HOMEMADE YOGURT CHEESE Source: Cooking With Yogurt: The Complete Cookbook for Indulging With the World's Healthiest Food by Judith ChoateOne cup yogurt will yield approximately 1/3 cup yogurt cheese. Yogurt cheese isn’t really cheese. It is simply yogurt that has been drained of most of its liquid to form a soft, spreadable yogurt not unlike cream cheese, for which it is a terrific replacement! Line a sieve or colander with a piece of damp muslin, a triple layer of damp cheesecloth, or any other clean, moist, white cotton cloth, or use a pliable plastic tunnel made especially for this purpose. Pour yogurt into the prepared sieve or colander and place it over a bowl to drain for 8 hours for soft cheese, or up to 12 hours for very firm cheese. When cheese has set, remove from cloth and gently press into desired shape or container. Cover and refrigerate. Yogurt cheese will keep. covered and refrigerated, for up to I week. Do not discard drained yogurt liquid (the nutrient-rich whey), as it can be used as a replacement for milk or water in almost any recipe. Variation: Any flavored yogurt (such as lemon or vanilla) can he used to make cheese as long as it contains no gelatin or chopped fruit.
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