Recipe: Homemade Kefir Cream Cheese
Have some extra kefir on your hands? Try turning it into delicious cream cheese in a few simple steps!
What you'll need
- 2 cups of homemade kefir with the kefir grains already removed
- Clean cheesecloth
- Weck jar and lid
- Elastic band
- Plate or shallow container that is wider than the jar
Instructions
- After making your kefir as you normally would, set it aside in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours to allow it set separate into thick white curds and clear liquid whey. When it is ready, you will see clear liquid whey take up approximatley the bottom half of the jar.
- Use the cheesecloth to create a sieve over the mouth of a clean empty Weck jar, securing it with an elastic. You will want your cheesecloth to drop deep enough into the jar to hold the thick white curds and have a little extra room to spare at the top when you place the lid on.
- Pour the kefir through the cheesecloth and into the Weck jar. The cheesecloth will hold the thick white curds, which will become your cream cheese, while the whey drips to the bottom of the jar.
- Place the glass lid over top of the cheesecloth (no need to secure it) and put the entire jar on a plate or in a shallow container. If you don't use the plate or container, whey will drip from the edges of the cheesecloth that are overhanging the jar and make a small mess (learned this the hard way).
- Place everything in the fridge until all of the whey has dripped out and the contents of the cheesecloth is thick and spreadable. This typically takes between 12 to 24 hours but keep checking on it! Sometimes you need to empty the jar before it's ready to make sure the accumulating whey doesn't reach the cheesecloth.
- Once it's ready, scoop your homemade cream cheese out of the cloth and place it in a glass or plastic container. Season it to taste with salt and any flavouring you want (hint: herbs or garlic). Store it in the fridge and enjoy!
Tips
- Save the whey! It is high in protein and can be used in smoothies, soups or even for baking.