Homemade Creamy Cream Cheese

 

Ingredients 

To make homemade creamy cream cheese, you’ll need just two ingredients:

• Heavy Cream: Also known as whipping cream, heavy cream is the key ingredient in making cream cheese. Its high fat content is essential for achieving the rich, creamy texture of traditional cream cheese.
• Acidic Ingredient: This can be either lemon juice or white vinegar, both of which provide the necessary acidity to curdle the cream and turn it into cream cheese.

That’s it! With just these two ingredients, you can create your own batch of creamy, dreamy cream cheese right at home.

Direction

1. Heat the Heavy Cream:
   • Start by pouring the heavy cream into a saucepan and heating it over medium-low heat.
   • Allow the cream to heat gently, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a temperature of around 180°F (82°C). You want it to be hot but not boiling.
2. Add the Acidic Ingredient:
   • Once the cream reaches the desired temperature, remove it from the heat and stir in your choice of acidic ingredient – either lemon juice or white vinegar.
   • Start with a small amount, such as 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar per cup of heavy cream, and gradually add more if needed.
3. Curdle the Cream:
• After adding the acidic ingredient, you’ll notice the cream starting to curdle and thicken. This is exactly what you want to happen – it means the cream is separating into curds and whey.
• Continue stirring gently until the curds have fully separated from the whey and the mixture resembles cottage cheese.
4. Strain the Curds:
   • Once the cream has fully curdled, pour it through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth-lined strainer to separate the curds from the whey.
   • Allow the curds to drain for a few minutes to remove excess moisture.
5. Press and Refrigerate:
   • Transfer the strained curds to a clean piece of cheesecloth and gently squeeze out any remaining liquid.
   • Place the curds in a bowl and press them together to form a cohesive mass of cream cheese.
   • Cover the bowl and refrigerate the cream cheese for at least a few hours, or preferably overnight, to allow it to firm up and develop its flavor.