I get deep satisfaction from creating things from scratch. In honor of this I bring you a recipe for homemade cream cheese made from homemade yogurt.
Supplies Needed:
32 oz plain, full fat yogurt
1 – fine mesh strainer
1 – large bowl
1 – 2 – 4 cup glass container w/snap closure lid
1 – spatula
1 – piece plastic wrap
1 – ceramic plate
2 – pieces 100% cotton fabric e.g. bandana, flour sack towel, very fine mesh cheese cloth
The first and only ingredient for this cream cheese recipe is plain yogurt. Homemade is best, but store bought will work as well. I made a special batch of yogurt for this cream cheese using full fat, grass fed cow's milk and heavy whipping cream. The end result produced a thick delicious “cream-top” yogurt.
To transform the yogurt into cream cheese the whey must be separated from the yogurt. Line a large fine mesh strainer with cotton fabric and rest it upon the large bowl, with the mesh inside the bowl. Pour the yogurt into the lined strainer. Place the plastic wrap over the yogurt filled strainer, fold the extra cotton over the plastic wrap. Place the bowl in an area where it will be undisturbed for 24 - 48 hours. As the yogurt rests, the whey will slowly drain into the bowl. My batch of yogurt produced about 1 cup of whey. Whey is loaded with protein and micronutrients like potassium, calcium, phosphorous, and zinc. It can be added to smoothies, cooking, baking and lacto-fermentation of vegetables, fruits and more.
With the whey removed you are left with a thick, tangy yogurt cheese known as Labneh, a staple food in Lebanese and Middle Eastern cuisine.
Line a 2 – 4 cup sized glass container with a piece of cotton fabric. Scoop the labneh into the lined container, smooth the top with a spatula and fold the cotton over the cheese. Add a few more layers of cotton to fill any extra space and help absorb moisture. Cover and seal the container and place it in the refrigerator for 7 days.
After 7 days in the refrigerator the cream cheese will be ready to enjoy. Uncover and unwrap the cream cheese. Place a ceramic plate on top of the container and flip the plate and container over and onto a flat surface. Lift the container and remove the cotton to reveal your beautiful brick of cream cheese. The finished product is a bit more crumbly than the cream cheese sold in the store, but it's very spreadable. The flavor is light and fresh.
This cream cheese is great on crackers, veggies or in any recipe that calls for it. At this stage feel free to flavor your cheese with anything you'd like. Chives are classic, olives are adventurous and cocoa with a little maple syrup is decedent. Enjoy!
If you attempt to make your own cream cheese, tag me on Instagram @michelleshealinghome and use the hash tag #thegreatcreamcheeseexperiment. I'll post my favorite cream cheese experiments to my feed, with your permission of course.