Shortly after posting the article on making Neufchatel cheese, I came across a Youtube from Mary’s Nest. I’d never seen any of her videos before, and truthfully, I don’t think I’ve watched any others. I probably should. Mary asserted that one could make cream cheese from yogurt, and she was going to show how.
Now, I’ve tried making cream cheese from yogurt, and it just never worked for me. But I also have to say that I was beginning with my own homemade yogurt, and therein lay the trouble. (But stick with me here—I’ve found a way around that problem.)
If I was going to ascertain what my problem was in making cream cheese from yogurt, I figured I needed to start with Mary’s recipe and directions first and then go from there. So I bought a carton of whole milk yogurt. And that’s all you need to begin. No cooking, no acid.
Cream Cheese from Yogurt
1 carton whole fat yogurt (do not use Greek yogurt--so says Mary, but I'm not sure why)
Line a strainer with cheesecloth (or coffee filter, or flour sack towel) and place it over a bowl or other container to catch the draining whey. Pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth. Fold the ends of the cheesecloth over the yogurt to cover it and keep it clean. Place the straining yogurt in the refrigerator and let it drain for 24 hours.
At this point, a lot of whey has drained into the bowl and the remaining yogurt is what is now called yogurt cheese. It’s light and at this point you can add herbs, salt, fruit, etc., and make a nice little spread for crackers or bagels. (Save the whey for other uses—it makes fabulous bread.)
But to achieve that block of more solid cream cheese that we are accustomed to, there’s an additional step.
Line a resealable container with cheesecloth or a flour sack towel that’s been cut down to size. Scoop the drained yogurt cheese into the cheesecloth. Fold the ends of the cheesecloth over the yogurt cheese, making a nice block, and place the lid on the container. (You want this to be a very tight fit, and an excess of cloth is quite acceptable, and maybe even desirable. That’s because the cloth is going to soak up any excess whey in the yogurt cheese, firming it up into the cream cheese we know and love. Unfortunately, simply hanging and draining the yogurt cheese longer will not do the trick.) Put the container in the refrigerator and let it set for a week. (Alternately, you can change the cheesecloth out every other day or so.)
One week later, open up the container and remove the nice block of cream cheese from the cheesecloth. At this point you can add in salt, herbs, fruit or whatever to season the cheese. It’s also suitable for baking and cooking.
As you undoubtedly noticed, Mary’s directions assume you are beginning with store-bought yogurt. And most people reading this blog are assuming that the time is coming when we will not have a grocery store. So we want to be able to make cream cheese from food storage items. I’m happy to say it’s entirely possible. You just have to begin with making your yogurt using the directions I posted yesterday. While the first recipe I posted three years ago makes great yogurt, it’s a little too acidic. Yesterday’s recipe adds shelf-stable cream and uses specific temperatures to culture faster, which makes the resulting yogurt less acidic, perfect for making cream cheese at home.
Links to related posts:
Making Creamy, Thicker Yogurt Faster (Perfect for Cream Cheese!)
References:
Mary’s Nest Cream Cheese https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIVRzfYPEW0
Sounds good Jennifer, but can I ask why you cannot start with Full Fat Greek Yogurt?
ReplyDeleteAfter all, as I understand it Greek has less whey in it and you're removing the whey in that drainage bag to make Yogurt cheese?
Please expand here. Thanks
Plain yogurt is cheaper than Greek yogurt, and the whey has good uses--makes fabulous bread. But if you want to use Greek yogurt, go ahead. It just costs more. When things fall apart, most people who make yogurt will be making plain yogurt.
Delete