Foodie Friday: Cheese Please!

Ok, so I love goat cheese.  This has been a recent love (last 5 years or so).  But none the less I'm head over heels for that wonderful crumble.
Problem is, its so darn expensive!

So I decided to try a little experiment.  Make my own goat cheese.  :)

Now I've never made cheese of any kind before.... and didn't feel like investing in rennet or cultures.

I did lots of looking online for different recipes, and stumbled upon a couple that seemed rather quick and easy.

So here's my adaptation:

10 cups of goat milk   - Try not to get the ultra-pasteurized.  It will work but evidently regular                                                pasteurized is better. I'm trying for raw next time!
3/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (try to get the juice and not the pulp!)

I ran out of lemons just under the mark :(

 So bring the 10 cups of goat milk to approximately 180 F (slowly, don't want to scald it!).  Little simmering bubbles will be forming but it won't be a boil.  I've seen recommendations for using a candy thermometer.  I don't have one so I used a meat thermometer to check to see if I was close to the temp. I tried to take a picture, but the steam kept fogging the lens.  I did this over medium heat, by the way.

Next, add the lemon juice and stir well.  Turn off the heat. I let it sit for about 1/2 an hour after that. I meant to get back to it quicker, but 6 year old boy called. :)

Set up some double layered cheese cloth (or in my case towels) over a colander and set the colander over a large pot.  Pour the liquid into the cloth.  The colander helps keep the shape as you pour.

I have 2 flour sack towels the 1st one is bundled then the 2nd one is wrapped around it.  I let it drain like this for a few minutes while I got a tall pot and a long handled spoon.  If you can, you want the bundle to hang, to allow the liquid to drain.  If you don't have a long handled spoon the colander will work.

I let the whole assembly sit for about 3-4 hours ( once again I was busy with other things).

The bottom of the pot was filled with clear liquid and left behind in the towels was the yummy, crumbly cheese!

I scooped out as much as I could, and put it in the fridge! I left the top off my container so it could dry out just a tiny bit more.  But I did sneak a quick taste.  I even had some store bought crumbles to compare it to.  It isn't quite as rich as chevre, but it was absolutely yummy.

I probably got about 2 cups of crumbles.  1 cup if you really compressed it.

I scooped out about 1/2 a cup of crumbles, and added about 3 tablespoons of honey and mixed well.

On a quick taste it was fantastic, but I'm waiting to put it on some toasted bread.

You can also add salt and garlic and other herbs season as you will.