Make It Yourself: Cream Cheese

If your first attempts at making cream cheese seem too thick or too thin, try adding some chili sauce or mushrooms to the cheese and serve it as a dip. You will need a kitchen thermometer for this recipe, as well as some cheesecloth.

You will need:
1 gallon whole milk
1 quart cultured buttermilk
1/2 tsp salt

1. Pour milk and buttermilk into a very large pot and suspend the thermometer in the milk.
      Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the temperature registers 170 degrees.
2.  Keep mixture on the heat and keep the temperature of the milk between 170 and 175 degrees.
      After 30 minutes, the mixture should start to separate into curds (the lumps) and the whey (the liquid).
3.  Line a strainer with several layers of moistened cheesecloth and set it inside a large bowl or pan to catch the drippings. Use a slotted spoon to lift the curds from the milk mixture and lay them in the cheesecloth.   Pour the remainder through the cheesecloth and save for a later use.
4.  Let curds drain, at room temperature, for 2 to 4 hours. Remove the cheese from the cheesecloth and place in blender with the salt. Blend until creamy.
5.  Store cheese in small containers with tight-fitting lids and refrigerate. Cheese can also be frozen, thawed and then beaten in a blender until creamy.