Cream Cheese

Ingredients

• ●950 ml (4 cups / 1 quart) whole milk (not ultra-pasteurized)
• ●240 ml (1 cup) heavy cream
• ●2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ●60 ml (¼ cup) plain yogurt with live cultures (or 1/8 tsp mesophilic culture)
• ●½ tsp fine sea salt

Method

1. Gently heat the milk and cream in a pot to 30°C (86°F) — barely warm to the touch.
2. Remove from heat. Stir in the yogurt and lemon juice. Cover the pot and let it sit at room temperature (21-24°C (70-75°F)) for 12-24 hours. The mixture will thicken to something resembling a loose yogurt.
3. Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Pour in the thickened mixture. Gather the cheesecloth and tie it into a bundle. Hang it over the bowl (tie it to a cabinet knob or wooden spoon across a pot) and let it drain in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.
4. Unwrap and transfer to a bowl. Add salt and mix with a spatula until smooth and creamy.
5. *Storage:** Refrigerator for 1-2 weeks in an airtight container.