Rarely Does Anything Go The Way I Want The First Time

Last year I decided I wanted to learn to make cream cheese.  And like everything else I want to learn to make, I hopped on Pinterest and found a couple recipes.  I read through them and picked the one I liked the best.  My first attempt didn't go as planned which has become normal for me.  But I did learn to make sour cream in the process.  I am going to use this same recipe to make yogurt in the next few weeks.  I will share that exact recipe after I make it.

To get started you will need
32 oz whole milk (not ultra-pasteurized)
48 oz heavy whipping cream
2 oz buttermilk
3 drops rennet
1 Tbsp table salt

1 large non-reactive pot (Glass, stainless steel, and enameled are the most common nonreactive pans. Aluminum pans are reactive.)
A thermometer that will read 70ºF
Muslin cheesecloth (I just get muslin the cheapest from the fabric store)
A large colander
A large bowl
A strong rubberband

In the large non-reactive pot, mix whole milk and heavy whipping cream.  Bring up to 70ºF.  Remove from heat add buttermilk and stir.  Add rennet, stir, cover and allow to sit for 10-12 hours at room temperature.

Remove lid, sprinkle salt over the surface of the mixture.  Using a whisk, cut the gelled mass into small curds.  The curds will look very different from the curds of the mozzarella. It won't really look like curds at all.

Place the colander over the large bowl and place the muslin in the colander covering it.  Pour the mixture into the muslin lined colander.  Allow to sit for 30 minutes.  Then pull up the sides of the muslin and tie together with the rubberband.

Place bowl, colander, and muslin filled with cream cheese in the refrigerator.  Allow to drain until it is the consistency you desire.  I left mine for about 5 days.  The whey that drains out can be used for bread making.

The cream cheese will have a little bit of a tangy flavor.  And I have yet to get it to the consistency of the cream cheese block.  It is more of the consistency of the cream cheese bought in a tub.

For sour cream, do everything the same as above except allow it to sit in the non-reactive pot at room temperature for 12 hours.  And allow to sit in the colander lined with muslin for 1 1/2 hours instead of 30 minutes.  And allow to drain for 1 to 2 days.  Sour cream isn't quite as thick as cream cheese.

This recipe makes about 48 oz of sour cream or cream cheese.
Adapted from: SheSimmers