The Real deal: Easy ways to make butter and cheese at home

Shangri-La Boracay’s romantic vibe just got cheesier when Real California Milk (California Milk Advisory Board), the supplier of milk from California’s 1,300 dairy families, held a cheese-making workshop there recently.

The brand doesn’t believe in overly processed and overly complicated dairy products. And it understands that people are changing the way they eat. Filipinos, especially, are becoming more conscious of the benefits of eating better, simpler food.

Knowing that authentic cheese is a little pricey in the Philippines, Real California shared easy recipes for homemade butter and cheese. Culinary consultant Mark Todd, also known as The Cheese Dude, led the event.

If you prefer an instant cheese fix, though, especially for pairing parties, the brand offers hundreds of cheese varieties available at S&R Membership Shopping, Royal Duty Free, Landers Superstore, SM Hypermarket, SM Supermarket, Merkado/ PureGold Price Club, Cash & Carry, Rustan’s Supermarket, Robinsons Supermarket, Unimart Supermarket, Makati Supermarket and Landmark Supermarket.

Without further ado, here are the recipes:

Quick Homemade Butter

Ingredients:

heavy cream (preferably fresh, organic and local)

Equipment:

mixer/ food process (or jar to shake)

strainer

bowl

spatula

Steps:

1. Leave the cream out for a bit that it warms to 50F or so.
2. Pour the cream into the mixer with a whisk attachment. Put a cover over the mixer, so you don’t splatter all over the kitchen. Alternatively, you can pour the cream into a jar you can shake. (This will take longer, but your arms will get a good workout, and you can make it a family project. Mark’s tip: Shake it vigorously for the first five minutes.)
3. Mix on medium-high for five to seven minutes.
4. Strain the butter into a bowl, making sure all the liquid runs out. Then set aside the liquid. (That liquid is homemade, uberfresh buttermilk!)
5. Rinse the butter with water to remove excess liquid.
6. Knead the butter with a spatula to bring together the curds. This doesn’t take long — just a minute or two. If you want to salt the butter, now is a good time.

Homemade Queso Blanco

Ingredients:

1 gallon whole milk

1/3 + 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar

4 teaspoons kosher salt

Equipment:

non-reactive 6-quart stock pot

instant-read or dairy thermometer

flexible wire, long-handle stainless steel whisk

food-grade flexible blade rubber spatula

mesh strainer or colander

cheese cloth

metal bowl or plastic bucket

Steps:

1. In a large bowl, slowly heat whole milk to 190F. This should take about 20 to 25 minutes. Go low and slow, stirring often.
2. Incoporate 1/3 cup vinegar evenly. Turn off the gas and let sit for 10 minutes. At this point, curds are separating from whey, which is becoming greenish and mostly clear. If whey remains very cloudy, add additional 1/8 cup vinegar and allow to set for another 10 minutes.
3. With a strainer ladle, gently remove the curds to a dampened cheese cloth-lined strainer placed over a bowl, salting as you add curd.
4. Place the loose curd ball into cheesecloth. Press into cheese mold and drain for one hour.
5. Flip cheese in mold. Press with sterile 1lb weight (e.g., bottle of water) for one hour.

The cheese may be served now, or continue pressing for up to four hours. Refrigerate, tightly covered, for up to four days.