Cottage Cheese
6/05/26
There are lots of ways (or should I say ‘wheys’…) to make cottage cheese, but this method is the one I find most approachable and the easiest if you are new to cheese making.
Ingredients
- 4 litres of non homogenised whole milk*
- Juice of one large lemon
*Note – Most milk in the supermarket is pasteurised and homogenised. When milk is fresh from a cow, the fat (cream) and the milk separate naturally in the bottle. When it is homogenised for supermarkets, the fat and the milk are forced together under high pressure to become smooth. Non homogenised is harder to find but is still available is most supermarkets. Though not always essential, non homogenised milk is much better for cheese making.
Method
Add the milk to a pan over a medium heat. Warm up to 85°C stirring constantly, then remove from the heat. Add in the lemon juice and gently stir once. Leave at room temperature for 20mins, or until the curds start to separate from the whey. Use a slotted spoon to remove the curds from the whey and add them to a large bowl lined with a muslin cloth to slowly drain.
If you like cottage cheese wet, don’t let it drain too long, add it to a container straight away. If you like it firmer (as shown in the video) let it drain for longer and also give it a light squeeze with your hands before adding to a container. If you find the consistency too lumpy and like it smoother you can also blend it briefly with the whey, or with fresh milk, or with cream. Add a lid to your container and keep in the fridge.
