Cream cheese made at home

Homemade Cream Cheese

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by Deeksha Pathak

Why do we need to prepare Homemade Cream Cheese? Well, In India good quality cream cheese is very costly, and if you want to prepare cheese cakes, frosting for carrot cake or filling for tarts, you need cream cheese. Can we get the same consistency as market bought? No, homemade cream cheese doesn’t have the same consistency but it comes very close. For the recipe of cream cheese I have followed the post from Gayathri Kumar’s blog  https://gayathriscookspot.com/

Preparing cream cheese is not a difficult task. It just takes one day for the final result, and it is not strenuous work. All you need is full fat hung curd and paneer (cottage cheese). You can prepare these both in your kitchen; so first step is over. Second step is to drain out water content from paneer and hung curd. Third step is to mix both of them and again drain out extra water. Final step is to grind them together and cream cheese is ready. To make it more creamy, add some cream in it. I had prepared this homemade cream cheese first time when I wanted frosting for carrot cake!! How smooth and creamy it is!

Homemade Cream CheeseDuring these hard times we don’t know when we will be able to go back to the grocery store and purchase items without any fear. But till then we can keep our spirits high and try certain things which we never thought could be homemade. Good food gives us happiness and positive thinking. So try to prepare this simple recipe of cream cheese and give yourself a treat of wonderful dishes…!

Ingredients :

Full fat milk, vinegar/lemon juice, curd

Process :

Boil milk in a pan and let it cool down after boiling till it is slightly warmer than lukewarm. Add half tbsp curd in it, cover the pan and keep it at a warm place to set. Curd will be ready within 3-4 hours. Pour this curd in a sieve along with muslin cloth spread on it and hang it for 2-3 hours so that water drains out. Later, take out the curd in a bowl and hung curd is ready. Keep this in the fridge until we prepare paneer.

Refrigerate hung curd
Store hung curd in refrigerator

In another pan, boil milk once again and switch off the heat the moment milk is boiled. Immediately pour vinegar or lemon juice (1 tbsp vinegar for 1 litre milk OR 1 tbsp lemon juice with one tbsp water for 1 litre milk) in hot milk. Milk will curdle – pour it in a sieve with muslin cloth on it. Wash this curdled milk (or chenna in Hindi) nicely in running water so that no taste of vinegar/water remains. Squeeze out water and hang this muslin cloth for 1 to 2 hours so that the remaining water drains out. Paneer will be ready in two hours.

Now measure equal quantity of hung curd and paneer.Mix both of them nicely and again keep it in the fridge overnight wrapped up in a muslin cloth in with a bowl and a strainer.

Take out the bowl in the morning and grind this cream cheese into mixer till it is no more grainy.

Smooth cream cheese is ready!!

Homemade Cream Cheese

To make it more creamy, add little bit of cream and prepare your favorite cheesecake recipes.

Khoya Cheesecake (fusion dessert)

Coconut Cheesecake

 

Homemade Cream Cheese

 

Published by

Deeksha Pathak

I like reading, watching movies, listening to music, doing some art and craft, cooking, baking and exploring new ideas. Baking is my new passion!!

81 thoughts on “Homemade Cream Cheese”

  2. Wow. I decided that I won’t see your blog for 15days because I was trying to stay away from some foods. But your presentation is so good. I broke my pledge. Wonderful post

    1. Parneet, ha. ha. ha.. my husband sitting next to me agrees with you completely 😉
      That’s such a sweet comment for any food blogger.
      Thank you so much 😊

    1. Dear Lynette, nowadays eating right thing is very important. Otherwise shops lure us for a lot ready-made food. Just trying to keep food simple and healthy.
      Thank you so much for your kind words 😊
      Have a great weekend!

  8. Many times held back on frosting specially for red velvet cake….but now I don’t need to… thanks to you 😊👍🏻
    Btw, tried your kairi ki launji recipe Deeksha. All loved it 😋👍🏻 so thanks again 😊

  9. Is that a photo of your carrot cake? Can you bring yourself to cutting it into pieces? I mean it is a piece of art! (I am trying at the moment to abstain from cakes and such like.)

    In Denmark we like to eat cream cheese also spicy as bread spread. It is good to have this recipe; I like to be able to produce things myself. And one can decide exactly what herbs or spices one wants in it.

    1. Stella, I feel embarrassed to say that only me finished that whole cake😶
      Apoorva and Manish don’t like cakes with spices, so you know someone has to finish it😇
      and it was my first carrot cake!
      I had tried herbal paneer once, but never with cream cheese. Probably because no one demands. But yes, with homemade, we have choice to add the flavours of our liking.

  17. Cream cheese is the ingredient that gives a gourmet flavor to both pastries and meals. Therefore, it is a great alternative to do it at home. The recipe is very good. An excellent week for you.
    Manuel

    1. I would be glad if this recipe will fulfill your requirement of fresh cream cheese. You can add your choice of herbs also to add more flavor. Thank you very much Mac. You too have a safe and wonderful week ahead.

      2. Nisha, thank you very much 😊 I am glad that recipe worked well for you and you liked the taste ☺️
        Cheesecake sounds a good idea!!

  23. Love the simplicity of this recipe. Never knew the method. I am not a big fan of cream cheese or Paneer for that matter. But your pics and recipe makes me to try homemade version which might taste much better than the store bought one.

  24. That’s an awesome looking cream cheese. I use cream cheese in baking or as spreads. The pics and steps are so well presented, makes me want to try making at home.

  26. Wow you are always coming up with clever ideas. I did not realize cream cheese could be made at home. I like making things at home when I have time because I can control the quality of the ingredients.

    1. Thank you so much for your lovely appreciation 😊 😍
      Fear of not stepping in the shops is forcing us to do ‘Homemade’ whatever is possible within our limits.

    1. Thank you so much Ruth. During lock down this recipe was a lot helpful for me. Food was the main reason people were happy though confined inside the house.

  36. Oh wow!!! I just started making my own yogurt….so maybe I’ll step up to this someday!!! Although I’m horrible at cooking much. I live vicariously through wonderful people like You, Deeksha!!! 🤗💕 Thank You and take care!!!

    1. Katy, you are a wonderful person ❤️
      We all learn from each other’s experiences, isn’t it!! We hesitate to say this and you said it so daringly.
      Homemade curd is wonderful and if you want really thick one just add milk powder in the milk and while setting it can add fruit puree also and delicious homemade flavored curd would be ready!!

      1. Ah!!! You are the sweetest, Deeksha!!! Thank You! My first 2 batches have been really good but I have wondered how to thicken them. That’s a great idea! Sending huge hugs Your way! Happy cooking!!! 🤗❤️😊

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