How to Make Breast Milk Cheese

While making cheese from my breast milk wasn’t something I’d ever gone as far as to try, I did wonder several times if you could being myself quite the cheese fanatic. My question was answered in early March of 2010 when Chef Daniel Angerer made headlines by serving up breast milk cheese to a group of friends at his restaurant.

Angerer was strongly suggested by the Department of Health not to sell or even give away his breast milk cheese. This didn’t stop him from posting his recipe on his blog, however when searching myself it took a bit of work to find said recipe. I decided the art of making breast milk cheese was not one that should be hidden away in the deep confines of cyber space but easily accessible under the plain headline, “How to Make Breast Milk Cheese”. Here you will find the dangerous of consuming breast milk cheese, the possible benefits, and instructions to make breast milk cheese based on Chef Daniel Angerer’s recipe.

Is Consuming Breast Milk Cheese Safe?

The thing about breast milk is what goes in mom and what’s already in mom comes out in mom’s milk. While this may open the question can you flavor breast milk cheese by altering the mother’s diet, it also opens health risks. This means that if the breast milk donator has a disease or virus just a like a baby, an adult can contract this disease or virus. Those that do opt to try making breast milk cheese are advised to do so from there own milk, a family member, or someone you know well enough to trust what they have and put into their body.

Does Breast Milk Cheese Have Any Benefits?

It could hypothetically. Breast milk has been proven to have lastly benefits in infants, which do not stop at a certain age including increased immune defense and intelligence, lower chance of obesity and diabetes, and a lower occurrence of digestive upset and constipation. While no known studies have been done on the benefits of breast milk for adults, it is suggested these same benefits that occur in infants may also work for adults.

How Do You Make Breast Milk Cheese?

This recipe will make around ½ lb of Breast Milk Cheese and requires about 2 cups of breast milk. I am currently trying it myself, but my cheese is still incomplete so no comment of the results.

What you’ll need:

2 cups breast milk

2 cups regular whole milk (from any animal)

1 ½ teaspoon of active culture yogurt

1/8 of a tablet of rennet

1 teaspoon sea salt

How it’s done:

-Heat the two milks together to at least 68 degrees F and then add the yogurt. Let stand covered at room temp for 6-8 hours.

-Heat the milk again this time to 86 degrees F and add the rennet tablet. Stir thoroughly and then cover securely for about an hour. You want the curds to be firm not gel-like or soft. If they are still soft return to the pot and wait longer.

-Once ready cut the mixture into ½ inch cubes within your pot.

-Slowly raise the temperature on the pot while stirring to prevent clumping. A ricotta like cheese will result. If you want a soft cheese continue heating to 92 degrees F, for a hard cheese bring it up to 102.

-The curds will now resemble scrambled eggs, strain them from their liquid using cheese cloth.

-Place the curds in a bowl and mix with salt. The left over liquid from the above step is also consumable.

-Place the mixture into a container to shape it surrounded by cheese cloth. The original breast milk cheese chef used a Chinese take-out box with holes cut in it. Remember to place something below the container to catch escaping moisture. Something needs to be place on top of the mixture to put pressure on the curds.

-Store in a cool place such as the fridge for 14 hours or so.

-Remove and wrap again in fresh cloth. You must re-wrap the cheese each day until it remains dry.

-Allow to sit for several weeks. Outer edge will turn brown. The longer cheese is left to sit the sharper it will become.

(The original recipe by Chef Daniel Angerer this was based on can be found in the first source at the end of this article.)

I have no idea what the recipe tastes like yet. If successful, I intend to test the theory that the mother’s diet will affect the flavor. There is also a French company that sells breast milk cheese. This is not recommended. (see above) If you want to try breast milk cheese, you’ll just have to make it yourself to know it’s safe. Now you know how.

Sources:

Chef Daniel Angerer’s Recipe for Breast Milk Cheese

http://chefdanielangerer.typepad.com/chef_daniel_angerers_blog/2010/02/mommys-milk.html

Press Article of the Serving of Breast Milk Cheese

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/nurse_made_JQlMRBr5ZgO6iD07AX83MJ

The Dangers of Consuming Breast Milk Cheese

http://www.asklenore.info/breastfeeding/health/breastmilk_for_adults.html

Breast Milk’s Benefits for Adults

http://www.babycenter.com/404_my-husband-wants-to-taste-my-breast-milk-is-it-okay-if-he-do_8926.bc

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/473223/can_adults_benefit_from_drinking_breast.html?cat=52

Benefits of Breast Milk

http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-breastfeeding-benefits-you-and-your-baby_8910.bc?page=2