'scalding' raw milk

[littlehawksmom]

This is essentiailly pasturizing the milk, right? It is basically boiling which is very hot (probably about 180). This can't be very good for the milk-does anyone have any alternatives for cooked pudding?
But is it also true that if you keep the milk just under 150 degrees for 15- 30 minutes, you can 'disinfect' it without changing the proteins?
I am probably being overly cautious-do you feel this is necessary when making things like fresh (not-aged) cheese or yogurt? The milk I use is between 2 and 5 days old.
I've been making some cream cheese and yogurt, but I can't resist some old-fashioned cornstarch chocolate pudding.
Any thoughts?
Allie

[tboroson]

Yes, scalding pasteurizes it. So does holding it at 145 for 30 minutes. But, the lower temp pasteurization is less damaging than higher temp pasteurizing. Personally, I don't pasteurize my raw milk for anything, unless you count when I'm actually cooking with the milk (like making cream soups). I'm dying to start cheese-making, because I want raw chevre so bad. It's my biggest NT-no-no, eating store-bought pasteurized chevre, because it's the only cheese I really like

2-5 days is not very long to keep the milk, I would consider it very fresh at that point. When I get it farm fresh, it keeps as long as two weeks before it gets sour enough to be unpalatable.

[littlehawksmom]

I think I just need to get my head around the whole raw milk thing. For me, if I get milk that is 4 days old, then it stays cold for two days, then I make fresh (unripened-with cheese, the aging is what drives the bad guys out and you are pretty sure of safety after 60 days-but cream cheese is not aged)cheese, it sits out (culturing)for a day, then hangs for a day, well now we have week old milk. Thenit stays in the fridge and gets eaten over the next week. Still fresh? It is cultured, does it make that much difference?
by the way, cream cheese is very easy to make once you have the stuff-culture, rennet and good cheese cloth. Actually, that is all you need to make lots of different kinds of cheese. I havn't tried an aged cheese yet, but soon. Check out gourmetsleuth.com for some good websites.
Any other links about raw milk or cultured foods would be very helpful.
Thanks

[Severine]

According to NT, all you need to make cream cheese are: raw milk, glass containers/bowls, a dish towel, and a large strainer. Just an FYI. I'm planning on trying it this week - the milk is out on the counter now and I'm just waiting for it to separate. Just an FYI.

I wondered about scalding the milk, too. Though in NT, if you use raw milk, you only need to bring the milk to 110oF first. So I guess that's more promising than the traditional 180oF for pasteurized milk.

Other than that, I don't have anything to add. I'm new to all this myself and still learning quite a bit. I'd like to make my own cheese eventually, too, but this week I'm focusing on just the basics. Good luck!

[mamak05]

Have you considered using coconut milk for pudding? Have you tried tapioca?

[littlehawksmom]

Sounds interesting with the NT cream cheese. Maybe I'll get brave enough to try it. Yogurt cheese is also very good-just pour yogurt into a cheese cloth and hang.
Thanks for the pudding ideas!