Fromage Blanc is a wonderfully creamy cheese that may be used in place of cream cheese in any recipe. the writer love to use this in both Couer a la Creme and Cheesecake. It has a smooth consistency and only takes a few minutes of work to make it. the writer like to make this cheese at night and drain it first thing in the morning. This way it is ready to use for the writer's guests when they arrive for lunch or dinner.

You may use from 1 to 4 quarts of milk depending on how much cheese you wish to make each quart of milk will produce about 10 ounces of cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 gallon of whole pasteurized milk
• 1 package of Fromage Blanc Starter Culture

Recipe

Here is a variation on the theme from a customer who once lived in France.

Hello, The writer was an exchange student many years ago in France when the writer first came across Fromage Blanc. It was served to the writer as a desert sweetened with either sugar or confiture, fresh fruit preserves. the writer fell in love with this delicious dish. It has been over 8 years since The writer has been to France. The writer has never forgotten Fromage Blanc.

This past summer The writer had the opportunity to visit the family the writer spent nearly 2 years living with in the tiny countryside village of Etrochon St. Romans Les Melle 4 hours south west of Paris.

While there the writer once again found the writer's favorite desert, Le Fromage Blanc. When the writer returned home from the writer's visit, the writer vowed to find away to enjoy this delicious treat here in the states. The writer was so discouraged that it just did not exist. Plain yogurt just did not cut it for the writer, it was not the same. the writer came across an article online that explained how yes indeed, Fromage Blanc could be made in the home with ingredients found here in the states.

The writer was ecstatic. the writer came across your website and immediately ordered the key ingredient, the rennet & starter bacteria mixture used to create this delicacy!

As silly as this sounds, cheese can create so much excitement for one person, The writer was elated with the writer's very own creation made by myself! The writer has since made at least 1 batch a week and the writer's friends now call the writer the web designer and computer builder who makes cheese for fun.

The writer has attached a slight variation to your recipe. Your recipe was great, but just not quite the same as what The writer was used to. Different regions of France produce different types of fromage blanc. For a dessert, this recipe below works great. This week The writer had the writer's friends from France visiting the writer and in spite of their skepticism, when they tasted it, could not believe how authentic it was! So The writer has attached the writer's recipe for you folks if you would like to include it as a variation for those who love these treat as a dessert.

Thank you for bringing the writer's beloved country of France where the writer spent 2 years of the writer's life home to the States.

Sincerely, James B. Ryer

• Heat your milk on the stove to 86 degrees F. and add the starter. Fromage Blanc Culture to the milk. Stir thoroughly. Cover and allow the milk to set at app. 72 degrees F. for 8-12 hours or until the milk has set into a thick custard-like mass which is called the curd.
• When the cheese has set into a solid curd, ladle it into a fine cheesecloth lined colander. If no ladle is available, gently spoon the curd into the cloth lined colander. Take two corners of the cloth in each hand and tie them in a knot. Hang the bag of up from this knot over the sink or a bowl. (a bungie cord on a hook is a great hanger for this) Allow the curds to drain for 4-6 hours or until the desired consistency is reached. Consistency will range from a cheese spread to a cream cheese. The bag of cheesecloth may have to be scraped on the inside with a spoon every now and then to assist with drainage as the pores of the cloth may become clogged.
• Once the cheese is properly drained, it is placed in a bowl. Salt and herbs may be added to taste. The cheese is then refrigerated until ready for use. It will keep up to two weeks under refrigeration. If desired, the fresh cheese may be frozen. If freezing-first thaw the cheese out and then add salt and herbs to taste, as salt will lower the freezing temperature and the cheese will not keep as long.

Dessert Style Fromage Blanc Recipe

As found in the region of Poitou Charentes France

Serve topped with pure cane sugar, or or your favorite jelly, sweetened to taste.

• Heat 1 gal. pasteurized milk to 74-86 degrees F. Add and mix 1 packet of Fromage Blanc Culture.
• Let set at room temperature for exactly 18 hours.
• Pour mixture into butter muslin lined colander. the writer found a great 8 quart pot with a steamer insert at Walmart that works great for draining the curds.
• Place the draining assembly in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours max. Cover the colander. the writer found draining longer made a cheese more like cream cheese, great for seafood sauces and cakes.
• If using a smaller pot to drain the curds, you may have to frequently empty the bottom portion of the assembly, hence why the writer found a nice large stock pot with the colander, steamer basket, placed on top lined with the butter muslin works great!
• After 3-4 hours discard, or store the whey that was drained off.
• The draining process is now complete.
• Scoop the mixture from the butter muslin into a plastic container and whip with egg beater for approx. 2-3 minutes.
• Mixture will be runny like yogurt, mixing with the beater makes it smooth and creamy.
• In France the dessert style is often sold as Fromage Blanc Battu, whipped fromage blanc.
• Refrigerate until well chilled.