Simple Creamy Goat Cheese
Goat cheese, or as the French say it, chèvre (shev) is a deliciously tangy addition to almost any dish and is perfect eaten simply with crusty bread or fruit. You can now whip it up in less than an hour and customize it with herbs and spices for endless variations. This tangy cheese makes a wonderful treat to take to a dinner party but be careful, you’ll start getting requests!
Need supplies? Our deluxe cheesemaking kit includes everything you need including molds and a thermometer. Just add the milk.
Ingredients
- Half gallon goat's milk, 2 quarts (not ultra pasteurized)
- 1 tsp citric acid (included in our kit)
- 1 tsp cheese salt, to taste (included in our kit)
- 1 tsp fresh herbs (optional)
Supplies
- Large pot- at least 3 quart
- Fine cheesecloth
- Colander
- Large Slotted spoon
- Cheese Molds
- Measuring cups and spoons
Yield
- About 1/2 lb
Instructions
STEP 1.
Measure the citric acid into 1/4 cup of water and stir.
STEP 2.
Heat the milk to 185°F (do not allow to boil) stirring often to prevent scorching. Add citric acid solution with 5-7 strokes and stop stirring.
STEP 3.
The curd will be smaller and more fragile than that of cow's milk cheeses. Handle it gently when checking for coagulation.
STEP 4.
Take the pot off heat and allow the curd to set undisturbed and off the heat for 5 minutes.
STEP 5.
Line a colander with the cheesecloth and gently pour or scoop your curds into the colander to drain out the whey. Once most of the whey has drained out, sprinkle in your salt and blend in gently. Mix in your herbs (or you can coat the shaped log later instead) and stir minimally.
STEP 6.
You can make a bag out of the cloth and hang it to drain for 10-30 minutes or to your desired consistency. This is ready to eat as a soft, spreadable cheese as is! 
STEP 7.
You can easily shape the soft cheese into a log with the help of wax paper. Roll in fresh herbs for a nice presentation! 
Storage guidelines
- Cover and store in the refrigerator
- Use within 1 week