BASICS,  EGGLESS,  VEGETARIAN

Say CHEESE! The simplest and probably cheapest way to make mascarpone at home

2009/08/30 / 107 Comments

“Cheese – milk’s leap toward immortality.”
Clifton Fadiman

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Say cheese and faces light up. Big smiles all around. Cheese is a universal pleaser, a crowd puller, with few and far between who don’t fall for it’s cheesy charm. I’ve been on a soft cheese trip for a while, using my spare time trying to make mascarpone, ricotta, quark, cottage cheese etc at home. So when I got invited by Foodbuzz to post this month, I had this big SMILE!! SAY CHEESE!! lasagna

I made cottage cheese, mascarpone, ricotta, quark and mozzarella. All, but the last, were outstanding. I had little luck with the mozzarella as it didn’t get stretchy and ‘taffy like’. It reached some in between point, which could be used, but I don’t think I’ll attempt making it again. The other four were very very good, and even though I’ve made them before, I attempted a few with a different recipe. I stuck to the quark recipe though …a wonderful one from Arwen @ HogletK .

mlassiIMG 1564
Mango Lassi
This is my own little recipe, as I love to use vanilla sugar in food now. My Mom used crushed ice to make cold coffee when we were young. We had a strong canvas bag and a mallet next to the blender at all times!
Ingredients:
Flesh of 2 large mangoes
500 gms low fat yogurt
6-7 tbsps of vanilla sugar (adjust if required)
10 cubes of ice, crushed
Method:
Whiz all the ingredients in the blender till smooth.
Serve in tall glasses, garnished with sprig of mint, or keep chilled until required. Can be made the previous night.
Note: use regular sugar instead of vanilla sugar if you like.
Serves 4-6

I’ve made some refreshing Mango Lassi since the post is all about dairy products, so come grab a glass, & let’s SAY CHEESE!

IMG 7966+(2)

Characterized by a mild, clean taste, and soft texture, fresh cheese is simple to make. They are unripened, rindless cheeses, which vary in consistency from the creamy and smooth – fromage frais, cream cheese and mascarpone, to thicker curd mixtures – ricotta, pot cheese and cottage cheese. The fat content varies, with many low fat and skimmed milk recipe versions available.

Mascarpone is a fresh (i.e. not aged or ripened) soft cows’ milk cheese which originated from Lombardy, Italy. Technically speaking, it is not cheese as it is produced by a culture being added to the cream which has been removed during the production of Parmesan. However it is generally described as a curd cheese. Once the culture has been added, the cream is heated and left to thicken. It has a creamy white colour, a slightly sweet taste making it highly suitable for desserts, and a soft, dense, texture which can be easily spread.MascarponeIMG 7699 Mascarpone

Recipe adapted from Addicted Sweet Tooth
Ingredients:
1 litre cream (I used 25% low fat cream; you can use 36% whipping cream)
2 tbsp fresh lime/lemon juice ( juice of 1 ½ limes approx)

collageMethod:
Heat the cream over a waterbath / double boiler until it reaches 180ºF/82ºC
Stir in the lime/lemon juice and keep at this temperature for a few moments longer until it starts to thicken.
Remove from heat, cover, and let sit at room temperature until it is cooled down a bit.
Refrigerate over night. The next day it will have thickened further.
Pour it in a strainer lined with multiple layers of cheesecloth or clean towel. Refrigerate for about 24 hours to let the whey drain

Traditional, creamy, vegetarian, quark is fresh cheese made from cow’s milk, which is moist and white. It has a light taste and a smooth and soft texture. Quark simply means “curd” in German and the cheese is said to date from the Iron Age. Quark can be made from whole, skimmed or semi-skimmed milk or even buttermilk. Soft and moist, like a cross between yogurt and fromage frais, it should taste lemon-fresh.QuarkIMG 4043Homemade Quark (Curd Cheese)
adapted from recipe @ HogletK
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cultured buttermilk
3 1/2 cups full cream milk

quark

Method:
If your milk is not pasteurised you should bring it to the boil, then allow it to cool to room temperature (covered with a lid).
Stir the buttermilk into the milk in a container you can cover.
Put the container in a warm place. Allow the culture to proceed for ~24 hours, or until the curds and whey separate. At first the milk will look grainy, and eventually the curds will float on the whey. The grainy stage is probably sufficient, but might give a lower yield.
Dampen a clean tea towel and use it to line a sieve. Place the sieve over a basin. Pour the curds and whey into the strainer. Bring the tea towel together so that it covers your quark and do it up with a rubber band. Place the entire draining apparatus in the fridge.
Allow to drain in the fridge overnight, or for 24 hours. The drained quark should have a consistency similar to sour cream, but it has a more sour taste.

