Yes, you can make artisanal-quality cheeses at home by following these simple instructional videos. We'll explain each step and make some great home-made cheeses together. It's fun and you can share & eat what you make.
Even using store-bought milk, you can make all sorts of cheeses at home including mozzarella, cream cheese, mascarpone & ricotta, and more advanced cheese styles like feta, cheddar, brie, camembert, nabulsi, crottin, valencay, cambozola & blue! Mary Anne will walk you through making each cheese, step-by-step.
You will need MILK (cows', sheep's or goats' milk), salt & RENNET (either in liquid or tablet form). Order rennet & other supplies on-line from a reputable cheesemaking supply company to get good quality products. You may also need calcium chloride ("CaCl") and some bacterial and/or fungal cultures; cheeses are often made using bacteria & fungi which you can buy freeze-dried in powder form.
The calcium chloride I have is called pickle crisp and it doesn't say what percentage purity but at one point I had put a label on it that said 30 g of pellets +70 g of water equals 30% solution. Is this the equivalent of your demo?
I finally got the nerve to try it yesterday and when I tried to unmold to salt it it crumbled and looks like feta. Can I do something else with it or or did I waste 2 gallons of milk?😢😢
Sorry I just saw this message now. I would check the kind of milk you used. If you live in the States (I am in Canada), some of the pasteurized and homogenized milk there (I have heard) doesn't work well for cheesemaking. Try to find milk that is raw (best) or NON-homogenized and I suspect you will be more successful. Yes, you can probably make ricotta or feta with what you had. Put those curds into a mold to form them into a shape, if you haven't already.
Hello my dear. You are so amazing. I would love to make feta cheese but the only goat milk I find at Trader Joe or whole foods, Cherry Hill, NJ, is Ultra pasteurised. Can I use this milk for feta or should I blend with cow’s milk. I will appreciate your input.
Hello right back to you. Don't even bother with ultra-pasteurized milk. I have used goat milk from Whole Foods before and it worked though. Is it in the refrigerated section? If so, it may still be OK. It is the shelf-stable milk in cardboard boxes that is a no-no usually. Call the milk companies and directly ask them if their milks are good for cheesemaking--you'll get the answers you need. I did that.
The yeast is OPTIONAL. Leave it out if you do not have it. It is not the same a bread yeast. Ammonia can mean that the cheese is past its prime. Since you will be monitoring your home-made cheese at home, it is unlikely it will happen to you. It doesn't mean the cheese is inedible though.
Cheesecloth? What is the fabric that you are using? Is it a "cheesecloth" you bought from a local grocery store that has big holes between the fibres? Regular cheesecloth from a standard store is not suitable. In the video, I describe "butter muslin" fabric to be used or a thread-bare pillow case (which is in the video).
Very clear instructions and a nicely presented video. The only thing i would do differently is when straining the curd i would do so over a large bowl or a stockpot. Firstly you do not lose access to your sink and more importantly there are so many uses for whey it seems such a shame to waste it.
Here is some information exactly about that. Go to the 3 minutes, 30 second mark. and continue to listen about how to use kefir in cheesemaking. .... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-P06taxFH4MQ.html
Dear, here in my country the average temperatures around 26⁰C, but range between 15⁰C and 36⁰C throughout the year. In winter for two months the temp is 12C to 16C. Now Can I mature the cheddar cheese normally ? Or I have to keep it in a freezer with required temp ? Pls advise me. I am from Bangladesh.
That certainly is a challenge for so many of us. 26-36C is very, very warm. Some people I know have to buy small fridges where they can control the temperature and humidity specifically for their cheeses. There is no way around it. You need to find a solution to keep your cheeses cool. Perhaps a big cooler with frozen water bottles near your cheeses, but this seems like quite a hassle and is not a long term solution.
@@md.shorifulislam8366 I am not sure about places where you are from, however you could look up "Cheese Academy" on the internet. I think they have some courses on-line. Also, order every cheesemaking book you can find and read through the, It's a start. Good luck!
