day 1 hr2 of 5 steps give no time
- Needs you
- none given
- If you get it wrong
- Narrow — above about 85°F the culture races and the curd goes sour and grainy, and a grainy curd beats out grainy
warm the milk and cream to 72°F (22°C)
not timedfrom the start
stir in the culture, ferment 12 hr
12 hrwalk awayfrom the start
set with rennet 1 hr
1 hrwalk away12 hr in
drain in cloth 12 hr
12 hrwalk away13 hr in
beat with salt
not timed1 day 1 hr in
- you can walk away
- never timed
Goes with
See how it is written
>> title: Cream Cheese
>> category: Dressings & Dips
>> tags: cultured, fresh cheese, no-cook, spread, make-ahead
>> counters: Deli
>> aka: farmer style cream cheese, soft cheese, schmear base, fresh cream cheese, cheese spread
>> pairs-with: bagels, scallion-schmear, new-york-cheesecake
>> servings: 12
>> time: 1 day 1 hr 30 min
>> slack: narrow — above about 85°F the culture races and the curd goes sour and grainy, and a grainy curd beats out grainy
>> step: warm the milk and cream to 72°F (22°C)
Warm @whole milk{4%cups}(950 mL) and @heavy cream{2%cups}(475 mL) together to 72°F (22°C), which is blood-warm to the back of a finger and no warmer.
>> step: stir in the culture, ferment 12 hr
Stir @cultured buttermilk{1/4%cup}(60 mL; live, check the label) into @&(~1)warm milk{}, cover it, and ~ferment{12%hr} on the counter until it has thickened to the texture of pourable yogurt and smells faintly of sour cream.
>> step: set with rennet 1 hr
Set @&(~1)cultured milk{} with @liquid rennet{1%drop}(diluted in 2 Tbs of cool water) stirred in for exactly twenty seconds, then leave it undisturbed to ~set{1%hr}.
>> step: drain in cloth 12 hr
Ladle @&(~1)curd{} into a doubled cloth over a bowl, tie it, and ~drain{12%hr} in the fridge until the dripping has all but stopped.
>> step: beat with salt
Beat @&(~1)drained curd{} with @kosher salt{1%tsp} until it turns glossy and takes a swirl.