 
Traditional, whey cheese made from cow’s milk, it is a basin-shaped cheese, pure white and wet but not sticky. Good Ricotta should be firm, not solid and consist of a mass of fine, moist, delicate grains, neither salted nor ripened. It is white, creamy and mild, and is primarily used as an ingredient in lasagna. Ricotta has a creamy white colour, a slightly sweet taste making it highly suitable for desserts, and a texture similar to some cottage cheeses though generally lighter. ricotta Homemade Ricotta Cheese
Recipe posted by David Lebovitz of DavidLebovitz.com
Ingredients:
2 quarts whole milk
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
Optional: 1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Method:
In a large pot, bring the milk, yogurt, heavy cream (if using), vinegar, and salt to a boil. Very gently boil for one to two minutes, until the milk is curdled.
Meanwhile, line a strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth and set it over a deep bowl.
Pour the milk mixture into the strainer and let drain for 15 minutes. Gather the cheesecloth around the curds and squeeze gently to extract any excess liquid.
Storage: Homemade ricotta is best served slightly warm, although it can be refrigerated for up to three days, if desired.
Makes 2 cups.
 
Mozzarella is a unique Italian cheese, traditionally made from the milk of the water buffalo. It should be eaten within days, and is delicious melted on pizzas, sliced in rounds for salads, and in numerous other culinary applications. The cheese itself is very mild, tasting slightly tangy and slightly sweet, with strong milky overtones.mozarella You can find the recipe here at Saveur.com. It’s a ’30 minute Mozzarella’ with lengthy instructions, but didn’t work for me. The recipe does have a good rating though. It’ll be a while before I venture this way again! moz
Cottage cheese or Paneer refers a type of cheese that was originally found in the area that today encompasses Iran, India and Pakistan. This cheese is used in curried dishes and is very popular, when wrapped in dough and fried and is delightful for snacking. Since it is a high protein food, this cheese is often substituted for meat in many vegetarian entrees of Indian cuisine. It is commonly used in curried dishes.
Cottage+CheeseIMG 9289
Herbed Cottage Cheese / Paneer
Ingredients:
3.5 litres whole milk
3 tbsp white vinegar
Method:
Bring 3.5 litres of milk to a boil, add 3 tbsp of white vinegar to it, & stir constantly till small curd form & whey becomes translucent.
You should get milky whey. Strain through cheesecloth/ soup strainer and then transfer to box to set. Leave on counter for 30 minutes with weight to get rid of excess liquid, then leave in fridge overnight with weight on top.
Unmold it, rinse under cool water, place in bowl, cover with water & refrigerate until use, or use immediately.

Let’s head for the table…

soft+cheese+collagrfull+menu

…and soft cheese is on the menu today. I attempted to incorporate it into our meal in as many ways as possible. Must admit I never realized it was such a versatile option! When I started working with so many in tandem, I reached a point where I had to knock things off the menu to avoid overloading the table!! Here we go…

The warm smell of fresh baguettes baking wafts through the house. Crostini is on the menu…Quark+Cream+CheseIMG 8132

Quark & Mascarpone Cream Cheese
Whisk ½ cup quark + 1 heaped tbsp mascarpone + 2 cloves of minced garlic + salt to taste in a bowl.
Toast slices of baguettes brushed with olive oil. Top with cream cheese, cream cheese, mozzarella & sliced tomatoes, or, cream cheese and pesto. You can find a wonderful recipe for Almost No Knead Baguette here (A King Arthur Flour recipe).IMG 8371

