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Panela con Epazote

Cuisine Mexican

Ingredients
  

  • ½ gallon whole milk
  • ½ tsp calcium chloride
  • 35 drops of rennet
  • 2 tsp fine salt
  • ½ cup water
  • Handful of epazote

Instructions
 

  • Pour your milk into a pot and turn and slowly heat to 95F on medium heat.
  • Dissolve calcium chloride in ¼ cup of water. Then, dissolve rennet in another ¼ cup of water.
  • Once the milk has reached 95 degrees fahrenheit, turn the stove off.
  • Add the calcium chloride and water mix to the heated milk and stir it until fully distributed.
  • Next, add the rennet and water mix to the heated milk and stir it until fully incorporated.
  • Cover the pot and let it rest until it curdles. This should take about 30-40 minutes. Do not mix the milk mixture as it sits.
  • Once the curd has floated to the top, use a serrated knife to cut the curds into 1¼” squares and let it sit for 10 minutes more so the curds can heal.
  • Ladle the curds into a colander lined with a cheesecloth; lightly salt, taking care to mix the salt in as the whey drains out. This is not a salty cheese so make sure not to over salt.
  • Once the curds are dry add the epazote to the curds. Put the curds and epazote into a cheese mold if you have one. If you don't wrap the curds in the cloth and hang them or leave them in a colander. Leave the curds in the mold for a few hours until it's drained. You do not want the cheese to be too dry.
  • Once the cheese is ready wrap in parchment or cheese paper and put it in a container in your fridge. The cheese should last 2-5 days.

Notes

You can make this recipe without the epazote