In an effort to find more creative uses for my raw milk supply when we’ve been away and don’t get it all drank up before it’s time to pick up our next order, I decided to try to make my own cream cheese based upon the Nourishing Traditions recipe for Cream Cheese & Whey.
I couldn’t be happier with the results! I love that it is something like the Beef Broth and the Chicken Stock I’ve written about, a nutrient dense food. I don’t have an option for buying anything close to the product I can make in my home. It does take time, but it’s not labor intensive. More checking on it occasionally and moving it.
The first step is to allow your milk to sour in a closed jar for 1-4 days. (I use raw grass-fed milk.) The photo below is about 15 hours in and you can see it starting to separate. I did let it continue.
{Warning: do NOT let it go past 4 days. I made this mistake on my 2nd batch and it is TOO long.}
I have to admit, I was scared to open that jar on the 4th day. I was sure it was going to be one of my most feared scents in the world – rotten milk. But, it was fine, it didn’t have much of a scent at all. Mostly likely due to the fact that it’s not “grocery store” milk.
You then drain the jar into a cheese-cloth lined bowl and let it set for 1-2 hours. You’ll see some of the whey begin to seep through the cheese cloth at that point.
The next step (which I failed to photograph) is to tie the cheese cloth up and secure it to a wooden spoon handle and hang it over a bowl, dish or pitcher for another couple of hours and let gravity finish its course. Once that’s finished, you can cut it open and place your cream cheese in a covered glass dish or jar and store it in the fridge for up to two weeks. I ended up with right about a cup for a quart jar filled about 3/4 full.
And if you’re wondering about the yellow-ish colors - these are carotenes that are found in grass-fed milk, an added bonus!
Literally, the next day I saw two articles that seemed to be written just for me!
16 Ways to Use Your Whey - You end up with A LOT of whey as a by-product of making the cheese. I’m looking forward to using some of these suggestions, especially in my hair, watering my outdoor plants and making lemonade!
Flavored Cream Cheese – She also offers an alternate way to make a cultured cream cheese, which I have not tried, and two recipes for making flavored cream cheese spreads. I can’t wait to make both of these – simple, easy & delicious! The spreads would be tasty with crackers, raw veggies & fruits, as a baked potato topping or oatmeal stir-in...guess I better go cut some chives!
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