Another wonderful way to use quark is in cheesecake or as fillings in regular cakes. I used it in an Almond Nut Torte with Peaches & Plums , and also in a Dobostorte
A delightful and addictive bread, versatile & a certain winner! it’s easy to make, you can even make a sweet version with ricotta, candied fruit & orange water. This is one I make often.IMG 0333French Fougasse with Ricotta, Walnuts & Romesco
adapted from The Practical Encyclopaedia of Baking, pg 444
Ingredients:
450gms all purpose flour
280ml warm water
20gms fresh yeast
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp sea salt
200gms homemade ricotta
1/2 cup Romesco sauce
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Olive oil for brushing
Method:
Take 4 tbsps of water from the 280ml, & dissolve the fresh yeast into it. Stir the salt & 2 tbsp olive oil into the remaining water.
Make a well with the flour, & pour the dissolved yeast & water mixture into it. Knead to a dough, kneading further on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes, till it gets smooth & elastic.
Place in an oiled bowl, cover the bowl with cling wrap & leave in a warm place for about an hour until doubled.
Punch down & divide into 4 balls of dough (or 2 if you have a big oven)
Roll out to about an 8″ circle, brush with 1/4 of the Romesco, sprinkle with 1/4 of the walnuts, & 1/4 of the crumbled ricotta. Season lightly with salt.
Fold over the dough 2-3 times on itself to incorporate the stuffing. Shape each back into a ball.
Flatten each & fold the bottom third up, & top third down to make an oblong.
Roll into ovals with a flat base, cut slits diagonally, three on each side. Pull slightly to open the cuts.
Place on oiled baking sheets. Cover with cling wrap & leave to double for 35-40minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220C, brush the loaves with olive oil, & bake for approximately 25-30 minutes till golden brown. Cool on racks. Serve warm or at room temperature.

It’s fun to serve slabs of cottage cheese grilled in different ways. If I make regular plain cottage cheese, I sometimes give it a Middle Eastern marinade, & serve it with cherry tomatoes. I also like using it as a savoury filling in lentil pancakes.

MascarponeIMG 9577

Grill slabs of herbed cottage cheese on a very hot grill pan brushed with oil. Carefully flip over & grill the other side too. serve hot with romesco sauce.

Note: Always serve grilled cottage cheese or paneer tikkas hot, straight off the fire/oven, because they tend to get rubbery as they get cold.

 

Here’s a chicken ricotta pesto lasagna, adapted from a vegetarian version of Pesto Lasagna from channel4.com. It’s a great lasagna, made interesting with the addition of pesto. It’s a wonderful make ahead recipe. Another good recipe, my fave so far is the Chicken Ricotta Lasagna, which can be found here.

LasagnaIMG 8470

Chicken Ricotta Pesto Lasagna
Adapted from Pesto Lasagna Recipe @ Channel4.com
Ingredients
200g fresh basil leaves, plus extra to serve
200g toasted almonds
6 garlic cloves, chopped roughly
200ml fruity extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp
250g homemade ricotta, drained
1 quantity quick tomato sauce
1 quantity bechamel
500-750gms cooked chicken mince
200gms homemade mozarella
1 tsp salt
20 lasagne sheets

cats+(2)

Method:
Put the basil, almonds, garlic, a good pinch of salt and 200ml olive oil into a food processor and pulse to give a uniform and creamy consistency. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the ricotta.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C. Cook the sheets of lasagna, and lay out flat on kitchen towels. Reserve a little pasta water.
Loosen the pesto with a little of the pasta cooking water. Spread a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce in the base of a deep 1-litre ovenproof dish. Arrange 4 lasagne sheets on top. Spread some pesto-ricotta, some chicken mince, followed with bechamel.
Repeat 5 times, finishing with a layer of mozzarella. Bake for 15-20 minutes, covered, until cooked through and hot.
Meanwhile, preheat the grill to high.
Grill for a 5-7 minutes, until golden. Cut into wedges and serve garnished with a scattering of basil leaves.

A meal without spuds, is a meal incomplete. I used some mozarella in the lasagna and some in the crostini. The remaining went in here. Spuds we loved … full of garlicy & cheesy flavour. To keep fibre in the meal, these green beans tossed in a mix of quark and olive oil were good.

Potato+%26+BeansIMG 0510

Potato croquettes
Mash some boiled potatoes. Mix in grated mozarella, minced garlic, salt & pepper. Roll into crouqttes & shallow fry on low heat till brown on all sides.
Green beans
Toss blanched green beans in a mixture of roasted garlic, olive oil and a little quark.Serve warm / room temperature.

Clear the deck… MAKE ROOM FOR DESSERT!

