Simple Cream Cheese & Whey
I always make crockpot yogurt a gallon at a time. I used to make it a half gallon at a time until I discovered yogurt cream cheese and whey. The cheese is sooo easy to make and the whey comes in really handy, especially if you are a fan of Nourishing Traditions.
Want to make the cheese?
Take a large bowl. Put a mesh strainer (with a handle) over the top of the bowl. Top the strainer with a thin cloth (like a clean pillowcase or a few layers of cheesecloth.) Pour in yogurt until it reaches the top of the strainer. Let it sit for a few hours.
As it sits, the whey will separate from the milk proteins. Under the strainer, in the bowl, you will have whey. On top, the cream cheese. Pick up the sides of the cloth, gather them around the handle of a wooden spoon, secure with a rubber band, and hang it over a mason jar or similar vessel. This will help any remaining whey to drip out.
When it is done dripping, collect the whey in a mason jar (this will keep for several months in the fridge) and scrape the cheese off the cloth and put into a separate container. I find that the cheese lasts about 7 to 10 days.
Note: if you add gelatin to your yogurt, it will not separate.
This recipe doesn’t make a TON of cheese, so dont expect to be making cheesecake any time soon. It is awesome on toast or crackers, however.
Add salt and/or herbs to your tastes as desired. Have fun with this one! Play with your food. Go ahead…I give you permission.
