How to Make Yogurt Cheese

Yogurt cheese is simple and easy to make and is a great alternative to cream cheese or other cheese spreads. Yogurt cheese is lower in fat and cholesterol than most other cheese products and provides healthy bacteria that our bodies need.

Things You'll Need

• Strainer basket
• Coffee filter or two layers of cheese cloth
• Bowl
• Plastic wrap
• Yogurt

Instructions

1. Choose a flavor of yogurt you like, or use plain and add fruit or flavorings later.

2. Line a strainer with two layers of cheese cloth or a coffee strainer. Coffee strainers are easier to use and make for simple clean-up.

3. Put strainer into a bowl. Make sure that the strainer is small enough not to touch the bottom of the bowl. The liquid needs room to drip out and stay at the bottom.

4. Place one quart of yogurt into the strainer. Working with smaller batches makes the process go more quickly.

5. Cover the entire bowl and strainer with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator.

6. Chill for 8 to 12 hours, pouring off the whey as necessary.

7. Scrape yogurt cheese into a container and use on bagels, toast or anything you might eat with cream cheese or spread.

Tips & Warnings

• Using plain yogurt and adding fruit or herbs later will make the cheese turn out better.

• Longer draining times will make a firmer cheese. Shorter times will produce something more like sour cream.

• Get kids involved in this easy project. Let them each have their own strainer, yogurt and bowl. Experiment with different flavors to see what makes the best cheese the fastest.

• Make sure you use enough cheese cloth to let the whey through and keep the cheese solid. Do not use a strainer without cheese cloth or a coffee filter.