Desserts+with+mascarpone

This was the most fun part of the cheesy tale. I put together a variety of desserts with mascarpone cheese as the base, oscillating between my two loves – coffee & fruit. I made a tiramisu using a batch of failed macarons, then a mango mascarpone budini using the same crisp almond cookies, and two ‘faux’ mascarpone panna cottas too. ‘Faux’ because panna cotta is cooked cream & I didn’t cook the cream here. There is a lot of variety you can get together in desserts using mascarpone.

1

For both the tiramisu and budini, I just whipped up the mascarpone with vanilla sugar.
Mango Mascarpone Budini
adapted from this recipe @ Epicurious.com
Crumble some macarons into the base of an ice cream/dessert bowl. Top with mascarpone. Add chopped mango pieces. Cover with a layer of mascarpone. Just before serving, top with roughly crumbled macarons.

desserts Tiramisu
Line a desert ring with parchment paper & place it on a lined tray. Make a layer of crumbled macarons, sprinkling of strong coffee, layer of mascarpone. Repeat twice, ending with mascarpone. Leave to set at least 6-8 hours. Dust with cocoa just before serving. Mascarpone Panna Cotta
Soften 1 tsp gelatin over 3 tbsp of cream.
Whisk 250gms of mascarpone, 200ml low fat cream (-3 tbsp) with the vanilla sugar. Strain the softened gelatin into this, & whisk till well blended. Divide into 2.
For the mango panna cotta, gently fold in some chopped mangoes, reserving a few pieces to make a sauce for the top if required.
For the coffee panna cotta, line the base of some silicon cases with crumbled macarons. Drizzle over some strong coffee. Top with whipped mascarpone. Leave to set for 6-8 hours, or better still, overnight.mango+mousse+mkng

Thank you for being part of my new found love. Hope you had a cheesy good time!

Posted by Deeba @ PAB

About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.

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107 Comments

  • Pari

    2009/08/30 at 6:24 pm Reply

    Deeba, that's an absolutely incredible work. Keep it up.I got my milk thermometer recently, have to try them.

  • Rosa's Yummy Yums

    2009/08/30 at 6:34 pm Reply

    What a fantastic post! You've really outdone yourself here… Wonderful!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  • Kamran Siddiqi

    2009/08/30 at 6:47 pm Reply

    What a great post, Deeba! You've covered all of my favorite cheeses! Also, I have never tried making my mango lassis with vanilla sugar. I definitely have to try it…

  • Tabitha

    2009/08/30 at 8:30 pm Reply

    Amazing! A friend of mine and I tried making mozzarella but were a bit disappointed with the final result. It is encouraging that you had so much luck with the other kinds. What was the yield on the mascarpone? It looks fabulous!

  • glamah16

    2009/08/30 at 8:37 pm Reply

    Wonderful.Cheesemaking is so much fun and Im glad youbtaclked this. I need to get back to making cheese and I will be referencing this post often.

  • Gloria

    2009/08/30 at 9:42 pm Reply

    And think this post is really amazing and beauty as always dear Deeba, is amazing, I love mascarpones is one of my favorite cheese and you made it!!!I dont have words, the pictures are wonderful too!!! xxxGloria

  • OysterCulture

    2009/08/30 at 9:44 pm Reply

    There is just so much incredible good stuff going on here, I have no idea how I will take it all in, but its getting bookmarked so I can enjoy it in leisure.

    Thanks for sharing all of this wonderful stuff.

  • Julie (Willow Bird Baking)

    2009/08/30 at 9:51 pm Reply

    Deeba what an absolutely OUTSTANDING post!! I just made some little plum tortes with ricotta frosting — SO WISH I HAD MADE MY OWN!! Next time! Thanks for this.

  • Barbara Bakes

    2009/08/30 at 10:05 pm Reply

    I think you've outdone yourself on this post! So much great information and yet still beautiful!

  • Palidor

    2009/08/30 at 10:20 pm Reply

    Oh Deeba, you're incredible! I can't believe you made 4 types of cheese! And thank you for showing how you made them. I love ricotta cheese, but didn't know the process for making it at home. Now I realize that I've been doing it all along, as that's how I make ras malai!

  • Bellini Valli

    2009/08/30 at 11:27 pm Reply

    What an incredible feast any of these cheeses would make Deeba. I have tried my hand at making paneer which may be what you refer to as cottage cheese…no matter…. I am sure it was all delicious!!

  • Richa

    2009/08/30 at 11:51 pm Reply

    Wow.. Amazing and outstanding post.. That is a whole lot of inspiration for us new food bloggers and part time kitchen adventurers:). Keep up the great work!.. love the presentation, the amazing range of dishes you made with all the cheese.. love everything about it!.

