Okay, so I’ve been on this kick lately trying to make everything from scratch. It just feels…better, you know? And my latest obsession? Cream cheese. I mean, who doesn’t love cream cheese? Bagels, dips, cheesecakes…the list goes on. So I thought, “Why not try making it myself?” It seemed daunting at first, but it turned out to be surprisingly easy!
The Hunt for Ingredients
First things first, I needed to figure out what goes into this magical spread. I grabbed my phone and started to search the ingredients.
Turns out, it is fairly simple. The main stuff are:
- Milk: It should better be whole milk, provides the fat.
- Heavy Cream: Adds that richness and creamy texture.
- Salt: Just a pinch, for flavor.
- Lemon juice(optional) To help it thicken.
Putting It All Together
First I get my pot, and poured in milk and cream. I slowly heated things up on the stovetop, stirring every once in a while so it didn’t burn.
And then, a little bit of salt went in. Then I turned off the heat and added the lemon juice. I kept stirring, and like magic, it started to thicken up! It looked like little curds forming.
I let that mixture sit for about 20 minutes, just hanging out, getting thicker.
After that, I put the cheesecloth into a strainer, then carefully poured the mixture. Now, the waiting game,I let it drain in the fridge. a few hours later, I took it out of the fridge.
The Final Result!
I unwrapped the cheesecloth, and there it was! My very own homemade cream cheese. It was slightly crumbly, I put it in the food processor and pulsed it a few times. Then, Boom. Perfectly smooth and creamy. Spread it on a bagel, and, seriously, it was the best cream cheese I’ve ever had. So fresh, so flavorful, and I made it!
If you love cream cheese like I do, you gotta give this a shot. It’s easier than you think, and the taste is totally worth it. Next up, I’m thinking about adding some herbs or maybe even some fruit to the mix… the possibilities are endless!
