Homemade Cream Cheese

 

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups whole milk, ultra-pasteurized is ok!

2 tablespoons buttermilk, shaken

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3 drops liquid vegetable or animal rennet, dissolved into 2 tablespoons of water

 

In a large pot, combine heavy cream, whole milk, buttermilk and salt. Heat to 75 degrees F. (Warm to the touch.) Mix in rennet being sure it’s evenly distributed. Cover with clean kitchen towel and allow to stand in place that’s 75 degrees for 14 hours. Just a heads up, I tried this once during the day and once at night. No surprise that the batch that sat for 14 hours during the day was MUCH better. It was just warmer and was overall a better environment for the cream cheese. Line a fine-mesh strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth; and then nestle it over a large bowl. Pour the cream/milk mixture into the cheesecloth and allow it to strain, on its own (don’t work it through), for about 4 hours to 5 hours. When it’s completely drained, the final product should be a creamier, smoother and lighter version of cream cheese that you’re probably used to. It keeps in the fridge for 2 weeks.