The taste of homemade cottage cheese is like night and day when compared to the pasteurized version found in the dairy aisle of your grocery market. There are cultures in raw milk that add flavor that cannot be reproduced by processing chemicals. In the United States, pasteurization is a mandatory process for commercial dairy products. However, you can find raw milk at most dairy farms or organic food stores. Creating cottage cheese is a fairly simple process with few ingredients, and it only takes a few hours to complete. But once you make your own, it will be hard to return to the store-bought version.
Instructions
1. Heat 1 quart of whole raw milk in a medium-size saucepan over low heat. Use a candy thermometer to gauge the temperature. You do not want to boil the milk, only heat it. Let it reach 85 F, but don't allow it to become any hotter.
2. Turn off the heat. When the thermometer reads 85 F, turn off the heat and stir in the rennet. Rennet is available in many varieties as both a liquid and solid. Liquid animal rennet is recommended for this recipe, though if you only have access to solid rennet, you may be able to experiment with it. Rennet is an enzyme that comes from the stomach of calf or lamb and is principally responsible for the curdling of the cheese. Rennet has been used for centuries in cheeses, and it is completely safe to consume. Stir the rennet and milk for 2 minutes.
3. Place a clean towel over the pan, and secure in place with the lid. Move the pan to the back burner or the counter; somewhere where it will not be disturbed. Allow it to sit at room temperature in this manner for 4 hours.
4. Make hash marks in the set milk. At this point your milk and rennet should be set and somewhat spongy. Use a knife to cut diagonal slices into the solid, and then cut in the opposite direction to make a checkerboard effect. Dust with ½ tsp salt, and return the pan to low heat.
5. Cook, while stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until a curd is formed. You will know that this has happened when you start to see individual pieces form inside the pan, this is the curd separating from the whey.
6. Line a strainer fitted over a large bowl with a double-folded piece of cheesecloth. Slowly pour the curdle mixture into the strainer and allow it to drain most of the liquid. You can pour this liquid down the sink or use it for other purposes (if you have purposes for milk whey).
7. Tie or fold together the ends of the cheesecloth around the curds and, keeping it inside of the strainer above the bowl, transfer to the refrigerator and allow to strain and chill for 1 hour. Stir the mixture every 20 minutes or so to loosen up the curds and help drain more of the whey.
8. Transfer the curds to a bowl. They should be pretty solid at this point. Stir in ¼ to 1/3 cup cream or half and half depending on your viscosity preference. Scoop into a serving bowl, and enjoy with jam, fruit, or as is.
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