This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
If you have never made cheese in your life, here is the perfect recipe from Sylvain Puccini. Quick, easy, requiring little equipment and suitable for all types of milk, it is unravelable. “It’s a classic that I make regularly and which will even become the hero of your aperitifs, so many variations are possible! » he promises.
Makes approximately 300 g of cheese
Average manufacturing time: one hour
Material
• Saucepan with lid
• Thermometer
• Skimmer
• Strainer
• Cheesecloth (or fine, clean kitchen towel, or coffee filter)
Ingredients
2 liters of 3.25% or 2% whole milk (or even goat’s milk, or lactose-free)
6 tbsp. tablespoons (90 ml) of pure white vinegar (5% acetic acid) or the same amount of rice vinegar or bottled lemon juice
½ tsp. teaspoon (approx. 2.5 g) of fine non-iodized salt
Optional: herbs and/or spices
Preparation
1. Heating and acidification
In the saucepan, heat the milk over low heat to 90°C (194°F), stirring continuously with a spoon, without ever boiling. Remove from the heat and gradually add the vinegar to the milk.
If you don’t have a thermometer, this is the time when tiny bubbles start to rise to the surface.
2. Brewing
With a slotted spoon, very gently stir the mixture for 15 seconds. The curds will slowly separate from the whey (greenish-yellow liquid). Cover the pan and let sit for 15 minutes.
3. Draining
Line a strainer with moistened cheesecloth. Using the skimmer, collect the curds from the pan and place them in the colander. Cover the colander with a lid and let drain for 15 minutes at room temperature. For a firmer texture, let drain longer.
4. Salting
Sprinkle with salt and mix gently with a spoon. Let drain for another 15 minutes at room temperature. Remove the cheese from the cotton and set aside in a container.
The amount of salt can be adjusted according to your taste.
5. Preservation
The cheese will keep for about 10 days in a container in the refrigerator.
It is possible at this stage to flavor it with herbs or spices, or to marinate it in olive oil.
Sweet option
If you have a sweet tooth, omit step 4 and cover the still warm cheese with maple syrup or honey. This unsalted version will keep for about 7 days in a container in the refrigerator.
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.