  • noble pig

    2009/08/31 at 12:49 am Reply

    You are just amazing. I don't even know know what to say except holy cow! That is serious dedication to cooking my friend!

  • Madhuli

    2009/08/31 at 3:39 am Reply

    What an incredible post.Specially for me since we don't get most of the cheese readymade!thanks!Love all your recipes but now you are HMCG (Home-Made Cheese goddess) :)Thanks a lot and keep the recipes coming!

  • 5 Star Foodie

    2009/08/31 at 4:46 am Reply

    Wow, all these homemade cheeses are fantastic and the dishes that you made with the cheeses are just outstanding! An excellent 24,24,24 post, wow!

  • ♥♥♥Ria♥♥♥

    2009/08/31 at 4:59 am Reply

    WOW WOW WOW!! You are so inspiring Deeba! And this post is so informative!! INCREDIBLE!

  • mimi

    2009/08/31 at 5:52 am Reply

    Great Job. I recenlty purchased quark for the 1st time at the local farmer's market, it was fantastic and now I can make my own.

  • Janaki

    2009/08/31 at 7:35 am Reply

    I can't believe how incredibly talented you are and how lame my comment sounds. Fantastic. Absolutely wonderful.

  • Parita

    2009/08/31 at 7:53 am Reply

    Thats a fantastic post deeba, i have never made any of the above cheeses at home other than paneer and would love to try mascarpone as i am very much fond of it and we dont get it in india, this is a very helpful post, thanks a ton

  • shaz

    2009/08/31 at 10:48 am Reply

    Just outstanding Deeba! Great post with so much information, love all the savoury and sweet ideas of how to use the cheese. Well done again!

  • Priya Narasimhan

    2009/08/31 at 11:39 am Reply

    awesome post. i guess you should come up with a cookbook. (featuring some,no, more eggless baking recipes too)I will be the first one to buy it. 🙂

  • Arwen from Hoglet K

    2009/08/31 at 12:24 pm Reply

    Good on you for trying so many types of cheese! I'm keen to try the ricotta, but more especially the paneer. I love grilled cheese!

  • raquel

    2009/08/31 at 7:01 pm Reply

    you did an awesome job!!! i am bookmarking so i can try some of your recipes!!! congratulations on your foodbuzz 24,24,24!

  • Fuji Mama

    2009/08/31 at 9:37 pm Reply

    First we make the same bread recipe and post it on the same day, and now we're both doing 24, 24, 24 posts during the same month! Too funny. Are we psychically linked?

    I have been dying to do more of making my own cheese! This post is very inspiring. I've made a few things like paneer before, but it's time I tried some more!

    This post is fantastic. I LOVE all of the pictures. I think someone needs to give you a book deal to write a book called, "The Cheese Bible for Beginners" or something like that.

  • Fuji Mama

    2009/08/31 at 9:38 pm Reply

    Oh! AND you included a recipe for me to use my vanilla sugar in! (Thanks for teaching me all about that as well!) You are the BEST!

  • Anonymous

    2009/08/31 at 10:09 pm Reply

    Deeba, a question.. In the US, buttermilk tastes very very different from the buttermilk or chaas in India. So when the recipe calls for buttermilk, which buttermilk did u use?
    Anisha

  • Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

    2009/09/01 at 12:24 am Reply

    Deeba, you are a genius! I've seen so many blogs make ricotta but never mascarpone so I always assumed it would be out of my reach. Who knew it was so easy? 😀 Thankyou!

  • Tangled Noodle

    2009/09/01 at 3:24 am Reply

    This is such an outstanding 24, 24, 24 post – gorgeous photos (as always), wonderful recipes and the ability to make me hungry with just one glance! The most I've done so far is to make crème fraîche but these cheese look so good and you make it look so easy to do, I may have to give it a shot. 😎

    Congratulations on a wonderful 24, 24, 24!

  • anna

    2009/09/01 at 3:39 am Reply

    Gorgeous! I've never tried making my own cheese but I do love mascarpone and may have to making my own the next time I want to use it! Definitely bookmarking this for later.

  • Arch

    2009/09/01 at 3:54 am Reply

    Brilliant post Deeba – The pics are outstanding and this whole write up is so informative ! You are truly a kitchen godess !!

