The Taste Tester: Homemade Velveeta Cheese

Do you have a bucket list? If you don't know, a "bucket list" is a list of things to do before you die. According to urbandictionary.com it comes from the phrase "kicked the bucket". I've never heard that phrase before, not once in my life. I'm actually pretty sure the movie The Bucket List (you know, with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) made bucket lists more popular than they ever had been before.

I have a bucket list. More specifically, I have a culinary bucket list. Everything on it has to do with food. Some things are simpler and less crazy (like making homemade pop-tarts). Other things are kind of daring and more scary for a person like me (eating escargot, for example).

I've noticed one theme with my bucket list; a lot of the things I want to cook are homemade versions of processed foods. Hence, today's post: Homemade Velveeta Cheese--- just crossed it off the list.

Just for the record, this stuff is very good and melts beautifully on a good ol' grilled cheese sandwich. It's one of those things I won't be making often but when I do I'll be glad I did.

That grilled cheese sandwich up there looks real good, doesn't it? Oh did you want it? Too bad, I already ate it.

Homemade Velveeta Cheese

1 tablespoon water

1 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin (unflavored)

12 ounces Colby or Colby Jack cheese, grated*

1 tablespoon non-fat or whole dry milk powder

3/4-1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk

Line a 5x4 inch disposable aluminum bread pan with plastic wrap, allowing some plastic wrap to hang over the edges. I just used a small tupperware dish because I am cheap and saw no need to buy disposable pans.

Place water in a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over the top of the water. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Pulse cheese, dry milk, salt, and cream of tartar together in the bowl of a food processor until combined (3-5 pulses). Start with 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Once you have added the milk you can taste it and determine if more salt is needed. I myself thought that 1 teaspoon of salt was a bit too salty for my taste.

Meanwhile bring milk to a boil over medium high heat. Once it reaches a boil, remove from heat and stir in prepared gelatin until dissolved. Pour hot milk into a liquid measuring cup with spout. With food processor running, gradually add hot milk. Process mixture until it is thoroughly combined and velvety smooth.

Immediately pour into prepared pan, folding excess plastic wrap over the top of the cheese mixture. Chill for at least three hours or overnight.

*I used Colby Jack Cheese because it was on sale and Colby was not. It worked just fine, and actually I am sure you could experiment with any number of cheeses when making this to get the flavor you want.