Andy Montoya
Acid-set cheese, also known as 'paneer' in India, 'Fromage blanc' in France, 'quark' in Germany, and 'cottage cheese' in the UK and the USA, has been made since Neolithic times. The process of making acid-set cheese involves increasing the acidity of milk before coagulating it into curds. This can be done by adding lemon juice or vinegar to the milk, or by adding living bacteria which will produce lactic acid. The milk is then coagulated using a coagulating agent such as rennet, which separates the milk into curds and whey. Citric acid is also used in cooking to make a creamy cheese sauce or a cheese dip for nachos.
How to make acid-set cheese at home:
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of cheese | Fresh acid-set cheese |
| Other names | Paneer (India), Fromage blanc (France), Quark (Germany), Cottage cheese (UK and USA) |
| Recipe | Boil milk for 15 minutes or longer, cool it down to lukewarm, add a spoonful of mother culture (ready yogurt from the first batch) or acidify the milk by adding lemon juice, white vinegar, citric acid or rennet |
| Notes | Use the least amount of acid possible to avoid an excessively tangy flavour |
| How to acidify milk | Direct acidification: add lemon juice or vinegar to milk to get the correct acidity; this leads to cheese like mascarpone. |
| Indirect acidification: add living bacteria to milk; given time, warmth, and lack of competitor bacteria, these cultures will eat up the lactose in the milk, turning it into lactic acid | |
| Coagulation | Rennet is a coagulating agent that acts on milk protein casein, causing separation of the milk into solid curds and liquid whey |
| Use of citric acid | Adding citric acid to milk raises its acidity level, which is an important step in cheese-making; it is used in making Italian cheeses like mozzarella, mascarpone, and ricotta |
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What You'll Learn
Using lemon juice or vinegar to acidify milk
Lemon juice or vinegar can be used to acidify milk for cheesemaking. This process is called direct acidification and leads to cheeses like mascarpone.
To make a simple acid-set cheese at home, you will need a large pot, a spoon, a thermometer, milk, lemon juice or vinegar, a colander and/or cheesecloth. The milk should be whole milk, as this has the fewest additives of all the milks that are non-organic, although lower-fat milk can be used.
First, pour the milk into the pot. Slowly bring the milk to 185 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring often to prevent the milk from burning. If using a heavy-duty pot, a higher temperature can be used; if using a thin pan, a lower temperature is better. Once the milk reaches 185 degrees, remove it from the heat and add the lemon juice or vinegar. The milk should curdle right away. If it doesn't, add a little more lemon juice or vinegar. The amount of lemon juice or vinegar used can vary from a few drops to a teaspoon. It is recommended to use the least amount of acid possible to avoid an excessively tangy flavour.
Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes while preparing the draining area. Line a colander with cheesecloth or a jelly bag, placing it over a pot or bowl to catch the whey, or over the sink if you do not want to keep the whey. When drained, add salt or seasoning as desired. The whey can also be flavoured with herbs, chillies, or even jam or jelly.
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Rennet as a coagulating agent
Rennet is a coagulating agent that acts on the milk protein casein, causing the milk to separate into solid curds and liquid whey. Rennet is an enzyme that coagulates casein, the main protein in milk. Casein is contained in little bundles called micelles, which are covered in hairlike structures called kappa-caseins that prevent them from sticking together. Rennet removes or deactivates the kappa-casein, allowing the casein micelles to stick together and form solid curds.
Rennet is typically extracted from the inner mucosa of the fourth stomach chamber (the abomasum) of young, nursing calves as part of livestock butchering. These stomachs are a byproduct of veal production. Rennet extracted from older calves contains less or no chymosin, but a high level of pepsin and can only be used for special types of milk and cheeses. As each ruminant produces a unique type of rennet to digest the milk of its own species, milk-specific rennets are available, such as kid goat rennet for goat's milk and lamb rennet for sheep's milk.
To extract rennet, the dried and cleaned stomachs of young calves are sliced into small pieces and then soaked in salt water or whey, along with vinegar or wine to lower the pH of the solution. After some time, the solution is filtered, leaving crude rennet that can be used to coagulate milk. This crude rennet extract is then activated by adding acid, as the enzymes in the stomach are produced in an inactive form and are activated by stomach acid. The acid is then neutralized, and the rennet extract is filtered and concentrated until it reaches a typical potency of about 1:15,000, meaning 1 gram of extract can coagulate 15 kg of milk.
In addition to animal rennet, there are also vegetable rennets that utilize extracts from plants and fungi. Vegetable rennet is commonly used in the production of kosher and halal cheeses. Many plants have coagulating properties, such as fig juice, nettles, thistles, and caper leaves. However, vegetable rennet may lead to bitter and undesirable flavors in cow's milk cheeses.
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Citric acid for a creamy cheese sauce
While some sources suggest using citric acid as an emulsifier for creamy cheese sauces, others disagree, stating that sodium citrate is the correct ingredient to use. Sodium citrate is a salt that ionizes in solution, causing the sodium and citrate to break apart and bind with certain structures in cheese proteins to keep them gooey and melty instead of clumpy.
