Ever wonder what you're going to do with all that extra goats milk? Well, besides drinking it of course, soaking your chicken feed in it (for a great source of egg-streghthening calcium) making fresh Kefir, and giving it away to all your neighbors, there are lots of other things you can do with it. I'm including a few of my favorite recipe's to get you started.
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Cajeta
Cajeta is a traditional Mexican dessert sauce. It is most often drizzled over ice cream and is absolutely delectable! It takes HOURS to prepare, but the results are worth it. If you cannot afford the time it takes to let it fully carmelize, you can stop the process when it is about 3/4 of the way finished, and you will have a quart of sweetened, condensed milk to use (I leave out the baking soda for the condensed milk.) You can freeze or can this milk for using in all of your favorite desserts calling for the canned cow variety.
Cajeta:
2 quarts goats milk
2 cups sugar
1 T vanilla extract
1 to 2 t baking soda
Mix all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed pan, and bring to a gentle boil. Lower heat and simmer, stirring about every 15 minutes or so, watching closely so that the milk is not scorching or sticking to the bottom of the pan. After a time...a very long time, the Cajeta will start to turn a brown color, continue stirring almost constantly when it gets to this point until it reduces down further and you have a pan of beautiful carmel sauce. You can strain the cajeta if you think it might contain pieces of burnt milk, (it shouldn't if you stirred it properly). Store in the refridgerator, freezer, or preserve with a pressure canner. ENJOY!
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Chevre. This is the cheese most people think of when they think about goats cheese. It is an easy-to-make, versitile, delicious cheese that can be enjoyed endless ways. It is absolutely wonderful all by itself, with just a little salt added, and can be flavored with any flavor, and used in place of cream cheese or sour cream in most any recipe. It is a soft, spreadable cheese that will quickly become a household favorite.
French Style Chevre
5 quarts whole goats milk
1/2 cup cultured buttermilk OR 1/8 tsp of mesophilic DVI culture
2 TBLS diluted rennet (dilution=3 drops liquid rennet into 1/3 cup cool water
Warm milk to 80 degrees, or use milk that is still warm from milking. Stir in buttermilk, mix well. Add 2 tablespoons of diluted rennet mixture. Stire well and cover. Let set at room temperature for 8-12 hours. Cheese is ready to drain when it looks like thickened yogurt.
Use muslin cheescloth or pillowcase cloth to drain. Line a large bowl or pan with a cloth. Pour in cheese. Tie ends together and hang to drain for 6-8 hours.
When the dripping has stopped, the cheese is ready. This cheese is a mild, spreadable cheese and can be used plain, or seasoned with a variety of herbs. Some popular ones are Herbs De Provance, French Herbs, Lavender, etc.
Chevre will keep about 2 weeks in the fridge, or you can freeze for up to six months. You can freeze cheese either plain or seasoned.
ENJOY
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| Mexicali Flavored Chevre atop whole grain bread. |
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