Hi Mary Anne, can some off the cultures have different names? I’m in Australia and l have cultures that say on the packet what cheeses there for. But they don’t have written on them some off things you ask for if that makes sense? How can l send you a picture off my cultures lol so you can tell me if there the same thing? Its bit confusing starting off 😂
Here's what I do... I go on-line and I enter the name of the product I have. It will take me to the information page about the product and I look into the Details/Description section, where it gives me the names of the bacteria inside the product, likely something like "lactobacillus lactis..." (there can be 1,2,3 or more bacteria in a sachet/container). I compare that to the list to what bacteria I need (I also look that product up too). Usually it is most important to get bacteria that make acid, however sometimes (like in Flora Danica), there are bacteria that make acid AND add flavour (like a buttery taste). I suggest you join the facebook Group "Cheesemaking at Home" and you can ask further questions about cultures on that page if you want more info. We are a wonderful group there!
Thank you for this video, I am just starting my cheese making journey and found this to be very easy to follow. I do have one question I live in a small condo so I have no extra places where I can age the cheddar - what are your thoughts of vacuum sealing and placing in the warmest part of the fridge to age
That is not ideal, but if it is your only option, then go ahead. Make sure you dry that cheese for a full week before you vacuum seal it, or you will trap too much moisture. Some people end up buying a little mini fridge where they can control the temperature and they use it just for their cheeses, once they are addicted to this hobby.
@@GiveCheeseaChance Funny you should say once they are addicted - Once I saw another one of your videos that makes Cambazola cheese (my favorite cheese! ) I believe I am already addicted , I have been already looking up small bar fridges, do I have to look for a fridge that controls humidity as well? and have found the same dairy for the unhomogenized milk it is fairly close by- I have to say I really enjoy your videos, your instructions with tips really helps to insure our success. I have had one question in all the videos I have watched (its probally just me) When you let the milk sit for say 90mins or less is the burner on low? or off?
@@wendyhaynes7535 Thanks for your lovely feedback! To answer your question... while having a fridge that allows you to control humidity would be amazing, usually a person has to do this manually by keeping some water in a bowl in the fridge or a couple of damp paper towels in the box with your cheeses. That is what I do. To answer your next question... The burner is OFF once you have heated the milk to the temperature you want. Milk tends to hold its temperature for quite a while, so I may check the temperature every 30 minutes, and if it needs 30 seconds of heat added to bring it back up to the right temperature, then I may add some heat. However, in reality, there is a temperature RANGE which is good for cheesemaking and the temperature I give in the videos I make is smack dab in the middle of that range. Even if the temp drops a couple of degrees, no biggie.
I am in love with this tutorial!!! My dilemma is this: I live in Georgia and I have a basement but in the summer the basement won't reach that cool temp needed. Any suggestions or directions?
I have that exact same problem, my basement cold room temperature fluctuates, which is why I have to keep moving my cheeses to cooler areas. If there is no other choice, I put them in my fridge, but I know that this is a temporary solution as it slows down bacterial function. You do what you can. We are home cheesemakers and it is hard to be perfect. We are not proper affiance facilities that have exact temperatures and exact humidity. It is still fun and rewarding though!
What do you mean by double strength rennet? Mine only says IMCU 300. I'm asking what you mean because I have asked others and they don't seem to agree! I need to know how it applies to your recipes. Thank you.
My liquid rennet also says IMCU 300 and I was told by the manufacturer/distributor that it is "double strength" (more concentrated than other typical liquid rennets). So if yours is the same as mine, please use the same amount I show in the video.
Thank you so much for your nice detailed descriptions! Very helpful and I think easy to follow. I have three questions for your kind attention. 1. Can I use mesophilic starter culture instead of feta culture? 2. Can I use cow’s raw mild instead of goats milk ? 3. You mentioned you kept your cheese in room temperature. What is your room temperature? Here it’s around 32 to 35. Thanks in advance ❤
Yes, you can use a meso culture instead of feta culture; try to buy feta culture at some point because it has all the stuff you need in there and it is so convenient, but it will still work Ok with a basic meso culture. You can use cows milk instead of goats milk but your yield will likely not be as high and the texture will be slightly different. Why don't you make the recipe the first time with the ingredients I use in the video and then the next time make the substitutions to see how the recipe turns out differently? I find goats milk works out the best. My room temperature is 21C. I think your room temperature is very warm but still it will work as it has for centuries in people's homes as they made feta.