  • MeetaK

    2009/09/01 at 8:30 am Reply

    this post has got to be one of the best cheesey posts I have read in a long time – and i mean that in the best possible way. deeba – you are utterly incredible.

  • Jamie

    2009/09/01 at 8:57 am Reply

    Deeba, you never cease to amaze me! And amaze me! And Amaze me! I am on the floor, stunned at the work you put in here and the beauty of this post! I bow down to you, oh Cheese Queen! And I may even make a few of these recipes! Wow! Gorgeous!

  • Aparna

    2009/09/01 at 9:06 am Reply

    Guess all the others before me here have said it all. So you're queen of home-mde cheese!
    Just where do you find the time and energy?

  • Daily Spud

    2009/09/01 at 9:06 am Reply

    This is fabulous! I've only ever made paneer but I would love to try my hand at other homemade cheeses – this is getting bookmarked for sure 🙂

  • Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]

    2009/09/01 at 4:51 pm Reply

    Wow Dee!! I am in complete awe of you! Such amazing cheeses! Bookmarked for reference, if I EVER decide to make a cheese!! You've made it all sound so easy 🙂

  • diva

    2009/09/02 at 9:29 am Reply

    i fall in love with people like you. you make your own cheese!! amazing.
    i cannot be arsed and often pop to the supermarket for lacklustre cheeses or a good fromagerie and get ripped off for the bloody bit of fermented thing. gosh…i need to be a better foodie. x

  • Bergamot

    2009/09/07 at 4:16 pm Reply

    wow this is a really post… especially since mascaporane and ricotta is expensive and not easily available here.

  • oneofagrind

    2009/09/10 at 6:34 pm Reply

    I'm not exaggerating when I say this but this is the BEST food blog post EVER!! brilliant so informative.. I would have taken days no no weeks to find this info! amazing amazing!

    PS: your pics seem to be getting better and better!

  • stonemaven

    2009/09/11 at 12:52 pm Reply

    Try this recipe for Moz. Moz isn't the easy cheese some folks claim, but it is fun and rewarding.
    http://fiascofarm.com/dairy/mozzarella.htm
    another is Riki Caroll's site, which I think is what your 30 minute Moz recipe was based from. Riki's recipe has more tips to work the cheese than the Saveur recipe.

  • JennDZ - The Leftover Queen

    2009/09/11 at 7:42 pm Reply

    This is such an awesome post! I have been making my own cultured dairy products (including cheese) lately and am really enjoying it! I think I really want to try quark! Looks beautiful!

  • Anonymous

    2009/09/24 at 2:53 pm Reply

    I cannot not add to the stream of compliments here… "BOW".. you are truly incredible, mascaporne, ricotta, quark, all the recipes I used to just skim as I couldnt access these, but now homemade? You've set the bar very high indeed. Thanks Deeba. You're a hero. Have I said too much 🙂 🙂
    Angela

  • Cheri

    2009/10/01 at 9:19 am Reply

    I am loving this post! Thanks for sharing how to make all the different kinds of cheese! I will have to give them a try. 😉

  • The Artful Hawaiigirl

    2009/10/12 at 6:21 pm Reply

    Deeba, you are amazing! So much inspiration in one post! Cheeses, bread and desserts. I linked to the mascarpone from Not Quite Nigella's post and I'm so glad I clicked on the link! I'm going to try all of this soon.Thanks, Marilyn

  • Rajani

    2009/12/24 at 4:00 pm Reply

    deeba, i missed this… this is a lovely informative post. quark is curd cheese and so is srikhand – which is basically sweetened, flavoured with spices and nuts. khatta meetha kinds with elaichi, kesar or mango. where did u get that paneer strainer from? is it available in delhi?

  • sadaf

    2010/03/18 at 3:56 pm Reply

    amaizing post, you make me speachless. it looks like you had great fun with cheeses.keep experimenting & posting.

  • Nandita Iyer

    2010/03/25 at 12:52 pm Reply

    This is almost a mini encyclopedia of home-made cheese and what to do with it – I'm now wondering what to start with!

  • Mona

    2010/04/27 at 3:48 pm Reply

    Hi Deeba,
    I wanted to know, what is the basic difference between Paneer and the rest of the cheeses above? I see that in all preparations, the milk is curdled and then strained. Is it the kind of souring agent used to curdle the cheese, and the times?
    Thanks.

