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Small Curd Cottage Cheese
---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
Title: SMALL CURD COTTAGE CHEESE
Categories: Dairy
Yield: 8 servings
Karen VISOCKY
1 Gal. milk, whole or skim
1/2 c Instant non-fat dry milk*
1 c Buttermilk
Salt
*Optional, but does add a little extra body. Pour the
milk into a 6 quart, heavy pot. Add the dry milk if
you are using it. Set the 6 quart pot into a larger
pot, double boiler fashion, filling the larger pot
with enough water to come up the side of the smaller
pot about 1/2 - 2/3 of the way. To get the milk to 86
deg., turn the heat on under the larger pot for 2 - 3
mins. Stirring the milk slowly. Then turn off the
heat, not stirring and wait a few minutes. Check the
temp., and if it is not warm enough repeat the
procedure. This is where a floating dairy therm. is
very useful. It will be very accurate as well as not
need to be removed from the milk and will not cool it
when put back in. If you start with relatively warm
water in the lower pan, it should not take more than
one or two times of heating the pan to reach the
desired temp. At 86 deg., add the buttermilk to the
milk. Stir it in well, then leave the therm. in the
milk. By covering the pot and checking the temp. a few
times, hold the temp. at 86 deg. for 12 hours. This
allows the curd to form. The curd should be a bit
firm, or custard like. Cut the curd into 1/2" pieces.
Allow the cut curd to set for about 30 mins. after
cutting to allow more of the whey to seperate, keeping
the temp. at 86 deg. Then slowly begin to cook the
curd until the temp. reaches 100 - 104 deg. F. Use the
same method of heating as before. Don't hurry the
process.Allow about 30 mins. to reach 100 - 104 deg.
If hurried, it will cause the curd to shrink on the
outside and harden and be mushy inside. Stir gently
once in awhile for even heating and to prevent the
curd from sticking together. This will also allow you
to cutup any oversize curd. As the temp. rises, it
will require more frequent stirring as it firms and
separates from the whey. Remove curds from the heat as
soon as they firm and reach the desired temp. Line a
large colander with 2 - 3 layers of clean cheese
cloth. Using a measuring cup, scoop out the curd into
the colander. Allow to drain for several mins, then
rinse curd by immersing the cheese cloth & curd in
lukewarm water. Allow to drain for several more mins.
Place drained curd into a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1
Tab. plain salt and mix with hands or spoon to blend
evenly. Put into a covered container and chill. When
cool, taste for salt and add if needed. Then add a few
tblespoons of heavy cream or sour cream, if desired.
Yield is about 1 1/2 pounds. This is very different
from "store bought" with a much better texture and
flavor. Once you start making this, you may never buy
it from a grocery again. From Karen Visocky DDVD62B.
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