Kefir cheese is a delicious soft cheese that is a lot like soft goat cheese. It’s easy to make, all you have to do is let your kefir culture for long enough that it separates into the curds and whey! See the section above for a few ways to enjoy this delicious and probiotic cheese.
PREPARATION TIME:
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 liter of milk
2 Tbsp kefir grains
¼ tsp of salt (non-iodized)
Instructions:
Culture the milk with kefir grains for 12 to 24 hours. Remove the grains from the cultured milk. At this point, the kefir won’t have fully separated into curds and whey, so leave it on the counter (without the grains) for another 12-24 hours until it has fully separated. (See photo above).
Line a colander with two layers of cheesecloth (I recommend fine cheesecloth). Gently pour the curded kefir into the colander. Allow it to drain for 30 minutes. I recommend catching the whey because it’s very useful and probiotic!
Knot the cheesecloth and hang the ball of kefir cheese, as shown in the photo above. Allow to drain for another 4-8 hours.
Unknot the cheesecloth and place the soft cheese in a bowl or a container. Stir in the salt and any additional flavors. See the section above for a few different options for finishing the kefir cheese.
Store kefir cheese in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Use the cheese within 2 weeks, as it will continue to sour and ferment.
Notes:
I recommend using whole milk for kefir cheese as it is a bit creamier than skim milk cheese.
Kefir cheese is tastier when it’s not made with over-cultured kefir. However, if you accidentally overculture your kefir (before you remove the grains) just remove the grains, and let your kefir sit for another 2 to 4 hours separate again before draining the whey.
