Burrata is perfection in a pouch, a shell of mozzarella oozing with creamy, salty curds. It makes a fancy appetizer served with a toasted baguette, tomatoes, basil, and balsamic vinegar, or switch it up and serve it with prosciutto and cantaloupe.
Cheese is a staple to just about any household and is easily incorporated into any meal. The creaminess, flavor, and richness of cheese are some of the most satisfying parts of a meal. Discovered in ancient times by accident, farmers left milk sitting in the sun for hours; when they rediscovered it and drained the liquid- they realized the leftover curds had a surprisingly good taste.
The Cheesemaking process uses heat, acid, and enzymes to break apart the different components in milk and manipulate them into the cheesy deliciousness that we know and love. Every cheese you’ve ever met starts with the same basic ingredients: Milk + Acid + Heat + Enzymes + Salt. Some cheeses stop right there, like mozzarella, which we call fresh cheese. Jumping into more complex flavors and textures, like soft, aged cheese, and hard cheese, requires manipulation of temperature, moisture content & fermentation.
The first step of all cheesemaking is breaking the milk into curds and whey. This “breaking” is a chemical process. While milk proteins typically repel one another, when the pH is lowered, an enzyme is added, or the temperature is raised, the proteins suddenly begin to attract one another and clump together in what we see as curds. The liquid that the proteins leave behind is whey. To learn more about these cheese basics, check out our Easin’ Into Cheesin’ Fresh Cheese Making Kit. Now, let’s start our thirty-minute timer and get to making some burrata cheese!
You can find all of the ingredients and resources you need in our Fresh Cheese Making Kit!
30
minutes10
This recipe will make around 1-1.25 pounds of Burrata Cheese. For a larger batch, scale this recipe by multiplying the ingredients or toggle the serving size above.
1 Gallon Whole Milk (Not Ultra-Pasteurized)
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1/4 Tablet Rennet, Dissolved In ¼ Cup Water
1 1/2 TSP Citric Acid, Dissolved In ½ Cup Water
1 TSP Cheese Salt
5 Quart Pot or Larger, Heavy Bottomed
Thermometer
Large Slotted Spoon
Medium Microwave Safe Bowl
Large Bowl For Water Bath
Gloves
Measuring Spoons
Add milk and citric acid solution to a pot and begin heating over medium heat.
Once milk has reached 90°F, add diluted rennet and stir thoroughly for 30 seconds.
You’ll notice a thick curd beginning to form. Continue heating, stirring gently, until it reaches 105°F. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
Prepare a water bath: fill a large bowl with room temperature water. Set aside.
Scoop curds out into a large microwave bowl and drain off excess whey.
Prepare filling: remove 1 cup of the curds and place into a bowl. Mix in heavy cream plus a pinch of salt. Set aside for use later.
Prepare mozzarella shells
1. Heat and Knead Curds: place bowl with curds in the microwave, heat on high for 90 seconds. Wearing gloves, knead teh curd in the bowl about 10 times to help distribute the heat.
2. Drain off any whey and sprinkle with salt. Microwave for another 30 seconds, then knead again about 10 times.
3. Repeat this process until the curd begins to come together and you’re able to stretch it apart without it breaking. Stretch a few more times.
4. Shape into a ball and cut in half to make 2 shells.
Working with one shell at a time (or else they will cool too quickly), shape into a ball. Use your finger to poke a hole almost all the way through the ball, creating a void. Then, carefully stretch it into a thin, balloon-like pouch.
Take half of the cream mixture and pour it into the pouch. Knead, twist, or tie the pouch closed. Place into water bath to let cool, preventing further stretching
Re-heat the second half for 30 seconds so that it is easier to shape, then repeat the same process in steps 4 and 5 above.
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