Goat Milk

 

 

What is Yogurt cheese ?

 

Yogurt cheese is a soft cheese made from draining the whey from yogurt. You will not find this cheese in the grocery stores but, it can be easily made at home.

 

Believed to have originated in Lebanon, yogurt cheese has a very smooth consistency much like cream cheese, but with the distinctive tangy taste of yogurt. It can be made from flavored yogurt, as well as plain. Besides being delicious, yogurt cheese is high in calcium and great for those who are lactose intolerant, as the yogurt-making process converts the lactose in the milk into lactic acid. Yogurt cheese is extremely versatile and can be used to add a nice zip of flavor to virtually any recipe in which cream cheese is used. Once you make it, you probably would not have any problems coming up with your own original serving ideas that suit your tastes.

 

Homemade yogurt cheese is going to make a hit at your next social gathering, therefore get started today!

 

 

Learn How to Make Labneh – Yogurt cheese

 

 

Labneh, also known as Yogurt Cheese, is probably the simplest of all cheeses to make. To begin with you will need a quart of yogurt. You can use plain or flavored yogurt, and either homemade or buy from the grocery store. However, if you buy yogurt for making labneh, make sure yogurt does not contain gelatin, as the gelatin will prevent the whey from draining.

 

Ingredients:

 

• 1 quart yogurt
• 1 tsp. Salt

Special supplies:

• cheesecloth
• strainer
• bowl

 

 

Directions:

Begin by shaking or stirring the yogurt until it is thoroughly mixed and smooth. Mix in 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt, to taste.

 

Next, place a strainer over a pot or bowl, and line with cheesecloth. Pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth.

 

Cover, and let the yogurt drain for 24 hours in the refrigerator.

 

Remove the cloth from the strainer and scrape the cheese to form a mound in the center of the cloth. Then, using the cloth for handling, form it into a ball or log and place onto a plate.  Store in the refrigerator.

 

It does not get any easier than that!

 

 

How to Enjoy Yogurt Cheese (Labneh) ?

 

More suggestion:

 

• Traditional – Serve covered in olive oil with crushed mint and black olives. Eat on toasted pita.
• Breakfast toast – Spread on toast and top with a thin layer of jam.
• Crackers and cheese – Mix with fresh herbs and serve on crackers.
• As a spread – Mix with diced pimientos and black olives and spread in celery sticks, or use as a filling for finger sandwiches.
• As a dip – Combine with taco seasoning or ranch dressing mix to create a dip for vegetables or chips.

 

 

More Goat Cheese Recipes for Beginners. Check them out!

 

Click the link  Lactic Cheese to view the details.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is Halloumi?

 

Halloumi or Halloumi cheese  is a traditional Cypriot cheese that is also popular in the rest of the Middle East and Greece, and is now made in many countries and regions around the world. Traditional artisan Halloumi cheese is made from unpasteurised goats milk, sheep milk or a combination of the two. Traditionally, the mint leaves were used as a preservative. The cheese is white, with a distinctive layered texture, similar to Mozzarella, and has a salty flavor. But, today, Halloumi is often garnished with mint to add to the taste. Many people also like Halloumi that has been aged; it is much drier, much stronger and much saltier.

 

With its ability to withstand high temperatures without melting, Halloumi cheese can add variety and interest to cooked dishes and salads. In fact, Halloumi slices can be grilled or fried on its own. The cheese is very easy to make. Its heat resistant property comes from the fact that the fresh curds are boiled in whey and then placed in a brine solution for storage. The brine solution also makes this a long-lasting, but naturally salty cheese, and the brine is often rinsed off before the cheese is cooked or eaten.

 

The Halloumi cheese is made with only two ingredients: goat milk and rennet. The lack of cultures causes this cheese to be rather bland, and mint leaves are used to impart flavor to it. Some modern recipes also call for the addition of a mesophilic starter culture to add more flavor.

 

Ingredients:

 

• 1/2 gallon whole goat milk
• 1/8 tsp. rennet
• 1/8 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. chopped mint (optional)

Special supply:

• cheese cloth -lined colander

 

Directions:

 

• Warm the milk to 90°F. Add the rennet to the water, and stir into the milk. Continue to stir for 30-60 seconds to be sure the rennet is evenly distributed.
• Let the milk rest until the surface has gelled, usually about 10-15 minutes. You can check for gelling by lightly touching the surface of the milk with the flat side of a small spoon. If the spoon leaves an indent, the milk has gelled.
• Multiply the amount of time until surface gelling by 2, and wait that much longer before cutting the curd into 2″ pieces with a long knife. For example, if it was 10 minutes before the surface gelled, wait 20 more minutes to cut the curd – cutting horizontally, vertically and diagonally across the depth of the curd.
• Let the curd pieces rest for about 10 minutes, then cut them into smaller, 1/2″ pieces. Let the smaller pieces rest for 10 more minutes.
• Now, stir the curds gently for 10-15 minutes to encourage the whey to separate.
• Pour the curds into a cheese cloth-lined colander placed over a pot (you will be using this pot of whey later), and let drain for several hours until no whey is left standing with the curds.
• * Optional – At this point, you can add about 1/2 tsp. chopped mint into the curds, or wait and place mint inside the folded pieces of cheese at the end of the process.
• Fold the cheese cloth over the curds and press with your hands to remove more whey and to fuse the curds together. If the curds are still very loose and moist, place a weight on top (a gallon of water works fine), and continue to let drain.
• When the curds are dry enough to stick together well, cut them into approximately 2″ wide strips. Bring the pot of drained whey almost to a boil (around 195°F), and drop in the cheese strips.
• Let cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the strips float to the surface. Remove the strips from the whey, lightly salt each side, and let cool for 1-2 hours.

 

 

How to store and enjoy Halloumi?

 

To store the Halloumi, you can make a brine solution of 1/2 cup salt dissolved in 1 quart water. It is traditional to fold the cheese slices in half, making a “U” shape (* Optional – with mint leaves inside the folded portion), before storing in the brine.

The brine will keep your Halloumi good for several months, and the flavor will increase with storage time.

You can grill or fry your Halloumi, or use it to top salads and stir-fries. The thick, chewy texture of this cheese makes it a great protein substitute for meat in main dishes.

 

 

Additional  Cheeses Recipes; Click the Link NOW!

 

 

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MOZZARELLA