Spreads - Part 3: Cream Cheese
BC Living - “From Scratch”
May 2024

If you love making homemade jam after a bountiful summer of berries and other fruits, but have never tried to make other spreads at home, this is your sign. Making peanut butter (or any kind of nut-butter) is very simple, and even if they seem daunting, cream cheese and butter from scratch are well worth it. Not only because you can use fresh, organic ingredients, but you can customize them on the spot!

Cream Cheese

INGREDIENTS:

8 Cups Whole Milk
Juice of 1 Large Lemon (approx. 5 tbsp)
½ tsp salt (or more)
(Optional: additional herbs and spices for flavoring)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Begin by pouring the milk into a saucepan. Heat the milk over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil.

Once the milk is boiling, add the lemon juice and immediately turn off the heat.
Let the mixture sit for a few minutes to allow the milk to curdle. (During this time, you'll observe curds forming and a yellowish liquid separating.)

Once the curds have formed, strain the curdled milk through a cheesecloth (or clean tea towel) lined sieve to separate the liquid whey.

Rinse the curds under cold water to remove any excess whey clinging to them. Squeeze the curdled milk to remove any remaining liquid whey. You may need to do this several times.

Transfer the strained curds to a food processor, or blender, and add the salt (to taste).
Blend until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, usually within 1-2 minutes, depending on the machine's power.

If desired, add additional herbs or flavorings at this stage. Note that certain ingredients may affect the cheese's shelf-life; dried herbs will make the cream cheese last longer than fresh, but if you’re consuming quickly, go fresh!

Store the cream cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

ENJOY!