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Hello and welcome! I'm Lisa, the creator of Cheese52 and author of 'Confident Cheesemaking' and I really enjoy creating cheesemaking content for you!
Sharing video recipes you can count on since 2018. Explore our cheesemaking video tutorials and step-by-step written recipes featured in our book.
Order our book 'Confident Cheesemaking' at : amzn.to/3vlpWyr Visit our website at www.Cheese52.com
Contact: Cheese52 10400 Overland Rd. # 241 Boise, ID 83709 USA Cheese52 takes no responsibility for any injury, illness or damage resulting from the use of the recipes or techniques shown on the channel or in the book.
Hi Maria! So glad you enjoy the channel! Yes you can blend different animal milk together. Try it 50/50, without the lipase , and see how you like the flavor. If you are happy with the tanginess, that's great! If you'd like a little more of that piquant flavor, add a little lipase with the next batch. Happy cheesemaking! Lisa
Hello! You bring up a great point. Feta is a PDO cheese, which means that it can only be made in a certain geographical area, using a specific process, with 70% sheep milk and 30% goats milk. This recipe is made to emulate the type of Feta I can get in my North American grocery store. Essentially, it is a salty, white cheese. Thanks for your comment. Lisa
Thank you for your confidence in my work! I use pasteurized whole milk (3.25% fat) from the grocery store. I recycle quart sized yogurt containers to store my home made yogurt! I store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Happy yogurt making! Lisa
I made this a couple of weeks ago, and today was the day to place it in a vacuum-sealed package. Well, you know how you cheated a little saying that half was for your brother? LOL I pretended I was going to do that, but my brother and I share a home. So yes you have to taste it! OH MY WORD!! Did I make that? YES I DID!!! Lisa this cheese is soooooooooo good without the dill. I have never seen it with dill before and Havarti is one of our favorites. It's only a 2 lb cheese cause I have not gotten a bigger pot yet or a larger cheese mold. But I am going to be making lots of 2 pounders! Any of your cheese recipes I have made have always come out great!
Hi Lori! Thank you so much for reporting your success. I am glad you find value in the recipes on the channel. I hope you and your brother enjoy your Havarti together! Thank you for your confidence in my work! Lisa
THERMOPHILIC CULTURE. I've been trying to make your cheese for weeks now, waiting for you to answer my question about this ingredient. You refer people to the link but it doesn't work! So please help those of us who are serious about making the cheese and not just here watching the show.
Hi Gina, My apologies for the delay in my response. I've been outside of the country, assisting my family as we work together to manage my mother's illness. I just recently returned and am catching up on the questions here in the comments, as well as in my DMs, email, FB groups, pages and Instagram. Your patience is appreciated. 1. I see your earlier comment and have responded to your question there, but I will provide the information here as well. Any thermophilic culture can be used in this recipe. Different species blends/commercial brands may result in a different taste, but any one out there will do the job! I like the flavor this one provides: cheesemaking.com/products/thermophilic-starter-culture-for-cheese-making?aff=35 (affiliate link). The cultures in this blend are: Streptococcus thermophilus Lactobacillus helveticus Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis NECM ships to many countries, but sometimes the overseas shipping can be very expensive. You can use this list of bacteria to help you find something similar in any cheesemaking store. Each company has its own proprietary blend of strains of bacteria, but this should get you close. 2. Thank you for bringing the broken link in the comments to my attention. I do check every link in every video quarterly to make sure they still work- sometimes YT "breaks" links, and sometimes the manufacturer stops providing a product on a particular platform. It appears the latter is the case here. I have corrected it in the description box. Again, thank you for your patience as I work to catch up on the backlog of comments, and thank you for your confidence in my work! Happy cheesemaking! Lisa
I wanted to thank you for making such a simple relaxing video that is slow enough for me to obtain the information sometimes people just go through it so quick it makes no sense so I appreciate you thank you
Glad you enjoyed it! I work hard to make sure that every step is covered, clearly, yet concisely. Basically, every time I make a video, I ask myself, "What did I want to know when I first started making this cheese?" So glad you found the channel. Welcome, cheese friend! Lisa
Hello i am Namgay from Bhutan. Currently i am working as Diary product producer, my product includes, yogurt , butter, cottage cheese and paneer in a small scale. I have greater interest in this job and always want to learn and know more in diary product production. How to make Cheddar cheese is new for me, therefore during the processing if i face any problem i would like to seek a helping hand from you 🙏. Your guidance will be great for me. Hoping to hear from you.
