Mediterranean Garlic & Herb Cream Cheese in Olive Oil
Author: What's-4-Chow
Recipe type: Cheese
Cuisine: Mediterranean
This unique garlic and herb cream cheese is rolled into little balls and preserved in olive oil. This cheese compliments any table and is also a great gift for friends and loved ones. This recipe makes a full kilogram or 2.2 pounds of cream cheese at a fraction of the cost of store bought products. For more great "Learn to Cook" video demonstrations, please subscribe to our channel!
Ingredients
- 4lt Full cream milk
- 4Tsp Citric acid, dissolved in 250ml of hot water
- ½ Tbs Cheese salt (or Kosher salt / non-iodated sea salt)
- 1Tsp Garlic powder
- Olive oil
- Dried Italian herb mix
- 250ml / 1 cup Cultured sour cream
- 4 x 330ml Glass preserving jars
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the milk over medium low heat until the temperature reaches 90c or 194f
- Remove the pot from the heat and pour in half of the citric acid solution while stirring the milk
- The curds will start to separate from the whey, but the whey will still be cloudy
- Continue to add small amounts of the citric acid, little by little, stirring continuously, until the whey is totally clear
- Line a large colander with cheese cloth or butter muslin and strain the curds from the whey. Discard the whey.
- Fold the cloth over the cheese, place a plate on top of the cloth, place a weight on top of the plate. A weight of around 2-2.5kg (4.4-5lb) will be fine. A bag of sugar, rice or salt will do.
- Allow the cheese to press and drain for 20 minutes
- Transfer the cheese to a large mixing bowl and briefly break up the curds with a spatula
- Pour in the sour cream and mix it in thoroughly
- Add the salt and garlic powder and mix them in thoroughly
- Sterilize the jars in your dishwasher on the hottest setting
- Pour a little olive oil into the bottom of each jar
- Sprinkle a thin layer of Italian herb mix onto a flat plate
- pick up a slightly heaped teaspoon of cheese with 2 teaspoon and compress the cheese
- Drop the cheese onto the plate and using your fingers, lightly press the cheese into a ball, then drop it into one of the jars. Repeat this until all the jars are full, topping up the oil as you go.
- Top all of the jars up until all of the cheese is covered with oil and close the jars.
Notes
- This cheese will last indefinitely in your refrigerator, and will improve with age.