Homemade cream cheese

Cream cheese is easy to make at home . Traditionally , it is made from unskimmed milk enriched with additional cream. When made at home , it is much cheaper and making it is pretty much easy .

Ingredients:

1.Whole fat milk- 1 litre 

2.Lemon juice - 1 1/2 tbspn (or) vinegar - 2 tbspn

3.Yogurt- 1 tbspn 

Procedure:

1.Boil milk and add the lemon juice and continue to stir until you find the whey separating from milk as shown below . Switch off.

       

                               
2. Now pour this into a muslin cloth  and drain the water . Wash it at least twice in cold water to get rid of the lemon flavour.
 
 

3. Now add curd and mix well . Transfer this mixture into a food processor and grind it to get a smoth paste .

           
   
4. Again place this mixture in a muslin cloth. Tie the ends together to make a knot and hang it on hanger or a cupboard handle .Leave it aside for 5 - 6 hours to drain the liquid completely .
         
5. Now your cream cheese is ready to be used in your recipes !!

How to fold ingredients in baking ? - Cut and fold technique

What does it mean to "fold in" an ingredient into the mix?  

Well , folding is a more gentle mixing technique than "stirring" and "mixing. Folding is usually used for items where something has previously been whipped or where tenderness is required and thus less mixing is advisable. 

Here are 4 simple steps on how to fold ingredients :

1.You will need a metallic spoon or a rubber spatula . The thinness of the implement you are going to use is important for making it easier to fold correctly. 

2. Always add the delicate mixture to the heavy mixture.Never do it the other way round so as to avoid bursting of air bubble.

3.Use the spatula in a cutting action. Cut down to the centre of the two mixtures and bring the heavy one on top. Turn the bowl as you do this to ensure that the folding has been done evenly. 

4.Continue until both mixtures are combined fairly .