UCLBS Recipes

Sue's Goat Cheese

Make a batch of goat yogourt.

I drain several cups of yogourt in a sieve lined with about ten layers of damp cheesecloth.  (I've tried the cotton bag that came with the Yogurmet and a teatowel but I prefer cheesecloth).

I have found goat's milk yogourt to be much more liquid than cow's milk yogourt and intially it drains quickly. But the tiny molecules that make up goat milk soon form a slick dense layer and draining slows down. I use a small rubber spatula to turn the mixture from time to time so that the draining will continue.

When it seems to have slowed down completely I gather up the corners of the cheesecloth and holding the 'package' gently in my hands I squeeze the liquid out of the cheesecloth as much as possible without making the yogourt squish out the top. I open the cheesecloth and the drained yogourt layer next to the cheesecloth is solid enough that I can carefully pry it up and scoop the whole thing up and turn it over back onto the cheesecloth so the more liquid layer is now down.

When I can do nothing to promote further drainage I gently squeeze the 'package' in my hands again.

The yogourt may be drained but it is still very, very soft and gooey. I take another ten or so layers of damp cheescloth and put them on top of the yogourt 'thick goo' on the original cheesecloth and flatten it out somewhat. I place this 'package on top of 4 layers of paper towel, place four more layers of paper towel on top and place a weight on top (i.e. a small pot full of water).

When the paper towel has become saturated I replace it with fresh paper towel and continue until the cheese is as dry and firm and dense as I want. I put it on wax paper and form it into a log and VOILA - chevre (or pretty darn close). It is possible to make a cheese dense enough to cut in cubes.

The cheescloth can be rinsed clean and reused.