Hi Tom, Mhmm. I've enjoyed commercial cheeses with those additives, and they were very tasty! I stop short of adding meat (even shelf stable bacon bits) to cheese. Aging temperatures and times increase the opportunity for rancidity. Most commercial makers age the cheese first, then shred the aged cheese, add the additives, then press the cheese back together. This process is a little trickier at home, because it can be a challenge to get the cheese to come back together in a solid wheel. I outline the process of double milling in my book, 'Confident Cheesemaking', I've also included an entire chapter about the use of additives in cheesemaking- a full discussion I have yet to find in any other book. You can find my book here: amzn.to/3vlpWyr
Hello! Most semi hard and hard cheese, such as Cheddar, that need to be aged, benefit from a temperature range of about 50-55F (10-13C). This range helps the cheese develop its flavor, aroma, texture, and appearance. Some others may direct you to simply age it in a regular refrigerator (40 F, or 4C). This is a storage temperature, not a good aging temperature. This temp will develop the characteristics you are seeking in an aged cheese, but they will develop slower, and the quality of the characteristics may be less than you would experience with a cheese aged in ideal temperatures. Some folks use a Styrofoam cooler with ice packs to achieve the aging temperature range. I hope this helps! You can learn more about the aging process in my book, 'Confident Cheesemaking ', available on my website at www.cheese52.com Lisa
I made 320 gms from 2 kg buffalo milk today although the effort is too much for such Little quantity but i wanted to make it..and it came out good..but still purchasing from local market is cheaper with no effort
Sure. Cheesemaking is not always the cheaper option. A typical Mozzarella yield is about 3/4 to 1 lb per gallon of milk. I'm so glad you shared your success with us 😀 Thanks for watching! Lisa
Hi Gina! This is a great question. Any thermophilic culture can be used in this recipe. Different species blends/commercial brands may result in a different taste, but any one out there will do the job! I like the flavor this one provides: cheesemaking.com/products/thermophilic-starter-culture-for-cheese-making?aff=35 (affiliate link). The cultures in this blend are: Streptococcus thermophilus Lactobacillus helveticus Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis NECM ships to many countries, but sometimes the overseas shipping can be very expensive. You can use this list of bacteria to help you find something similar in any cheesemaking store. Each company has its own proprietary blend of strains of bacteria, but this should get you close. Thank you for your confidence in my work! Happy cheesemaking, Lisa
Hi Lisa. I please need your advise. For a while it seems that my Gouda turns a little more tangy and not so firm, as i like. mine also has more "Mecanic" holes as I like. In your book on page 21 you tell that it could be of some Avance to use the adjunct culture Lactobacillus Helveticus, do I read this right, that it could be my best helper besides you😃. For some reason I have used the flora Danica , does this culture give a stronger taste. For changing my mesophillic cultuer here to the one you use C 101, I got into a little problem, I cannot find it here i Denmark, only one called D mm100. Id thar ok. Hope you can help me. My best chesse has for a long time been the ( Trible) Brie , made form your Videos/ book, it is world famous here in my little comunity. people tells mee that i tastes even better than Arla Foods " The white Lady"(Den hvide Dame) Best regarde Marianne Dal
Yes, it is totally worth it! I'm not sure what you mean by LFTS, but if it means Long Term Food Storage, yes indeed! Many, many homesteading viewers use this recipe to preserve their abundance of milk. Cheddar can age for a few years! Thanks for being here. Lisa
Yaaaaas! High five over the internet! Pizza is on the menu at your house tonight! Thanks for reporting your success- it really helps new viewers to the channel have the confidence that they, too, can make great cheese! For those interested in a print version of this recipe, this one, and most of the others from the channel, are in my book, Confident Cheesemaking, available on my website at www.cheese52.com Enjoy your delicious cheese! Lisa
As a truck driver, I have no time to do such things. I don't know if making cheese would even make the cut honestly. But I really enjoyed your video. Thanks so much. I have to mention this. I have a friend of a friend, who makes homemade wine. While I was watching I thought it would be cool to have my homemade cheese with his wine.
you always come back to home, To see Lisa in action. I so prefer your videos. I am making this one today and you have convinced me to wrap the cheese. You used coconut oil did it not leave that taste in it? The smell of the coconut oil concerns me. I might try olive or avocado oil. Do you still have to heat them up before using them? thanks, Lisa for all your talent.
