Soft Cheese and Butter Kits

Ingredients and instructions for making soft cheeses

This cheese recipe kit is designed to work with store bought cows milk as well as goats milk. Soft cheese making is easy, fun and a great way to introduce your children to the art of cheese making while helping them develop healthy and wholesome eating habits. The recipes include Crème Fraiche, Mascarpone, Neufchatel and Chevre cheeses along with great tasting recipes using your fresh made cheese.

Kit includes: chevre culture, crème fraiche starter, fromage blanc starter, cheese molds, rennet tablet, calcium chloride, tartaric acid, flaked salt, cheese cloth

MALTO DEXTRIN AND LACTIC ACID STARTER CULTURE

NOTE: Pasteurized cream is recommended; however, if only ultra-pasteurized is available, it may take longer to culture to desired thickness and may remain slightly thinner in texture.

Each packet will culture 1 quart of pasteurized heavy cream, light cream or half and half, producing 18 - 24 oz. of sour cream.Sour Cream is a cultured cream made from cow milk. Commercial sour cream must be made with heavy cream or cream with over 18% fat. Reduced fat versions may be made with half and half or light cream. Store unused packets in the freezer for up to 2 years.

How to Make Sour Cream

To prepare a batch of Sour Cream, gently heat 1 quart of pasteurized cream in a non-reactive saucepan to 86°F. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the contents of one packet of Sour Cream starter over the cream surface. After a minute or two, stir in the culture until it is completely dissolved. Cover the cream and place in a location that will maintain a temperature of 72°F as closely as possible. Your closed oven with the light on should work very well. Let cream set for 12-24 hours.

When cream has reached desired consistency and tartness, it is ready to use. Please note: This sour cream may initially appear thin but will thicken considerably after refrigeration.

STORAGE: Sour Cream will keep refrigerated for up to 2 week

lactic acid starter culture, malto dextrin, vegetable rennet

Store unused packets in the freezer for up to 2 years.

Each packet will culture 1 gallon of milk, producing between 1-1/2 to 2 lbs. of fresh cheeseFromage Blanc is a fresh cheese made from cow milk. The flavor is mildly tart with a very soft and spreadable consistency. It is suitable for both sweet and savory applications. It is recommended that whole cow milk be used; however, reduced fat milk may be substituted resulting in slightly lower yields.

To Make Fromage Blanc

To prepare a batch of Fromage Blanc, gently heat 1 gallon of milk in a non-reactive pot to 86°F. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the contents of one packet of Fromage Blanc starter over the milk surface. After a minute or two, stir in the culture until it is completely dissolved. Cover the milk and place in a location that will maintain a temperature of 72°F as closely as possible. Your closed oven with the light on should work very well. Let milk set for 12 hours. The next day, gently ladle or spoon the soft curd from the pot into a colander that is lined with a double thickness of fine cheese cloth. Tie the four corners of cheese cloth together, forming a bag, and hang over a bowl or sink to drain for 6 to 12 hours or until the cheese reaches your desired consistency.

STORAGE: Fromage Blanc will keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

lactic acid culture, maltodextrin, vegetable rennet

Store unused packets in the freezer for up to 2 years.

Each packet will culture 1 gallon of milk, producing 1-1/2 to 2 lbs. of fresh cheese.The word Chevre literally means goat and is used to describe a class of cheeses; however, the Chevre starter will make fresh Chevre. The flavor is pleasantly tart with a very soft and spreadable consistency. It is suitable for both sweet and savory applications. It is recommended that whole goat milk be used if you wish to produce authentic Chevre cheese however, whole cow milk can be used as well.

To Make Chevre Cheese

To prepare a batch of Chevre, gently heat 1 gallon of pasteurized goat (or cow) milk in a non-reactive pot to 86°F. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the contents of one packet of Chevre starter over the milk surface. After a minute or two, stir in the culture until it is completely dissolved. Cover the milk and place in a location that will maintain a temperature of 72°F as closely as possible. Your closed oven with the light on should work very well. Let milk set for 12 hours.Next day, gently ladle or spoon the soft curd from the pot into a colander that is lined with a double thickness of fine cheesecloth or butter muslin. Tie the four corners of cheesecloth together, forming a bag, and hang over a bowl or sink to drain for 6 to 12 hours or until the cheese reaches your desired consistency.

STORAGE: Chevre will keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.