You need high humidity (90-95%) to encourage the white mould to grow, and you still need high humidity (80-90%) even after the cheese is fully covered and wrapped in breathable cheese paper so it doesn't dry out over the coming weeks.
Thank you Mary-Ann, that’s very helpful. I’m based in Scotland, UK and your channel was recommended to me by my cheese-making supplies shop. I’m very grateful that they did. Thank you again
You can have success doing that if you are trying to transfer blue mould spores (I have done that), however you will not likely have success in transferring any bacteria from the blue cheese sample to your milk because most of the mesophyllic bacteria that were initially use to make that blue cheese have died off by the time the blue cheese reached the store and your home.
In the decades that I have made Nabulsi cheese, I have never added calcium to the brine. Never needed to. Not once. I have never had or made slimy Nabulsi cheese. Have you?
Thank you for the wonderful instructions. Would this same recipe proportions work for a “double-cream” Brie? Or do you have a recipe for double-cream Brie? Thank you.
@@camwhitman5425 My mistake. Apologies! I didn't pay enough attention when reading your initial comment and I thought you were referring to the triple cream cheese recipe, which is NOT the recipe you are asking about. So again, my mistake. You commented on a recipe for brie that is made with whole cows' milk and it does NOT have any cream added. I suggest you add some heavy cream to this recipe if you want it to have more fat (i.e. double cream brie). May I ask you to look at my triple cream recipe video? I think you will get the idea about how a brie/camembert-style cheese goes from a regular brie to a double/triple cream brie (Just make sure you keep your brie cheeses on the thinner/shorter size). Here is the link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-93D0VjbrEd8.htmlsi=Voe4kTUbiZvfMNMA
Calcium is like the GLUE binding the cheese together. If a milk is pasteurized, some of that calcium is lost. This is why we say, "If you use pasteurized milk, you need to add some calcium back into the milk for the curd to set better (after adding the rennet).
I know, right? I have seen other recipes on the internet where they think that cream cheese is made from milk and eggs! It's crazy. This recipe is great. Please follow the directions to the letter and you will have delicious REAL cream cheese.
I know, right? I have seen other recipes on the internet where they think that cream cheese is made from milk and eggs! It's crazy. This recipe is great. Please follow the directions to the letter and you will have delicious REAL cream cheese.
Hi Mary Anne. I stumbled across your videos a while ago, and love your teaching style. Do you know how to make Hellim/Halloumi? I would love to see a video of you doing it. ❤
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback. I appreciate it. I haven't yet made a video for halloumi--I am still working on some videos for 2024, so I will try to make one for halloumi in 2025. 🙂
I think salt is very important in cheesemaking. I would not omit or reduce the salt in home cheesemaking projects. Stay true to the recipe, ESPECIALLY the first time you are making a cheese at home. Salt improves the flavour ("brings out the flavour" may be a better expression); cheese would not have its wonderful flavours if salt was not used. Salt also mitigates bacterial activity and helps with longer term storage.
Interesting point, however it would have been immediately obvious since store-bought swiss has really big holes--virtually impossible to accomplish at home with a 4 lb cheese. It would have been obvious to the taste testers by sight alone. I am also comparing home-made cheese recipes to each other in the experiment.
OK so I got my cheeses to that stage, now what do I do with them? Do I wrap them to put them in the fridge? Do I leave them in the open like this? HELP!
If they are covered in white mould, you can start to eat them at anytime. They will continue to age if you keep them at 10C or 55 F (in a protective box so they don't dry out, wrapped or unwrapped) where they will get softer and smellier as the weeks go by. If you want to slow down their aging, then put them at a cooler temperature (like your normal refrigerator). By tasting one cheese every week, you will learn at what age & ripeness you like to eat this cheese the most. People are different, some people like it young and mild, others like it older, softer and smellier.