I work in the dairy🥛🥚🐄cooler at Wal-Mart,yesterday I came across several gallons of milk that were frozen solid.Just wondering if it's O.K. Never hurts to do a little research. Love the kitty.♥😺
Hi Robert, assuming they were fresh, which I'm sure they were because of the volume Walmart goes through, and they were probably frozen for a short period of time, they would be fine to consume. Glad your research brought you here. Welcome to the channel! Lisa
Hi Deb! Non-homogenized milk can be found in local coops, farmers markets, and in the US, some Natural Grocers. I sometimes source it straight from the farm store, which for me is about 1.5 hours away. We make a fun day trip out of it. I recognize that, depending on your location, this product may be difficult to find. You can use pasteurized milk from the grocery store,just make sure it is not ultra pasteurized. You can find a detailed discussion on the different types of milk used in cheesemaking, as well as a helpful comparison chart in my book, "Confident Cheesemaking," available on my website at www.cheese52.com Have fun with this recipe! Best, Lisa
Hello my Tibetan cheese friend! As yes, yak's milk can certainly be used to make cheese, although it brings its own challenges to the process. Beyond the obvious- Yak's milk will produce a different taste and aroma from that of cow's milk, there are significant differences in the milk that you should be aware of: Compared to cow's milk, (for example, Holstein milk like I use), yak's milk is higher in both calcium and fat, and the size of the fat globules and casein micelles are larger than that of cow's milk. The relationship between the composition of yak's milk and how it coagulates the milk is different that that of cow's milk. Here's how these differences may affect your process, as you follow cow's milk recipes- like this one. 1. The higher calcium content may produce a firmer cheese result, and it may increase the rate of coagulation. Calcium is needed for coagulation, and yak's milk has a relatively high calcium content compared to cow's milk. 2. The fat content is much higher than that of cow's milk- so it will help produce a higher yield. The size of the fat globules are larger than cow's milk may result in more moisture retention during curd pressing. 3. The casein micelles (curd protein) are larger than cow's milk and may result in a faster rate of curd formation and firmer curd. All of these milk components are interrelated, and together will have a compounding difference in your cheesemaking process. I hope this helps. I look forward to you reporting your cheesemaking results! Happy cheesemaking! Lisa
HI love the video and tips; however, I am a little confused. Recipe calls for one gallon of milk, video shows you poring two gallons of milk into the pot. Am I missing something?
Hello, Bill! Ah yes, I reviewed the video, and those milk jars look they could hold a gallon! Each jar holds 1/2 gallon of milk. The recipe is calls for one gallon of milk, which is why you see two 1/2 gallon jars in the video. Thanks for watching! Lisa
your cheese press studs need pulling apart they aren't central in the hole in the press board, this is stopping the full pressure of the weights you are using being as effective.
Hello Rod, Yes, I am well aware of this. For the weights to achieve their maximum effectiveness, the rods should not touch the sides of the holes on the board. Thankfully, the cheese survived. Thanks for watching. Lisa
Hi Debbie, Oh, that can be frustrating. There are several reasons why your mi.lk did not coagulate. I am not sure if raw milk was used or if purchased milk was used. I am assuming it was goat's milk because of the recipe you are using. (although cow, sheep, or buffalo molk would work fine too) Here are a few reasons molk doesn't coagulate: 1. Ultra pasteurized milk won't set a curd in rennet set cheeses like this one. Pasteurized goat's milk is almost always ultra pasteurized, so if you purchased it from the store, that may be a reason. Check the container to see if it contains the words ultra heat-treated, ultra pasteurized, UHT, or UP. 2. The rennet may be past its expiration date. 3. The milk was too warm or too cold during the coagulation step. Rennet does its best work at 86 - 90F. 4. The rennet was mixed into the diluted water too early before it was added to the milk. It's always best to dilute the rennet just before it is added to the milk. 5. Calcium chloride wasn't used for pasteurized milk. It's necessary to set a good curd for heat treated milk. (Pasteurization is different than Ultra Pasteurization. ) I hope this helps you troubleshoot why your curds didn't set a curd. Try again. You can do this! Lisa
