Welcome Tangerine!
I started making this version of cream cheese about 2 years ago and it's really creamy!
Cream Cheese - from Tim Smith "Making Artisan Cheese"
sweet, soft, mild-tasting, white cheese
Ingredients:
4 cups (950 ml) non-ultra pasteurized half and half
1 cup (235 ml) non-ultra-pasteurized whipping cream
2 tablespoons (28 ml) buttermilk
Salt
Herbs (optional)
Procedure:
Heat the creams to 90 Fahrenheit (32 Celsius), then stir in the buttermilk and pour the mixture into a sanitized mixing bowl, preferably glass or any nonreactive metal. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Wrap a few kitchen towels around the bowl, making certain that they fit snugly. Place the bowl in a warm area, and let it sit for twenty-four hours.
After twenty-four hours, the cream mixture should have the consistency of yogurt and should not move when the bowl is leaned on its side. If it still has some movement, the cultures need more time to develop, so let it sit for another six to twelve hours. Once you have a firm mixture, pour it into your cheese cloth-lined colander with a catch bowl underneath. Allow it to drain for fifteen minutes, then fold the cheese cloth over the cheese. Place the colander in a deep bowl for continued draining. Cover it with plastic, and place in the refrigerator for as long as twelve to fourteen hours.
Remove the curd from the cheese cloth, and salt to taste. Add herbs if desired. Reshape the curds into balls and wrap them in fresh cheese cloth; put the balls back into the refrigerator in the colander. Make sure that you have a drip bowl under the colander to catch any additional whey. Cover the colander with plastic wrap, and let it sit for thirty-six to forty-eight hours, depending on the firmness of cheese you desire.
Place finished cheese in a sealed plastic container in the refrigerator. Stored this way, the cream cheese should last for up to two weeks.
Yield: 1 pound (450 g)
Turn solidifying mass in the cloth to hasten drainage. Store in a refrigerator. Use within a week or so.
