Did you know that cheesecloth has existed at least since the 14th century? This old-school kitchen tool is a staple for many home cooks and bakers, and it hasn’t changed much since it first appeared.
But what is cheesecloth? It’s usually a cotton fabric that comes in several types of weaves. Traditionally, you use it to separate curds from whey to make cheese.
We’re here to talk about how you can use cheesecloth fabric in the kitchen. Read on to learn more.
Make Cheese
Cheese is the most obvious use for cheese cloth. If you’ve never made cheese at home, now might be your opportunity! It’s not as hard as it looks.
You can make a simple mozzarella cheese with only two ingredients if you’re looking for a “trial run” cheese without buying anything extra for your pantry.
You’re going to need milk and vinegar. Start with about 6 cups of milk and a quarter cup of vinegar.
Put the milk over medium-high heat until it begins to boil, but don’t overheat it. Slowly add the vinegar while you stir the milk. You should start seeing curds.
Put the curds in a cheesecloth and squeeze until you have a ball of cheese. Heat the liquid up again and dip the ball in the warm water and then repeat the process up to five times.
Let the ball sit in cold water for two minutes and then wrap it tightly.
Make Nut Milks
Do you love almond milk? You can make it at home with a cheesecloth!
Soak a cup of almonds overnight in cool water. This will soften them so they’re easier to blend later. You can use hot water for 1-2 hours, but this isn’t as effective.
Put the almonds, 5 cups of water, and a pinch of salt into a high-speed blender. You can also add vanilla, cocoa powder, or sweeteners if you want to.
Blend everything until it looks smooth. Over a bowl, strain the liquid through the cheesecloth and squeeze. You’ll end up with almond pulp leftover that you can use to make crackers, cookies, and more.
Make Greek Yogurt From Normal Yogurt
So you’ve bought some yogurt from the store, but you accidentally bought normal yogurt instead of Greek yogurt! What a disappointment.
If you have cheesecloth, you can actually fix this problem. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and dump your yogurt inside. Put the strainer over a bowl and let it sit.
Whey will drip out of the yogurt and into the bowl, leaving behind a thicker yogurt that’s packed with protein. This can take anywhere between 1 and 8 hours.
How Will You Use Cheesecloth?
Whether you’re using standard or blue cheesecloth, why not try one of these fun recipes? Make tasty greek yogurt, DIY cheese, or even your own almond milk. It’s easy with a simple piece of cheesecloth, and you’ll never go back to storebought options.
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