  • Jamie

    2010/05/02 at 12:41 pm Reply

    You have blown my mind here! Amazing! And this may have just pushed me over the "no! I'm scared to make my own cheese!" limit. But oh my where to start? Gorgeous post, darling!

  • sarah

    2010/06/28 at 9:41 am Reply

    Hello, can you make quark if you don't have buttermilk? Maybe by using milk with lemon juice (which is my usual buttermilk substitution)? Thanks, I'm keen to try!

  • Keke

    2010/11/16 at 6:51 am Reply

    Oh wow thanks!!! I looked up how to make mascarpone cheese on the internet and following the directions of two websites attempted to make it but I had cheesecloth problems in addition to some other unclear info in the instructions and my cheese did not turn out quite right. Neither of the instructions I used mentioned refrigerating the mixture BEFORE straining it which may have helped me alot since I did not have the correct (Fine) cheesecloth. I think I lost of of my cheese in the cloth because the fiber holes were too big. I will refrigerate FIRST next time. They also did not mention FRESH lemon juice so I used bottled which may have also made a difference. Nor did they say to use FINE cheesecloth or to let the mixture heat to 180/190 BEFORE adding the lemon juice. The instructions were vague in that regard so I assumed it didn’t make a difference. Needless to say I am very disappointed but thanks to YOUR site and a few others I have more information and will try again soon!

  • shivani

    2011/02/12 at 7:53 pm Reply

    wow! wow! wow1

    very informative and beautiful pics as always. visiting your site is a pleasure. mascarpone is on my list of things to make as i am nuts bout tiramisu. ur post make me feel i can do it

  • cooking rookie

    2011/05/04 at 12:50 am Reply

    Hi Deeba,
    I made the mascarpone and it was absolutely delicious! Much better than all my previous attempts. Thanks so much. I only made a small amount to try, so I did not have enough for tiramisu, but that’s my plan for the next batch ;-). For now I used mascarpone for macaron filling, I call them mascarpons :-).
    I mentioned your recipe and blog in my post, I hope it’s ok http://cookingrookie.blogspot.com/2011/05/mascarpon.html
    Thanks!

  • Himanshu

    2011/10/29 at 5:44 pm Reply

    What an amazing post Deeba, thank you for sharing this recipe, expecially of homemade mascarpone and ricotta. Till now, I have been buying them from gourmet grocery stores at a very exorbitant price, as you know how heavy it gets on pocket while buying cheese. I have become a fan of yours.

  • meenakshi

    2011/12/14 at 8:45 pm Reply

    hello mam, i have tried many delicious recpies from your wonderful site. thanks a lot for giving details for each recpie.
    i want to make these cheeses but i dont have that thermometer ,can u please tell me the name of that thermometer and where to get it from, it will be great help.
    thanks and waiting for your reply.

    • Deeba @ PAB

      2011/12/16 at 8:11 pm Reply

      Hi Meenakshi. Sorry for this late reply. I got my candy thermometer from Austraila, though it is easily available in the US and Europe too. Not too sure if you can find one in India.

      • meenakshi

        2011/12/17 at 12:17 pm Reply

        thanks a ton, shall i try in chawari bazzar , from the shop which you have mentioned in your links section or from chemist shop?

        • Deeba @ PAB

          2011/12/19 at 4:22 pm Reply

          I doubt you’ll find it there Meenakshi. You can possibly find it on ebay but you will need to have it shipped from overseas. if you have someone visiting from overseas like the States, maybe you can ask them to get it for you. It costs around $10-15 and is very light

          • meenakshi

            2012/01/07 at 7:25 pm

            i am very sorry to reply you but EUREKA ! I have bought it from the shop in chawari bazar which you have mentioned in your links section. it is of WT-1 company , bought it for RS.350. it is not as fancy as yours . i have requested HomeStop to get the NORPRO company CANDY THERMOMETER as they are already selling same company product in their store.
            yhanks a lot you are great help.

  • Sneha

    2012/02/22 at 4:04 pm Reply

    Am going to experiment with the mascarpone – recently bought it for Rs. 172/200 gms (Flanders from Modern Bazaar) – so unfair, it costs Rs. 30 less in Delhi 🙁

    • Deeba @ PAB

      2012/02/22 at 5:30 pm Reply

      I’ve stopped buying it after one bad experience Sneha. If you intend to make, begin the night before at least to allow enough time for draining.