Hello! This is a GREAT question. Short answer: No. Long answer: These ingredients are necessary to make this aged cheese. While they are common for cheesemaking, I recognize they can sound pretty foreign to the new cheesemaker! Let me walk you through these ingredients and why they are necessary. Cultures: This is good bacteria, added to the milk to provide flavor, aroma, and texture. They play a large role in increasing down the acidity, which is necessary for cheesemaking. Calcium chloride: This is an optional ingredient if raw milk is being used. This restores calcium lost during pasteurization, which is necessary to set a strong curd. Rennet: This is an enzyme which coagulates the milk. Most of this enzyme drains away with the drained whey. While the cheese ages, the remaining enzymes left in the curd break down the protein, which promotes flavor and texture development. For this reason, acids, such as vinegar, lemon juice, citric acid, etc. are not suitable coagulants for aged cheese. Annatto: This is a natural coloring, made from the seeds of an achiote tree. It is flavorless in these amounts, and is used to provide a yellow to orange hue in the cheese, depending on the amount used. It is optional. Non Iodized Salt: Salt plays a pivotal role in stopping the acidity from continuing, flavor development, texture development, and in some cases, rind development. It also retards unwanted bacteria from flourishing. Any non-iodized salt is fine, however Himalayan salt can taint the cheese a pinkish color - which makes it hard to discern from unwanted pink mold, so it is not recommended. This information was taken from my Chapter 3 of my book, 'Confident Cheesemaking", available through my website at www.cheese52.com. Visit the site for information how to order ingredients, the book, and for a free printable cheesemaking recipe. I hope this helps, and happy cheesemaking! Lisa
What does Calcium carbonate do for the cheese? I didn’t have any of that or annato for color, and was using fresh raw goat milk so skipped the “mesophilic culture” too. I’ll see if just following the heating and turning makes the cheese without the “extras.”(white cheddar? Or white cheese of another kind)
Hello! There are GREAT questions! Get ready for an information dump! Annatto is used to color the cheese. Without it, you are making White Cheddar. It is totally optional. It is NOT necessary to add calcium chloride to RAW milk. Calcium chloride is added to PASTEURIZED milk to restore the calcium lost during the heat treatment because calcium is necessary to set a good curd. Cheese culture is necessary good bacteria and is responsible for creating flavor, aroma, and texture. After the cheesemaking process is complete, some of those bacteria remain in the cheese while it ages, and they are partially responsible for creating flavor over time. The amount of bacteria already available in your raw milk depends on many factors, such as breed of animal, time of year, stage of lactation, and the area in which the animal lives (terroir). It is not possible to know how much good culture (bacteria) is available in your raw milk. For that reason, raw milk users need to add culture. Most of my raw cheesemaking friends reduce the amount of culture suggested in pasteurized milk recipes, such as this one, by 20-40%. You'll need to experiment to determine the right amount for your process. Given this knowledge, I highly recommend adding culture to the milk, even if raw milk is used. While it is true that raw milk contains some natural good culture, there is not enough of it to create a colony large enough to do the work it needs to do. In other words, it is likely that raw milk without added culture cannot create enough acidity necessary for cheesemaking to be successful. All of this information, plus answers to so many other cheesemaking questions can be found in my book, "Confident Cheesemaking", available on my website at www.cheese52.com. You will discover a fountain of knowledge! I hope this helps, and happy cheesemaking :) Lisa
Da casalinga molto brava, volevo farle solo degli appunti: come prima cosa vedo che ha utilizzato tutto in acciaio e sterilizzato e poi ha maneggiato la cagliata con gli anelli al dito, quest'ultimi sono portatori di carica batterica, poi ha messo il formaggio sottovuoto a stagionare ,😂 non stagiona il formaggio sottovuoto, deve stare aperto. Comunque. Brava
Hello! Yes, you bring up an excellent point- hand jewelry can harbor bacteria. Always remove rings and bracelets before you begin to make cheese. You cannot imagine how difficult it is to get every single detail perfect, every single time, on video. There is always something missed, and there is always someone who points out the mistake. That is the life of a RU-vidr! Thanks for watching, and thanks for being here, Lisa
Sure! I am happy to explain. They are very similar. Both cheeses are fresh cheeses (not aged) that use acid and high temperatures to coagulate the milk. Ricotta is not pressed and has a thick, creamy, somewhat grainy texture, while Paneer is pressed, then cut into cubes. Both are typically used as ingredients in food. As you know, Paneer is added to soups or curries, or grilled on skewers, while Ricotta is used in both desserts, like cannoli, or savory dishes, like lasagna. Ricotta is an Italian cheese. It's name, in Italian means, " re-cooked". This is because real Ricotta is made from the whey leftover from the process of making aged cheese. The leftover whey is cooked to a high temperature. Any remaining casein protein left in the whey rises to the top, which is then skimmed off. The skimmed cheese is the Ricotta. Ricotta can be also made with whole milk. Technically, it's not true Ricotta, but it is delicious, none the less. You can search in RU-vid, "Cheese52 Ricotta" to find my video that shows you how to make Ricotta with either leftover whey or whole milk. Regarding the process of making Ricotta vs Paneer: Any acid added to the milk will coagulate it. The acid choices for cheesemaking include vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice and citric acid. Pick a video or recipe that resonates with you and follow the process. You will soon find a method that work best for you! I hope this helps. Lisa
