How to Make Chevre (Goat Cheese)

Since some of the recipes I'm going to include require different cheeses, I will in my best way describe how to make some of them. The first one is goat cheese. My friend who lives in Santa Barbara taught my nine year old daughter how to make chevre, which is a goat cream cheese, this is the closest I could come to the steps she described. I am waiting on confirmation from my friend on her technique. There is a nice recipe for goat cheese cheesecake in a few days, so stay tuned! If my instructions leave a little to be desired, here is another way to make goat cheese.

If you have access to goats or their milk, this is fairly easy to make and it will save a bundle when the recipe calls for goat cheese or cream cheese. The recipe can also be used with whole cows milk. This recipe does not call for Rennet so temperature is very important.

Basic Goat Cheese
fairly easy

Ingredients & Tools:

a large stainless steel cook pot, large enough to hold a gallon of milk, then some
1 colander
cheesecloth
1 gallon goats milk
1/2 cup lemon juice (lime juice or vinegar can be used)
salt to taste

1. Put milk into large stainless steel cook pot and slowly heat until milk is between 190 and 200 degrees.
2. Slowly add the lemon juice while stirring until all is added and mixed thoroughly into the milk, but only until it is added. Do not over-stir! It will curdle as it is supposed to do.
3. Let cool undisturbed until it is around 100 degrees (not too hot to handle with your hands) Add salt to taste, and SLOWLY either cut the curd, or stir, don't break it up into pieces smaller than a quarter. *see note*
4. Drain the cheese into a cheese cloth lined colander. If you use fine cheesecloth, double or triple it's thickness. Take the 4 corners of the cheesecloth and bring them together and tie them.
5. Hang the "dripping" cheese for about 4 hours.
6. Untie the cheese, mold it and chill.

*Note: If you are wanting ricotta, break the curd up into VERY small pieces.*

Do not use aluminum utensils and rubber sometimes has a "smell" to it that can transfer to the cheese, so use stainless steel. Depending upon the time of hanging you, can make anywhere from a ricotta (1 hr) to a hard cheese (12 hours). This cheese keeps for about 5 days in the refrigerator, but doesn't last long enough in our house. My son will eat a pound in one setting along with his cat friend Ed. Ed comes running when you say the word Chevre, lol.

Cheesecake Kugel

I just found this recipe and want to try it. I have a hard time make a kugel taste good, a cheesecake kugel will be good by default.

Cheesecake Kugel
20 servings
1 1/2 hours 30 min prep

1 lb cottage cheese
3 8 oz containers sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
4-6 eggs, depending on how rich you like your kugel
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1lb package broad egg noodles or thin egg noodles, cooked
1/2 cup raisins
cinnamon (for topping)
sugar (for topping)

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the cheese, sour cream, milk and half of the melted butter.
• Beat the eggs together with the sugar and vanilla and add to the cheese mixture.
• Add the cooked noodles and the raisins.
• Turn into a large buttered pan or into two smaller ones.
• Top with the remaining melted butter.
• Mix the cinnamon and sugar together and sprinkle on top.
• Bake at 350* for approximately one hour or until lightly browned.
• May be frozen and reheated.

Irish Cream Cheesecake

Irish Cream Cheesecake
Makes one 9 inch cheesecake

Ingredients:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons white sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup Irish cream liqueur
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup white sugar

Directions:

1. Mix together cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter.
2. Press this crumb mixture into bottom of 9 inch spring form pan with 2 3/4 inch high sides.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees) until brown - about 8 minutes.
4. Transfer crust to rack and cool.
5. Maintain oven temperature.
6. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla in large bowl until blended.
7. Beat in 1 cup sour cream and liqueur.
8. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until combined. Pour filling over crust in pan.
9. Bake until edges are puffed, and center no longer moves when pan is shaken.
10. Transfer cheesecake to rack, and cool 10 minutes.
11. Maintain oven temperature.
12. Mix 1 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl until smooth.
13. Press down edges of cheesecake, and spread mixture on top.
14. Bake 10 minutes.
15. Transfer cheesecake to rack and cool.
16. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
17. Release pan from cheesecake.
18. Cut and serve.
    

