How To Make Simple Cottage Cheese

This is the easiest of cheeses to make and takes very little time. If you start it in the evening, it is ready to eat the day after. Jersey milk gives the best flavour for this – if you can get it.

1. Step 1:

   Heat the milk in a saucepan until just beginning to bubble, then remove from the heat.

2. Step 2:

   Add the lemon juice and stir.

3. Step 3:

   Pour into a bowl, cover and leave to stand overnight in a cool place, but not in the fridge, as this slows down the curdling process. (If you start it in the morning, leave it for at least 8 hours.)

4. Step 4:

   In the morning, line a colander with a cheesecloth or muslin bag and pour the cheese into the colander over a bowl to collect the whey. This can be used for baking.

5. Step 5:

   Rinse the bag of cheese under a slow-running cold tap and squeeze gently.

6. Step 6:

   Hang the bag of cheese on a hook over a bowl and allow the whey to drip slowly for 4 hours. If you haven’t a hook, tie a chopstick into the top of the cloth and rest the cloth over a bowl.

7. Step 7:

   Once drained, put the cheese into a small bowl and add any seasoning you prefer. This will store in the fridge for 5 days.