Craving cream cheese but on a budget? This 3-ingredient recipe will make you your own tub in no time

Cream cheese no longer needs to be an exclusive pantry item you pay a bomb for. Sure it tastes quite luxe and its market prices reflect so. But did you know all you need are three ingredients — things which we are 99% sure are already lying around your kitchen right this very second — and you’ll be taking this versatile, elusive item and turning it into a kitchen staple, homemade of course. Salt it, sugar it, sour it, add more spices, savoury or sweet to add complex flavour profiles — the possibilities with this one are endless. So let’s get cooking right away!

Cream cheese recipe

Ingredients: Full fat milk – 2 cups, fresh cream – 2 cups, vinegar/lemon juice – 4tbsps, salt – 1/2tsp, vanilla – 1tsp (optional)

Method: In a heavy bottom sauce pan, add milk and cream, and salt. Let this mixture come to a slight boil. Add two tablespoons of vinegar. Stir constantly. Keep the flame on medium low and a few minutes later add the remaining two tablespoons of vinegar while stirring the mixture. The mixture will curdle. Let this come to a simmer, we don’t need any rapid boils. Strain this mixture through a muslin cloth and let it sit undisturbed for 15 minutes. In a food processor, add in the strained mixture after it has been sitting for some minutes. Add in vanilla and blitz till it reaches a smooth and creamy consistency. If the cream cheese looks too dry, you can add some of the strained liquid and blitz it again till you reach the level of creaminess you’re looking for.