Dairy Products
Cream
Butter
Yoghurt
Cheese

Cream


The traditional way to collect the cream is to leave the milk overnight allowing time for fat globules, which are lighter than the rest of the liquid, to float to the top. The cream can then be skimmed off using a perfoated ladle.

A more effective process is to use a centrifugal separator. Warm milk, straight from the cow is spun in th marchine and separated into cream solids and skim milk because of their different densities. The cream is ejected from one outlet pipe and the milk out another. Separating machines come in hand-operate and electic models and may be found in second-hand shopes, markets or by advertising in the wanted column of the local newspaper.

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Butter


Butter is made by beating cream until the fat droplets are broken down, making them cling together so that the mass becomes separated form the liquid. On the basis of an average fat content of 3.75 per cent in milk, around 12 litres of milk is needed to produce enough cream for half a kilogram of butter.

A domestic kitchen mixer can be used to make butter. Firstly the cream should be allowed to warm to room temperature then beat until it whips then breaks. Drains off the buttermilk (which can be used in cooking) and wash away any remaining traces of the liquid using cold water. All the buttermilk must be removed or the butter will become rancid.

Work the butter on a board by rolling and squeezing it to remove as much water as possible. As drops appear on the surface, wipe them off. If you wish to add salt, knead in around 20 grams per kilogram of butter (salted butter will keep longer than unsalted butter). Shape to the required size and wrap in greaseproof paper before refrigerating. The butter can be deep frozen and kept for up to 3 months. Back to the top

Yoghurt


Yoghurt contains the stomach-friendly bacteria lactobacillus bulgaricus and streptococcus thermophilus, which establish themselves in human intestines and are thought to improve digestion, aid vitamin synthesis, and restore the balance of organisms in the gut.

Lactobacilli organisms produce lactic acid in milk, curdling it so that it solidifies into yoghurt. This takes place most effectively at 43 degrees Celsius, so the basic princple is to keep the milk at this temperature for the required period of time.

First pasteurise the milk by heating it to 68 degrees Celsius, for about 1 minute to kill the bacteria. Cool quickly to 43 degrees celsius then pour into a crock-pot, an electric fry pan, wide necked thermos or yoghurt maker, which has first been rinsed with boiling water. Add a teaspoon of natural yoghurt for every half a litre of milk the container, and mix well. Hold the milk at 43 degrees celsius for around 6 to 10 hours, until the desired thinckness is achieved. Remove the yoghurt and place in the refigerator.


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Cheese


Cheese was invented to preserve milk in a concentrated form. The process involves separating the solid part of the milk from the water by encouraging the natural coagulating properties of the protein (casein), through the addition of selected cheese making bacteria, plus the enzyme rennet.

Cheese making requires no special skills except patience, plus time and lots of fresh milk.

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