Best 3 Kefir Farmer Cheese Recipes

KEFIR FARMER CHEESE

Steps:

• Line a fine-mesh sieve or colander with three layers of damp cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl. Pour the kefir into the cheesecloth-lined sieve. Allow it to drain for 24 hours in the refrigerator or on a cool countertop; transfer the drained kefir to a small heatproof bowl or pot and place this in a larger pot. Set it on the stove and fill the larger pot with enough water so that it's even with the kefir in the bowl, but not high enough that the water can spill over the sides of the bowl and into the kefir. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and let cool, while sitting in the water, to room temperature. When cool, line another fine-mesh sieve or colander with three fresh layers of cheesecloth and pour the kefir into the colander, letting the liquid drain off.
• When the liquid has mostly drained, bring the corners of the cheesecloth together, forming a ball, and give the remaining cheese a good squeeze, holding the corners tightly. (Discard the liquid.) Use kitchen string or butcher's twine to tie the corners of the cheesecloth together and hang the kefir over a sink or bowl overnight (unrefrigerated in a cool kitchen, away from sunlight). In the morning, it will resemble densely packed cottage cheese. Transfer the cheese to a sealed container and store in the refrigerator.

HOME MADE FARMER'S CHEESE

Steps:

• Pour the milk into a large pot, and stir in a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching on the bottom of the pot.
• When the milk begins to boil (small bubbles will first appear at the edges), turn off the heat. Stir lemon juice into the milk, and the milk will curdle. You may need to wait 5 or 10 minutes.
• Line a sieve or colander with a cheesecloth, and pour the milk through the cloth to catch the curds. What is left in the cheesecloth is the Farmer's Cheese. The liquid is the whey. Some people keep the whey and drink it, but I throw it away. Gather the cloth around the cheese, and squeeze out as much of the whey as you can. Wrap in plastic, or place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator.

KEFIR CHEESE

Steps:

• Pour the kefir into a 1 quart food storage bag (like a Ziploc), squeeze out the air, seal, and place in freezer. I placed it in an upright container to try to maintain a more compact shape.
• When frozen (6 hours or so), strip off the plastic and place in a cheese bag or in a colander lined with four or so layers of cheesecloth or with butter muslin. Place over a bowl and let the whey drip. I do this on the counter, but it's cool here right now. This will take 8 to 12 hours.
• Remove cheese and store in refrigerator. It should be good for at least a couple of weeks. Use plain or flavor with herbs, garlic, etc. You could also add some cream to make it creamier.