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Making goat cheese (also known as chèvre) at home is relatively easy, involving simple steps like heating milk, adding cultures and rennet, draining the curds, and flavoring with salt.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Ingredients:
You'll need fresh goat milk, a starter culture (often available as a liquid or powder), and rennet (a natural enzyme that coagulates milk).
Process:
Heat the milk: Gently heat the goat milk to a specific temperature (around 85-90°F or 29-32°C).
Add culture and rennet: Once the milk is heated, add the starter culture and rennet, stirring gently.
Let it set: Allow the milk to sit undisturbed for a period (usually 18-24 hours) to allow the curds to form.
Drain the curds: Once the curds are set, drain them in a cheesecloth-lined colander.
Salt and flavor: Add salt to the cheese and optionally flavor with herbs, garlic, or other ingredients.
Yield:
A gallon of milk typically yields about 1 3/4 pounds of goat cheese.
Very cool.
