Sunday, April 5, 2009

Home-made Cottage Cheese

—Junket box recipe

¼ Junket Rennet Tablet
½ cup water
1 gallon skim milk
¼ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cream

Dissolve Rennet Tablet in water by crushing. Set aside. In large saucepan, heat skim milk to 70* F. stir in buttermilk and Rennet Tablet solution, mixing well. Cover with towel and let stand at room temperature 12 to 18 hours until firm curd forms. To test for a firm curd, remove a milk sample at a point near the edge of the saucepan with a spoon. The curd is ready to cut when the coagulated milk sample holds its shape and at the edges are sharply defined.

Cut curd into ½ inch long pieces using a long knife. Heat curd slowly over hot water until temperature reaches 110* F. Hold curd at 110* F. for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring at 5-minute intervals to heat curd uniformly. Pour mixture onto fine cheesecloth in a colander and drain off whey.

NOTE: It is easy to overcook this. We noted that the curds were chewy due to overcooking. I heated it half the time the recipe calls for which yielded tender curds.

After whey has drained 2 to 3 minutes, lift curd in cheesecloth and immerse in pan of cold water 1 to 2 minutes, stirring and pressing with a spoon. Then immerse in ice water 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the curd until it is free from whey and place in large bowl. add salt and cream and mix thoroughly. Chill.

Please note: the use of any type of lactaid milk with Junket Rennet Tablets will cause custard to not set.

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