Brownie Cheesecake Torte

Our maiden voyage is a very nice sounding cheesecake. The only change I'd make is omit the coffee and maybe the baby food.

Brownie Cheesecake Torte
Ingredients:
15 1/4 ounces fudge brownie mix (1 package)
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
4 ounces carrot baby food (1 jar)
cooking spray
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces neufchatel cheese, softened (block)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (block)
2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons milk, divided
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
chocolate syrup
fresh raspberries

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl.
3. Firmly press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9-inch spring form pan coated with cooking spray.
4. Set aside. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, flour, vanilla, and cheeses; beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended.
5. Add egg whites and 2 tablespoons milk; beat well.
6. Combine 1/2 cup batter, 1 tablespoon milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, and cocoa in a small bowl; stir well.
7. Spoon remaining batter alternately with cocoa mixture into prepared crust.
8. Swirl together using the tip of a knife.
9. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.
10. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees; bake 45 minutes or until almost set.
11. Cool completely on a wire rack.
12. Garnish with chocolate syrup and fresh raspberries, if desired.

* note the recipe called for low/non fat ingredients, but if I'm going to eat cheesecake, I want the calories to make it worth while. :) *

Cranberry Eggnog Cheesecake

Cranberry Eggnog Cheesecake



Crust
1-1/2 cups Coconut bar cookies, crushed
6 tbl. butter, melted

Filling:
1 cup sugar, divided
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs, separated
1-1/2 cups dairy eggnog
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tbl. orange peel, grated
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup whipping cream
16 oz. Jellied cranberry sauce

• Crust:Preheat oven to 350*.
• Combine cookie crumbs and butter.
• Press onto bottom & part way up sides of 9-inch springform pan.
• Bake 8-10 min. or until golden.
• Cool completely
  
• Filling: Combine 1/2 cup sugar, gelatin & salt in a medium-sized heavy saucepan.
• Beat egg yolks slightly & and combine with eggnog; gradually stir into gelatin mixture.
• Cook over low to medium heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved & thickened.
• Do not boil.
• Remove from heat & cool slightly.
• Beat cream cheese, orange peel & vanilla until fluffy.
• Stir in cooked mixture till well blended.
• Refrigerate until mixture mounds when dropped from a spoon.
• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy.
• Gradually beat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar; beat till stiff and glossy.
• Beat cream until stiff peaks form.
• Fold whites and whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
• Puree cranberry sauce in food processor or blender till smooth.
• Spoon 1/3 of cream cheese mixture into crust.
• Top with 1/3 cranberry puree.
• Swirl cranberry mixture into cream cheese mixture using a spatula.
• Repeat layers twice.
• Refrigerate Several hours or overnight.
• To serve:
• Place cake on serving plate.
• Loosen sides of cake with a spatula.
• Carefully remove sides of pan.
• Refrigerate until serving time.

EGGNOG CHEESECAKE

EGGNOG CHEESECAKE
46 vanilla wafers, finely crushed (about 2 cups)
6 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp. rum
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs 1 cup whipping cream
4 egg yolks

• Mix crumbs, butter and nutmeg; press onto bottom and 1-1/2 inches up side of 9-inch spring-form pan.
• Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes if using a silver spring-form pan. (Bake at 300°F for 10 minutes if using a dark nonstick spring-form pan.)
  
• Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, rum and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
• Add 2 whole eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended.
• Blend in whipping cream and egg yolks; pour into crust.
  
• Bake at 325°F for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is almost set if using a silver spring-form pan. (Bake at 300°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is almost set if using a dark nonstick spring-form pan.)
• Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan.
• Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
  
• Garnish with whipped cream (or thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping) and ground nutmeg.

Introducing a Cheesecake a Day

Today is the kickoff of Cheesecake a Day. I can't guarantee there will be a new recipe each and every day, but I will try my hardest to give you at least one recipe a day.
I am using today to get my graphics correct and so on, stay tuned for our first recipe installment, tomorrow.

Enjoy :)