Home Creamery: Yogurt Cheese

Yogurt Cheese

Yogurt cheese is great stuff. Use it to replace cream cheese on your toast or bagel and you’ll cut down somewhat on fat without sacrificing any flavor at all. And it’s easier to spread as well.

Yogurt Draining

Start by making yogurt. I knew I’d be making cheese, so I used whole milk when I made the yogurt because the extra butterfat in the milk makes for a better cheese. When the yogurt is ready to eat, it’s ready to be made into cheese.

Line a colander or strainer with butter muslin, three or four layers of cheesecloth, or some other clean, white, cotton cloth that will allow drainage but has a tight enough weave to keep the yogurt from flowing through. Set the colander into a large bowl and pour the yogurt into the cloth. Cover and refrigerate 8-12 hours.

That’s it. Oh, you could stir in a pinch of fleur de sel or kosher salt if you wish, but it isn’t absolutely necessary and you really don’t need more sodium in your diet. Put the cheese into a storage container and store in the refrigerator for as much as a week. One quart of whole milk yogurt produced a scant 2 cups of cheese. Lower fat yogurt will yield less.

Yogurt Cheese with Peach Preserves