Is making your own cottage cheese the way to amazing Gluten Free breads?

As you may know from my previous post about making yogurt at home, we have been having kitchen adventures. In addition to making yogurt we also made cottage cheese! We decided to make cottage cheese when my son's favorite cottage cheese was no longer being sold. We opted to make our own, yes in an effort to duplicate the cottage cheese he loves and of course save money.

As I researched the cottage cheese making techniques and recipes I noticed that nearly every recipe emphasized the vast amounts of whey that would remain and that you should keep it to use in breads and other cooking. This got me thinking, one of the factors that makes gluten based flours different from gluten free flours is protein (the other factor of course is the sticky/ stretchy factor). Many gluten free recipes will suggest adding an addition egg or protein source - my thought is why not replace the water or milk in your baking with this remaining whey.

Shortly after making my cottage cheese I made Swedish Coffee bread using the whey for some of the milk - the results were amazing!! The bread was very close to the gluten filled bread I remembered.

I understand that making cottage cheese seems like a daunting task and honestly I try to keep things simple. I do think it is something you should try at least once, it was lots of fun and the results were amazing! Grab your copy of "Little Miss Muffet", your supplies and start making your very own "curds and whey". Then follow up that with some gluten free baking and you will be very happy with your results. If nothing else you may find whey available at your local co-op or cheese shop.

Let me know your thoughts!

Home-made Cottage Cheese

4 cups Organic Whole Milk (lesser fat milks will work too)

4 drops liquid rennet

1/4 cup half and half or buttermilk

Using a nonreactive pan, stainless steel works well. Heat the milk on a low setting. Use a candy thermometer to check temperature - bring the temperature up to 85F.

Remove from heat and add the liquid rennet and stir until well combined.

Cover with a clean towel and place lid on the pot. Allow to sit for 5 hours. After 5 hours you will have a large jello like item. Use a long, sharp knife to cut diagonally 5-6 times in both directions to form a checker board appearance.

Place back on the burner and begin heating on low, stirring continually with a large spoon. As you stir and the mixture heats you will notice the curds separating from the whey. Once you notice a separation of whey and curds. Turn the heat off.

Place a strainer over a large bowl, place a few layers of cheese cloth in the strainer. Pour the curds and whey into the strainer. Gentle raise and lower the corners of the cheese cloth to strain off excess whey. Place the excess whey into glass jars and refrigerate for later use - like making gluten free breads! Place the strainer with the cheese cloth wrapped curds and bowl under the strainer in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Once the curds are drained of excess whey add your half and half or butter milk. Gently stir and add salt or seasoning as desired.

Swedish Coffee Bread (or roll)

1 cups milk

1 cup whey plus 1/2 cup

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

6-7 cups Gluten Free Flour Blend *see below*

6 teaspoons xantham gum

2 tablespoons ground cardamon

1 egg yolk (save the white)

1 pkg yeast

extra sugar, cinnamon and 1/2 stick butter for enhancing the bread/rolls.

*Basic GF All Purpose Flour*

4 Cups Brown Rice Flour
1 and 1/3 Cups Potato Starch

2/3 Cups Tapioca flour (Tapioca Starch is the same)

In sauce pan combine 1 cup milk, 1 cup whey and 1/2 cup butter and heat over high heat, stirring continually. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and cool until warm, no higher than 110 degrees.

In a glass bowl combine 1/2 cup warm whey with the yeast and allow to activate. The whey and yeast will begin to froth and foam in a few minutes. The whey must be warm, not hot, the ideal temperature in about body temperature. Too hot and you will kill the yeast. Too cold and they won't activate. Add the yeast to the milk mixture, once this mixture has cooled to warm.

Combine the flours mixture with the xantham gum and sift of thoroughly stir together.

Combine the yeast with the milk mixture and add 2 cups of gluten free flour mixture and stir until well combined, add another 2 cups and combine.

Add the egg yolk and the cardamon and stir.

Add the remaining flour, stir will. Cover with a warm, moist towel and place in a warm area to rise for 2 hours. Knead dough by punching down with fists. Cover again and allow to rise for 2 more hours. Knead again and divide into thirds.

On a well floured surface carefully roll one third of the dough into a rectangular shape. Using a pastry brush brush surface with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Carefully roll into a tube shape. You can either make rolls by slicing off sections and placing in a muffin pan, or coil the dough and bake as a loaf. Brush with the beaten egg white, top with pearl sugar and let rise again for 1 hour.

Bake 35-40 minutes at 350F

Rolls bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown.

Make your own Gluten Free Granola and Vanilla Yogurt!

This has been an adventurous week for my son and me. As a family we all consume and enjoy yogurt and all its many benefits. Unfortunately, in Minneapolis we cannot recycle the containers that the yogurt is in, same story for any cottage cheese or sour cream containers. We have tried recycling at the co-ops, but they can't take these pesky containers either. This dilemma got us thinking, Nick, 4 years, loves cooking and "science projects" (I am certain he doesn't fully understand the word science, but it's his motivation today). We decided today we’d make our own yogurt- how hard can it be?

We searched for a recipe to make yogurt at home! We were very excited to find out that we had all the tools on hand, with exception to the yogurt starter or plain yogurt. We quickly ran to our local co-op and purchased Yogourmet Yogurt Stater and Liquid Rennet (incase we ventured to make cottage cheese as well....check back soon for more on cottage cheese).

HOME-MADE Yogurt without a Machine!

The yogurt making process is fairly simple. You need a few items:
• a large stainless steel sauce pan with lid
• small bowl
• spatula
• thermometer - a candy thermometer is best and it can hook right on your pot.
• an incubator - I used my Trader Joe’s hot/cold cooler, with a sheet and heating pad inside. You could also use a yogurt maker if you have - but no need to purchase. A travel cooler, heating pad and sheet or towel will work.
• Glass Mason Jars

(all utensils should be very clean)

Ingredients

4 Cups (1 quart) Organic Whole or 2% milk

1/4 Cup Agave Syrup

1 packet yogurt starter or 4 tablespoons plain yogurt

1 Tablespoon high quality Vanilla

Heat the milk in the sauce pan over medium high heat until milk reaches 185 degrees F. Whisk or stir continually so the milk doesn't scorch. Don’t let it boil.

Add the Agave Syrup or Sugar and Vanilla while heating the milk.

Once milk reaches 185 degrees F. Move pot to another area of stove and continue stirring to bring down temperature. You can use an ice bath as well.

Once milk is about 110 degrees, take 1/2 cup out and mix thoroughly with the yogurt starter or 4 tablespoons of plain yogurt. Add the mixture of milk and starter back into the main pot and stir.

Carefully fill your 4 quart sized Mason jars with the yogurt and put lid on.

Place in incubator* for 6-10 hours. You may need to continue to turn on the heating pad. The jars should remain warm, but never hot. Any temperature above 110 will kill the active cultures and it won’t work.

When you open the jar it will smell like yogurt and you know your yogurt was a success. Place in refrigerator and enjoy!

*how to make an incubator*

place a heating pad and folded sheet in a travel cooler, zipper closed and turn on heating pad to medium high heat.

Gluten Free Granola

1 Cup Gluten Free Rolled Oats (I use Bob's Red Mill)

1/2 Cup Flax Seeds

1/4 Cup Chia Seeds

1/3 Cup Honey

1 tablespoon cinnamon

optional:

Raisins, dried fruits, coconut flakes

Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees F.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread the granola mixture over the parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Place in the oven on the middle rack. Carefully mix the granola every 7-10 minutes for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cool - add any desired optional items and store in an air tight container. Enjoy with your homemade yogurt or even milk!