Homemade Chevre (Goat Cheese)

 After our botched (but delicious) batch of chevre my mom and I were determined to make the recipe correctly so that we could roll out logs of it into different flavors.

This time we were going to do it right.

This time there was going to be proper chevre on our crackers. We were filled with cheese-related determination.

 

So imagine my disappointment when I returned from the grocery store with my goat's milk and discovered that the REASON we had used the wrong starter last time was because we didn't own any of the C20G starter that the book called for. Sad face.

However, one of the best things about being a part of Cheesepalooza is that the other participants and organizers are full of helpful suggestions. Ian's method uses a combination of Aroma B powder with a little bit of rennet which was perfect because we had both of those things on hand. Operation goat cheese was back on.

The milk was heated, cultures were added, and it was held at the correct temperature for the next 12 hours.

This time when we opened our pot lid instead of being greeted by a confusing mess of thickened milk we were rewarded with a beautiful white mass surrounded by whey. Success!

 

We drained the cheese in a single layer of cheese cloth until it was dry enough to roll into logs but a little bit creamier than the goat's cheese from the store.

 

Next came the part that I had been looking forward to: flavoring the cheese.

I knew that I wanted one to be herb flavored with a combination of thyme, parsley, and sage. My mom wanted a sweet and savory one with dried sour cherries.

 

We also rolled one in smoked paprika and another in cracked black pepper.

These cheeses were all very tasty. My favorite of the rolled chevre ended up being the cherry version because the sweet but tart cherries paired up perfectly with the savory cheese. It was good enough to eat on it's own sans crackers or bread.

However, the tastiest version of all was inspired by Valorie's Cabécou which made me wonder if I could simply drain some of the leftover plain cheese and then marinate it in oil.

 

Let me tell you, this marinated cheese puts the other cheese to shame. We further drained our leftover chevre, salted it a bit, and then layered it with olive oil, garlic, and rosemary in a sterilized canning jar.

 I was worried that the cheese would fall apart in the oil but it stayed in spreadable chunks that were seriously tasty when scooped out with a spoon and spread on crackers. It was so good that I quickly converted the cracked pepper cheese into marinated cheese and am considering making an entire batch of goat's cheese to marinate and give away.

And by give away I mean squirrel away in my fridge until I'm so overwhelmed by the amount of cheese that I've eaten that I have to distribute the remaining jars to save me from myself.

Chevre Tasting Notes

• Appearance: very white and creamy
• Nose (aroma): tangy goat cheese scent
• Overall Taste: Mild goat cheese flavor
• Sweet to Salty: Salty
• Mild (mellow) to Robust to Pungent (stinky): Mild
• Mouth Feel: (gritty, sandy, chewy, greasy, gummy, etc.): creamy with a bit of texture.

 We made this cheese as a part of Cheesepalooza which is hosted by A Canadian Foodie. Interested in joining in? You can start at any time! We'll be making one cheese a month for 12 months in a row.

 

 

 

Comments

[Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe]

I am so impressed by your cheese-making! I considered playing along with Cheesepalooza, but was intimidated by it all. However, it looks to be totally worth the effort!

[Eileen]

Hooray for homemade cheese! That marinated goat cheese looks particularly exciting.

[Mary at n00bcakes]

This looks amazing!! Do you think this chevre is appropriate for a beginner like myself to attempt? It seems to me it'd make lovely Christmas presents for other people (or, alternatively, my stomach). My dad and I made a very simple ricotta last year and it was fun, but not particularly complex.

Think a noob like me could handle it? Do you have any recommendations for people just learning?

[Stephanie]

Mary:
I'm a noob at this too so the goat cheese should be do-able for you! You just have to find somewhere that sells the different cultures. You can usually find it on the internet.
I'd really suggest getting the cheese making book just because she has so many tips and there's lots of good info.

The book --> http://www.amazon.com/Artisan-Cheese-Making-Home-World-Class/dp/1607740087

[christine @ wannafoodie]

Yay, success! I made a dried cherry (and thyme) chevre as well and it was such a hit. I don't know if I'll ever buy chevre again or maybe I'll just tone down the purchasing and amp up the making because this cheese has been such a hit and requires such little effort. Can't wait, as always, to see your next creations!

[erin @ yummy supper]

Stephanie,
Chevre soaked in olive oil is my idea of heaven. In Australia, it was sold at most grocery stores and I couldn't get enough. I never even thought to do it myself and here you are inspiring me!
And your chevre with cherries sounds amazing too.
Hungry over here;)
E

[Allison Day]

I'm seriously impressed by this, in part, I think, because the one and only time I've tried making cheese at home, it was a miserable failure! But that chevre in olive oil looks so good (and sounds like a perfect gift to have on hand for the holiday season), so maybe now's a good time for me to try again. ^_^

[Kelly]

I go through so much goat cheese, making my own sounds amazing! I might need to start with something a little simpler, but this is the holy grail.

[Liz]

You can use plain old buttermilk and a teensy bit of liquid rennet to make perfectly delicious chèvre. No special culture required!