NW Ferments Fromage Blanc, Direct-Set, Cheese Culture Starter

Home cheesemaking has recently exploded in popularity. It not only allows you to control the quality of the ingredients used, it’s also a great way to express your creativity. Starting with a softer cheese and an easy recipe is the best way to go for a newcomer. Cheese starter cultures are used to ripen the milk and start the fermentation process of cheesemaking. They also help determine the flavor, texture, and type of cheese you’re making. It can be as easy or as complicated as you’d like- there’s a cheese recipe for every level!

• Each box contains 4 individual packets (includes rennet)
• Cultures at room temperature.
• Store in freezer

NW Ferments provides quality starter cultures for home production. Our goal is to enable people to improve their own health while saving them money. By making our own healthy foods, we help ourselves as well as our planet. While we are from the Pacific NW, we know that we have many kindred spirits worldwide.

For troubleshooting questions please reach out to NW Ferments at info@nwferments.com or by phone at 844-558-2752.

Ingredients

lactose, ascorbic acid, lactic bacteria, vegetable rennet. Made in a facility that also processes wheat, soy and milk products.

Directions

You will need: stainless steel pot with lid (no aluminum), non-aluminum spoon, thermometer,  butter muslin, tight-weave dish towel, or yogurt bag, colander, bowl, raw or pasteurized milk (avoid ultra-pasteurized or UHT), 1 packet Fromage Blanc starter culture (store remaining packets in freezer for future use), non-iodized salt.

Directions:

1. Slowly heat (on low) 1-4 quarts of milk to 86 degrees F. (heat the milk no faster than 1 degree per minute- this can take 30-40 minutes for a gallon). Remove from heat.
2. Add one packet of Fromage Blanc starter and mix thoroughly for 15 seconds (no longer).
3. Cover pot with lid and allow to culture in a warm spot, 72 to 77 degrees F., for 12 hours.
4. The Fromage Blanc should be set after 12 hours. There may be some separation of the whey-this is normal. Place the colander in a bowl & line the colander with a double layer of butter muslin or dish towel. Spoon the cheese curds into the colander, gather up the corners of the cloth, and tie them together to make a bag (a yogurt bag can also be used).
5. Hang the Fromage Blanc-filled bag over a bowl to drain the whey for 6-12 hours (the whey can be reserved for other uses).
6. Store your finished Fromage Blanc in a closed container in the refrigerator for about a week. If freezing, remove as much whey as possible and salt well first.

Now it’s time to Get Fermented!