Hello Vicky, I don't think this cheese is meant to be aged for 6 months (more like 2 months). I advise you to check on it at the 6 week mark. Make sure it doesn't dry out by keeping it in a humid environment as it ages over the weeks as it matures.
I’m making feta and used raw milk just heated to 86°. I put it in a brine of non-iodized salt and water but my cheese started falling apart. What do I do?!?
Ask yourself, how did what I do differ from the recipe instructions. That is what I first ask myself if something goes wrong. Did you make any substitutions?
@@GiveCheeseaChance no, I didn’t. When I looked up other feta recipes they were more detailed than the one that came with the cheese making kit. I think I didn’t press it long enough. It seemed solid but when I put it in the brine it fell apart. I ended up having to throw it all away. I’ll experiment with cheaper milk another time.
Made this tiramisu recipe today (I always make my own mascarpone due to it being very easy (a lot of passive time) and cheaper than buying). The tiramisu was wonderfully creamy. I usually follow the recipe for cooking the egg/sugars, but just could not stand at a double boiler right now. It seems it might be creamier than the other--cooked egg/sugar--recipes I used before. Thanks for sharing!
You have convinced me to attempt to make some cheeses of my own before I return to living in the usa. I will miss all my cheeses here in europe and have decided to maybe change jobs and learn and work professionally.
That's fantastic news! Way to go! it will be a lot of fun and also a learning curve. Your friends will be happy with all the taste testing they will get to do.
الله يرحم والدتك ، إن كانت متوفية ، ويطول عمرها إن كانت عايشة . عزيزتي ، بليز ، مشان ربك ، أي لفظ لكلمة "محلب" عدا "مخلب" (يعني أي لفظ إلا طريقة اللفظ العبري الإسرائيلي، أبشع لفظ بالعالم كله). وشكرا على الفديو الجميل ويسلموا أيديك. الحرية لفلسطين.
@@GiveCheeseaChance Thanks for the reply. Actually it was not a question about Mahlab but an entreaty (😅) to you not to pronounce the /ح/ in the middle as a /kh/, the way Israelis do (you know, like Makhmoud, Khummos, and Khamas, etc.). /ح/ is a difficult sound to reproduce for non-Arabic speakers, so a sharp /h/ is closer and much, much better than the Israeli /kh/. Thank you again for a lovely channel that champions Palestinian cuisine, and cheese, of course 🙂.
She said that the recipes were not tried and tested, but people kept copying the recipes as their own without truly understanding how cheesemaking works. But you can reach out to her and ask her. She is very friendly. She has a web site with contact info.
I wanted a nice tangy cheese to use as a spread, and I thought this might work. It did! I made a quarter recipe - 2 litres of milk - and used a little bit more rennet and I'm glad I did because the curd was very loose in spite of it. I transferred it to cheese cloth anyway, and salted it halfway through while it was still very runny. To my delight I got exactly what I was hoping for! After a couple of hours in the fridge the texture was nice and firm. And the yield was very good at 325 g (16%). I did not add garlic nor did I make balls, I just packed it in a nice bowl. Thanks for the recipe!
I am in the middle of the process of making this brie, guided step by step with your tutorial! Realy great to follow your video! However, now on day 10 my Brie hasnt got a full coverage ol mold yet...In your tutorail you mentioned that around the 14 day mark, it should be completely covered...should I just extend the time before wrapping? Or can I wrap before it's fully covered?
Hello! If you have started to see the white mould growth, then it is just a matter of days for the whole thing to be covered. I would wait until the happens before it is wrapped. (In fact, it is not mandatory to wrap the cheeses, but it certainly makes it less prone to drying out.).So wait a few more days. Once it starts, it gets covered pretty quickly.
@@GiveCheeseaChance Thanks so much for your answer Mary Anne! I will do just that...wait a little longer! And thank you so much for doing these great tutorials! I am a "new" cheese maker from The Netherlands/Holland (started last year)...using Gouda recipe as my basis for different flavoured cheeses. Getting into a new process, and trying to make other cheeses is turning out to be a little "addictive"😅I will let you know how MY first BRIE Ever turns out!