If you want to make your own sodium citrate, you can mix citric acid and baking soda, which will produce CO2 and sodium citrate. However, this will not behave in the same way as the food additive commonly called sodium citrate, which is more specifically called trisodium citrate.
To make a creamy cheese sauce with sodium citrate, you can follow these steps:
- Heat milk in a sauce pot on medium-low heat until white wisps of steam begin to appear from the surface of the liquid.
- Stir in sodium citrate with a whisk to dissolve and allow the milk mixture to scald (bubbles form around the outer surface and the edges begin to creep up the sides of the pan).
- Turn off the heat and begin to stir in cheese a small handful at a time, whisking until the cheese has fully melted. Repeat the process until all the cheese is incorporated.
If you are set on using citric acid in your cheese sauce, one source suggests using a ratio of 1g of citric acid into 30ml of water for every 400g of cheese. However, this source also notes that their sauce ended up tasting like lemonade. Another source mentions that they use a few drops of lemon juice (1-2 drops per couple of cups of sauce) to smooth out gritty cheese sauce, which contains citric acid.
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Sodium citrate to prevent clumping
Sodium citrate is a food additive, specifically a sodium salt of citric acid. It is used in cheese sauces to prevent clumping and separation. The sodium in sodium citrate replaces the calcium in the casein protein structure, making it more soluble and less likely to clump up. The citrate binds the calcium, preventing it from binding with proteins and causing clumping. This results in a consistently smooth and creamy texture.
Sodium citrate is a potent emulsifying salt, which means it helps to stabilize the emulsion of fat and water in the cheese sauce. It acts as a bridge-builder, disrupting the natural structure of cheese proteins and allowing them to bind more effectively with water and fats. This prevents the fat molecules in the cheese from clumping together and separating from the watery whey.
Traditional mac and cheese recipes often use a roux (a cooked mixture of butter and flour) as a stabilizer to prevent clumping. However, even with a roux, separation can still occur, especially with certain types of cheese. Sodium citrate is a more effective alternative as it directly interferes with the calcium's ability to bind with proteins.
To use sodium citrate in a cheese sauce, it is important to start with a small amount and gradually increase it until the desired consistency is achieved. Adding too much sodium citrate can result in over-emulsification, leading to an overly smooth or gummy texture. It is also important to taste the sauce as you go to ensure the flavor remains balanced.
Sodium citrate can be purchased from many stores near the baking ingredients or online. It is a versatile ingredient that can be used with any liquid base, including milk, heavy cream, beer, bone stock, or water, to create a delicious and smooth cheese sauce.
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Direct acidification for mascarpone
Mascarpone is a type of cheese that can be made through direct acidification. This process involves adding an acidifying agent directly to milk to achieve the correct acidity and lower the pH level. The most common acidifying agents used in this process are lemon juice, white vinegar, and citric acid.
To make mascarpone through direct acidification, start by preparing the milk. Use milk with a fat content of 19-24%. Pasteurize and homogenize the milk to combine the fat and protein. Boil the milk for 15 minutes or longer, then cool it down to lukewarm temperature.
Once the milk is at the correct temperature, add the acidifying agent. For mascarpone, citric acid is typically used. Carefully add the citric acid a little at a time, as using too much can result in an excessively tangy flavor. The amount can vary from a few drops to a teaspoon. This step directly lowers the pH of the milk, causing the protein to precipitate.
After adding the acidifying agent, treat the milk at a high temperature, similar to the double cream fresh cheese process. This step denatures the whey proteins and combines them with the cheese matrix. Finally, separate the coagulum from the whey by transferring it to a cheese separator. The whey is separated from the cheese curd, and the mascarpone is ready.
Direct acidification is a simple and effective method for making mascarpone at home. It is important to note that the amount of acidifying agent used can significantly impact the flavor and texture of the final product, so it is wise to start with a small amount and adjust as needed.
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Frequently asked questions
Acid-set cheese is a type of cheese that has been made since Neolithic times and is recognised under different names around the globe, such as 'paneer' in India, 'Fromage blanc' in France, 'quark' in Germany, and 'cottage cheese' in the UK and the USA.
To make acid-set cheese at home, you will need milk, lemon juice, vinegar, or citric acid. First, boil your milk for 15 minutes or longer, then cool it down to lukewarm. Next, add a few drops to a teaspoon of lemon juice, vinegar, or citric acid. You can also use rennet, which is a coagulating agent that separates milk into curds and whey.
Lemon juice and vinegar are more likely to impart flavour to the cheese, whereas citric acid is more consistent and will not alter the flavour. Lemon juice and vinegar are also slower than rennet, lemon juice, vinegar, and citric acid.
You can make a variety of cheeses with citric acid, including Mozzarella, Ricotta, Mascarpone, Burrata, and Paneer.
