Author Topic: First Yoghurt Cheese success  (Read 4146 times)

thorngrove

  • Guest
First Yoghurt Cheese success
« on: April 30, 2012, 09:39:33 PM »
So I have been making yoghurt (using the slow cooker method) for about two years now and it never actually occurred to me you could make cheese with it. (OK, not my finest hour)  :P  So when I read in the Ricki Carroll book you could, I was like, 'Well drat - and hooray!'. So this weekend I made yoghurt cheese.

My yoghurt is usually reasonably runny - not quite at 'drink' stage but not as thick as breakfast yoghurt. I like it that way as I add lots of fruit puree or eat it on my morning bran, but I wasn't sure that it would work to make cheese. And yep, the first time it just ran straight through the cheesecloth. :( I eventually ended up doubling two cheesecloths over into 4 layers and that slowed the draining to sensible levels. Next morning I ended up with a cup of clear whey and a lovely soft cheesy mound.  :D I pressed it lightly for a few hours and resulted in:

 
 
My cheese making endeavours so far have resulted in some OK but sometimes a bit dry and hard, cottage cheese-like results. This time however I was really delighted - it had the soft rich texture of cream cheese which I've never managed before. And it tastes great, with a slight sour tang to it that I love (and is wonderful with chorizo or smoked salmon). I don't think I'm ever buying commercial 'fresh' cheese again!

Basic, yes, but I'm really pleased with my success. Now onto something harder...
« Last Edit: April 30, 2012, 10:46:01 PM by thorngrove »

Offline DeejayDebi

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Connecticut
  • Posts: 5,820
  • Cheeses: 106
    • Deejays Smoke Pit and DSP Forums
Re: First Yoghurt Cheese success
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2012, 02:25:46 AM »
If your yogurt is runny you may not be heating it to 180 degrees for 30 minute then cooling quickly before continuing. If you don't you will get runny yogurt every time!

citybounty

  • Guest
Re: First Yoghurt Cheese success
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2012, 09:18:15 PM »
Yogurt cheese is what got me started wanting to learn to make cheese.  I made yogurt last week and hung some up in the shower and it did really well.  Internet research says it is called Labneh and is an Arabian favorite.  It is great on bagels and celery and I love the tart flavor!  I will definitely be making more of it even though I am moving on to other cheeses now.  I found this website http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/cheese/cheese_course/cheese_course.htm and I am going to try each kind then go on to the next.  My real goal is to make Swiss Cheese and Provolone, and of course Squeaky Cheese (cheese curds) for snacks.  Sure love those things!!  lol
Congratulations on your success.  Great pictures by the way.

Caseus

  • Guest
Re: First Yoghurt Cheese success
« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2012, 10:06:14 PM »
I started making yogurt in 1980 and have been making it regularly over all these years, but I've never made yogurt cheese nor (successfully) made any kind of cheese until this year!   

That yogurt cheese looks great.  I am going to make some.

thorngrove

  • Guest
Re: First Yoghurt Cheese success
« Reply #4 on: May 03, 2012, 11:34:06 AM »
If your yogurt is runny you may not be heating it to 180 degrees for 30 minute then cooling quickly before continuing. If you don't you will get runny yogurt every time!

This technique isn't really a serious attempt at thick yoghurt (or if it is, someone failed to tell me). You basically just stick the milk on Low for 2.5 hours, turn the slow cooker off and leave it for 3 hours, then throw half a cup of last week's yoghurt in and wrap the ceramic dish & lid in towels and leave it somewhere warm for 5-6 hours. The result is tasty but not exactly artisan yoghurt as it's dependant on what slow cooker you use. I've made yoghurt the usual way and it was lovely, but this requires minimal input for me on my busy Saturday (no gas rings used!) and still delivers my weekly fix. :)

thorngrove

  • Guest
Re: First Yoghurt Cheese success
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2012, 11:37:43 AM »
Yogurt cheese is what got me started wanting to learn to make cheese.  I made yogurt last week and hung some up in the shower and it did really well.  Internet research says it is called Labneh and is an Arabian favorite.  It is great on bagels and celery and I love the tart flavor!  I will definitely be making more of it even though I am moving on to other cheeses now.  I found this website http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/cheese/cheese_course/cheese_course.htm and I am going to try each kind then go on to the next.  My real goal is to make Swiss Cheese and Provolone, and of course Squeaky Cheese (cheese curds) for snacks.  Sure love those things!!  lol
Congratulations on your success.  Great pictures by the way.



I live in the UK - bath, with no useful-for-cheesemaking showerhead, darn it!  ;)

Great site! Thanks for the heads up. Glad you liked the photos. :)

thorngrove

  • Guest
Re: First Yoghurt Cheese success
« Reply #6 on: May 03, 2012, 11:39:27 AM »
I started making yogurt in 1980 and have been making it regularly over all these years, but I've never made yogurt cheese nor (successfully) made any kind of cheese until this year!   

That yogurt cheese looks great.  I am going to make some.

Well it's embarassingly easy! Put it into a cheesecloth, leave to drain several hours and then enjoy! Definitely worth doing. Best of luck.  :)