An alternative cream cheese recipe which easily adapts to making the lucious and tasty “Couer A La Creme” cheese.
This recipe may be used to make a classic Coeur a la Crème, which is served as a dessert cheese with fruits or jam, and will also keep for at least a week in the fridge. This recipe makes approximately 1½ pounds of sweet cream cheese. (for more how-to and favourite recipes such as how to make cottage cheese, Boursin cheese, yogurt cheese, Tomato Ice Cream, Lavender cookies, etc, check betweenclosefriends.com under the ‘Recipe’ category.)
2 ½ cups half and half cream
2 ½ cups whipping c ream
1 vanilla bean
¼ cup sugar
¼ rennet tablet
2 T buttermilk
- Combine the creams, vanilla bean and the sugar in a large heavy saucepan.
- Heat until it is scalded.
- Remove the vanilla bean and let the cream mixture cool to lukewarm.
- Dissolve the rennet in 1 T water, and stir into the cream mixture. Add the buttermilk and pour it into a large glass bowl.
- Let set in a cool place (not the fridge, for at least 4 to 5 hours or until cooled and set.
- Place a colander in a bowl and line the colander with a large piece of muslin or cheesecloth.
- Spoon the cream mixture carefully into the muslin.
- Tie the ends of the muslin together into a knot, then secure the knot over a hook and hang in a cool place.
- Place a bowl under the bag to catch the dripping whey, for 48 hours. Do not refrigerate.
- Turn the sweet cream cheese out into a bowl.
To make Coeur a la Crème: Follow the above recipe, then:
11. Spoon the cheese into 6 cheesecloth-lined Coeur a la crème mold or a cheese cloth-lined sieve, then fold cheesecloth over the top.
12. Place it on a jelly roll pan and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
13. Remove the cream cheese from the molds, then remove the cheesecloth carefully.
14. Arrange these cheese hearts (Coeur a la crèmes), on a platter and serve with fresh fruits mounded in the center.
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