Cheese Recipe

Prepare milk

Pour 2 liters of whole milk into the large stainless-steel pot. Slowly warm the milk over low-medium heat, stirring gently to avoid scorching, until the temperature reaches 32°C (90°F). Use the instant-read thermometer to monitor temperature.

Add calcium chloride (optional)

If using pasteurized store-bought milk, dilute 1/2 tsp calcium chloride in 50 ml cool water and stir it into the milk. This helps restore calcium balance and improves curd formation.

Inoculate with starter culture

Sprinkle 1 tsp mesophilic starter culture over the surface of the milk. Let it rehydrate for 1–2 minutes, then gently stir it into the milk using an up-and-down motion for about 1 minute to ensure even distribution. Cover and let the milk ripen for 30–45 minutes at 32°C (90°F).

Add rennet

Dilute 1 tsp liquid rennet in 50 ml cool, non-chlorinated water. Gently stir the diluted rennet into the milk using 10 slow strokes. Stop stirring and cover the pot. Allow the milk to set undisturbed for 30–45 minutes, or until you achieve a clean break when cutting (curd should be like custard).

Cut the curd

Using a long knife or curd cutter, cut the curd into 1–1.5 cm (3/8–1/2 inch) cubes. Make parallel cuts across the pot, then rotate the pot 90 degrees and repeat to create uniform cubes. Let the cut curds rest for 5 minutes.

Cook and stir the curds

Over the next 20–30 minutes, gradually raise the temperature to 38°C (100°F) by increasing heat in small increments. Stir gently and continuously (or for several minutes every few minutes) to keep curds separated and allow them to firm slightly. Maintain gentle stirring to avoid breaking curds too small.

Drain the whey

When curds are firm and slightly springy, remove pot from heat. Line a colander with cheesecloth and ladle or pour curds and whey into the colander to drain. Allow whey to drain for 5–10 minutes, then gather corners of cloth and hang or suspend to drain additional whey for 30–60 minutes, until curds knit together but remain slightly moist.

Mill and salt the curd

Transfer drained curd to a clean bowl. Break curd into bite-sized pieces (or mill with your hands) and sprinkle 1 tbsp non-iodized salt evenly over curds. Mix thoroughly but gently to distribute salt and encourage even moisture. Taste a small piece to check salt; adjust slightly if desired.

Mold the cheese

Line the cheese mold with cheesecloth if needed, then pack the salted curds into the mold in handfuls, pressing down to remove large air pockets and form a uniform block. Fold cloth over the top and place the follower or pressing plate.

Press the cheese

Place the mold in the cheese press. Apply a light pressure (around 5–10 lb / 2–5 kg) for 15–30 minutes to expel whey and help the curd knit. Remove, unwrap, flip the cheese, rewrap, and increase pressure to 20–30 lb (9–14 kg) and press for 6–12 hours (overnight) until the cheese is firm and holds its shape. During pressing, if substantial whey collects, drain it and reapply cloth as necessary.

Dry and salt (optional smooth rind)

Remove the cheese from the press and mold. Air-dry the cheese on a clean board at room temperature for 1–2 days, flipping every 12 hours, until the surface is dry to the touch. At this stage you can rub the surface with an additional pinch of salt if desired for flavor and rind development.

Wax or age the cheese

If you plan to age the cheese for more than a week, lightly heat 10 g cheese wax or butter and brush a thin layer over the dry rind to protect during aging. For short-aging fresh cheeses, skip waxing and refrigerate. For aging: place the waxed wheel in an aging container or clean box and store at 10–13°C (50–55°F) with 80–85% humidity. Age for 2–12 weeks depending on desired flavor; flip once or twice weekly. For a quick mild cheese, 2–4 weeks is enough.

Storage and serving

After aging to your preference, unwrap (if not waxed) and store cheese wrapped in wax paper or cheese paper in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature for best flavor. The recipe yields one small wheel (approximately 400–500 g).