  • Kamal

    2012/05/09 at 9:14 pm Reply

    Wow Deeba,

    Amazing site! Super pics!
    Please could u be more specific as to what u mean when u say cultured buttermilk.
    Thanks

  • Kamal

    2012/05/09 at 9:21 pm Reply

    Hey Deeba,

    Great site and super pics!
    Please could u be more specific as to what is considered cultured buttermilk in India.
    Thanks

    • Deeba @ PAB

      2012/05/10 at 4:16 pm Reply

      Thank you for stopping by Kamal. Cultured buttermilk is available as ‘plain chachh’ in India. Here in Gurgaon, Mother Dairy and Amul sell it in 500ml pouches.

  • Kamal

    2012/05/11 at 12:24 pm Reply

    Thanks Deeba,

    In Bombay we don’t get buttermilk sold by Amul or Mother Dairy so i will just make it at home with dahi and water.

  • Amar Cook

    2012/05/27 at 4:35 pm Reply

    Really informative blog about cheese making. I think cream cheese is missing here. It probably used for making mousse. Could u share the recipe of cream cheese. Thanks.

  • Bhanu Chandran

    2012/07/18 at 10:32 am Reply

    Deeba……thank you so much for the home made cheese recipes! Appreciate your generosity in sharing your knowledge and passion for food and baking. Wish you the very best!

  • Stephanie

    2012/08/10 at 2:20 am Reply

    Tried the ricotta. Wonderful!!! I wanted to eat the whole bowl instead of using it with my recipe. I don’t know if I will buy store bought again.

  • Kamal

    2012/09/10 at 6:35 pm Reply

    Hi Deeba,
    Tried the mascarpone and it turned out superb! Was on such a high!
    Is there anything else I can use beside lime juice so that I don’t get that sour taste.

  • chocolatelove514

    2012/11/18 at 8:18 am Reply

    hi, what does it mean by cream milk? Like regular whole milk?

    Thanks!

    Love love all your experiment/recipes/pics!

  • Shri

    2013/03/25 at 8:27 pm Reply

    Hi Deeba, I tried your mascarpone recipe and it turned up very good. This gives me a boost to try your recipe for quark. Am a little not clear here, when you refer to ‘cultured buttlermilk’, that means buttermilk churned from home made curd is ruled out, am I rt? I read your reply to a query about this and you’ve mentioned amul buttermilk. Will surely look up in the grocery stores in my next trip. Any other brand to procure this? Thanks so much !

    • Deeba @ PAB

      2013/03/25 at 9:55 pm Reply

      Hi Shri…yay for the mascarpone and good luck for the quark. Cultured buttermilk in the NCR is available under the Amul and Mother Dairy brands.

  • Sonja K

    2013/10/15 at 2:31 pm Reply

    I love your post. I will say that I have made mozzarella a couple times not and it has gotten better each time I make it. It takes a bit of practice. If you warm it in the microwave for 30 – 60 seconds it will be “taffy like” to pull and stretch, as it cools off put it in for another 30 seconds. The more you work it the firmer it becomes when it cools.

      • Sonja K

        2013/10/16 at 1:38 am Reply

        I will also say that I bought a pair of rubber gloves, like the ones you would use to do dishes or clean around the house just to use specifically for making the mozzarella. It helps to protect a bit from the heat while working the cheese. I saw a video on youtube where one gal just worked it with 2 spoons because it is almost to hot to handle unless you hand stand a lot of heat on your hands.

  • Hina

    2013/11/16 at 10:34 am Reply

    Deeba you are a baking genius….Please write a book I am dead sure it will be an instant hit….always curious about “Have you attended any culinary institutes?”

  • sithara

    2014/02/28 at 2:59 pm Reply

    hi Deeba.. Thanks for the great recipe for mascarpone cheese. It came out really well. Would like to know how to store it and how long does it last? Thanks- Sithara.
    p.s. Tried your Amaranth Choc. cake-It was fab!!:)

  • Ambika Sood

    2015/10/19 at 4:33 am Reply

    Hi Deeba, I have made mascarpone using Amul low fat cream several times with perfect results. Now with Amul whipping cream available with a higher fat content (30%) decided to use it this time .However the mascarpone remained slightly runny even after leaving in the sieve for about 12 hrs.Am wondering what went wrong…should I increase the lemon juice to 2.5 tbsps ? TIA

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