# how to make a creamier cheese



## hmcintosh

Ok I know how to make a basic crumbly type cheese and from what I can tell by reading it is chevre. So what I am wanting to know how can I make it creamier so it will be more of a spreadable consistency. Also what are some good things to add to give it flavor. I am looking for something to spread on a cracker or bagel.


----------



## FaithNJoyOberhasli

The first thing you might try for making chevre creamier is to not drain it quite so long, or else you can use a mixer and beat some whey or milk back into the dry/crumbly cheese to make it smoother. As for things to mix in--you name it! Dill, garlic, sea salt, Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute, Simply Organic flavor packets designed for Greek yogurt, ranch dressing mix (we make our own with Celtic sea salt, parsley, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder)--whatever sounds like an interesting seasoning will probably work well to "dress up" chevre. For a sweet chevre, we add raw honey, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, dried fruit--anything like that.

If you have a cream separator, or if you don't mind a "hybrid" cheese (with heavy cream from the store), cheesemaking.com has an awesome cream cheese recipe: http://www.cheesemaking.com/CreamChz.html. This stuff is amazing.

Also, there is a super-easy no-bake cheesecake recipe on the back of the Knox gelatin box (at least, there used to be, unless they've changed it). You can use either chevre or cream cheese (homemade or store bought). Both make a wonderful cheesecake, though the higher butterfat in cream cheese makes the cheesecake a little firmer.

Yum!!!


----------



## hmcintosh

ok thanks


----------



## swgoats

Yogurt cheese makes a good spread. It's super easy. You just make yogurt and then hang it in cheese cloth to drain out the whey. When it's ready, you can roll it in little balls as pack it in herbed olive oil. (There are other ways to use it too - that's just one example.) It is good for spreading on a bagel or toast. And it's very pretty to take to events.

This blogger apparently has the same cook book I do - good photos:
http://hilldalehouse.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/yogurt-cheese-please/


----------



## smithurmonds

If you whip the drained chevre (or fromage blanc, or whatever soft cheese you're making) in the food processor it turns to a divine, creamy consistency.


----------



## buckrun

Yup...just process it. Add whatever you like- seasonings and herbs and try not to eat it all at once  
Makes a great mayo sub.


----------



## hmcintosh

Ok so I made my cheese and put it in the food processor and it just made it more crumbly. I am obviously doing something different than the chevre cheese I ate from a dairy. It was smooth
like cream cheese. Any input?


----------



## nightskyfarm

Sounds like you need some help  First, what are you using for culture? Rennet? Too much of either will do this. I make 4 gallon batches so I will give you instructions for a one gallon batch. Start with clean, fresh milk and warm to 90-100 degrees (you may pasteurize first if you wish) add 1/16th tsp or less of direct set culture MM100 and a drop of liquid single strength rennet in 2ozs of cool water to your warm milk. Stir from the bottom up to mix the culture and rennet throughout the milk. I drain my Chevre in 300 thread count sheet squares. Collect the whey for cooking or to feed to animals. Place you pot of milk in a spot that stays around 70 degrees for 15 hours or so. There should be at that time a thin layer of whey floating on the curd. Drain it off by slightly tipping your pot then use a wisk to break up the curd. The curd will be like custard or yogurt before you break it and more liquidy after. I drain my Chevre in squares of 300 thread count sheeting for 12 or more hours or until the desired consistency is attained. Remove from the cloth and chill for at least 3 hours before working with it.

I think you will find a better end product this way. Let us know if you have better luck


----------



## hmcintosh

ok that sounds good. I have rennet in a pill form that I break a little tiny piece off of because it is for 50 liters. I am doing a gallon at a time. I mix it in my warmed milk and let it set for a couple hours then put in cloth and drain for a few hours and then add whatever to it. So I think I will try it your way next time.


----------



## smithurmonds

Are you using a culture?


----------



## hmcintosh

All I have is the little pill that someone gave me and told me how to use it so I guess the answer would be no. I'm pretty sure what I have is rennet but its in Spanish on the pack so not even sure of that.


----------



## buckrun

Heather maybe get some additional supplies from Ricki at Cheesemaking.com.
Rennet in liquid form is more easily controlled and cultures will add flavor and give you more options.
Her book Home Cheesemaking is excellent and very inexpensive.
http://www.cheesemaking.com/

What is nice about the website is all the interesting articles and how to info as well as travel stories to cheesemakers.


----------



## smithurmonds

I agree- if you snag some of the packets from New England Cheesemaking (Ricki) and you'll have perfect cheese every time.  Each packet is added to a gallon of milk. We've always used the chevre, but recently I tried the fromage blanc and yummmm!


----------



## nightskyfarm

Just remember some of those packets already contain rennet, so there is no need to add additional rennet. Reading the label is best.


----------



## smithurmonds

Yes, one packet and one gallon of milk is all you need. It's as easy as it gets!


----------



## hmcintosh

ok thanks everybody for your help.


----------



## In it for the Bucks!

I have been wondering what I could do too. Glad you asked!!  I olny use lemon juice and goats milk nothing else. is it because I don't use a culture that my cheese is going hard or do I drain for too long. (usually only 5 min) It's always crumbly.


----------



## FaithNJoyOberhasli

Lemon juice makes a very yummy cheese, but it's a totally different kind of cheese. With a lactic cheese (like chevre, etc), you are using a controlled amount of a specific strain of beneficial lactic-acid producing bacteria, which slowly eats the lactose in the milk and acidifies your milk, eventually producing cheese. Some of these are made with no rennet, while others have a *very* small amount, which is why it's virtually impossible to get the rennet amount right for soft cheese when using rennet tablets--even liquid rennet is tricky--so the chevre packets (or fromagina, fromage blanc, etc) from cheesemaking.com are just wonderful, since everything is measured correctly and the cheese is consistent from batch to batch.

Lemon juice, on the other hand, just adds acid directly to the cheese to coagulate it. You can do something similar with apple cider vinegar, or in the case of Ricki's 30-min. mozzarella, citric acid. You can make a much faster cheese this way, since no time is required for the good buggies to eat the lactose. But, it's a totally different cheese.

Ricki's book, Home Cheesemaking, is absolutely wonderful to have on hand--SO many different cheeses, and many of them are very easy and don't take much time or equipment.

Hope that helps!


----------

