Homemade Cream Cheese from Kefir and Sour Cream

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make cream cheese at home? Prepare the ingredients. Choose high-quality, natural, tasty dairy products - the flavor of the finished cheese depends on it. The higher the fat content, the more cheese you'll get. Be sure to taste the kefir and sour cream so they aren't too sour. I'm making a savory version, so there's plenty of salt and dill in mine.

2. Step 2:

   

   Take a large bowl, pour in the kefir, then the sour cream. Add the salt. If you'll be using the cheese for desserts, just use a pinch. Don't skip it entirely, though - salt enriches the cheese's flavor.

3. Step 3:

   

   Mix the mixture well until smooth. An ordinary whisk is enough - even a simple fork will do the job.

4. Step 4:

   

   Take a colander and line it with several layers of cheesecloth - or a thick linen cloth, like mine. Set the colander in a bowl to catch the whey. Pour the kefir-and-sour-cream mixture into the colander. Let it stand on the counter for about 2 hours, then put it in the fridge for 6-8 hours. During this time some of the whey drains off and the mixture becomes much thicker.

5. Step 5:

   

   Take out the colander, fold the edges of the cloth over the center, and cover it with an inverted plate of a suitable size. Set a weight on top - I used a jar of preserves. Return the whole setup to the fridge, this time for 10-12 hours.

6. Step 6:

   

   By the end of that time the cheese is ready. Squeeze it a little right in the cloth to remove the last of the liquid.

7. Step 7:

   

   By the way, a lot of whey will collect in the bowl - you can use it in other dishes.

8. Step 8:

   

   You can simply put the cheese in a jar, but I decided to roll it in dill. Divide the cheese in two and wrap each half in plastic wrap, shaping logs. Put the cheese in the freezer for half an hour.

9. Step 9:

   

   Wash the dill well and dry it thoroughly. Chop it finely.

10. Step 10:

    

    Spread plastic wrap on the counter and scatter the dill over it in an even layer. Take the cheese out of the freezer, unwrap it, and roll it in the chopped dill.

11. Step 11:

    

    This cheese is great for sandwiches, with or without add-ins - equally delicious either way. Store it in the fridge in a sealed container; its shelf life is the same as other dairy products, about 7 days. This amount of ingredients gave me about 450 grams of cheese.