Jben – Moroccan Fresh Cheese

Ingredients :

• (1 liter) milk
• (1 liter) buttermilk / lben
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme (or other herbs)

Directions :

Step 1: Making the Milk Mixture
1- In a saucepan, on medium-high heat, heat up the milk with the salt, until it reaches a point right below a boiling point.
2- When the milk is hot, you can see it starts bubbling a bit, add it to the cold buttermilk (lben).
3- You can flavor the jben if you want, I am using dried thyme. Mix well.
4- Let the milk and buttermilk mixture sit on your counter for around 1-2 hours. You will notice that the mixture will start separating, there is a liquid on the top.

Step 2: Straining the Mixture
1- To strain the mixture, I am using a cheese cloth (that you can buy in the supermarket) over a strainer, placed on top of a bowl (to get all the liquid that is strained).
2- Pour the mixture on the strainer and cover it with the excess cheese cloth.
3- Let the cheese mixture sit in the strainer (over the bowl) for 10-12 hours (or overnight).
4- The cheese is ready after 10 hours, all the water is captured in the bowl, and you end up with the beautiful creamy cheese in the strainer.
serve on a toasted bread, you can add some honey or jam to it!

Bon Appetit!