Gouda cheese can be made easily at home and tastes as great as the original from Netherlands. Just follow these instructions and you will get this Dutch cheese in no time.

Ingredients Required •Whole milk, 2 gallons
•Mesophilic starter culture, 5 oz.
•Rennet tablet, 1¼
•Salt, 1½ cup
•Water, 1 cup
Instructions for Preparation

☛ Warm the milk in a saucepan and dissolve the mesophilic starter culture. Stir the milk with the help of a ladle till the meso culture gets completely incorporated in the milk.
☛ Dissolve the rennet tablet in a bowl of water and add it to the milk. Continue stirring for about 10 minutes to blend the contents properly. Once the rennet mixture has completely dissolves into the milk mixture, allow it to stand for about 2 hours.
☛ With the help of a knife cut the curd that has formed in the pan and allow it to cool down till the curd hardens. Once the curd forms, remove the water (or whey) which can be seen in the pan. Replace the same amount taken from the curd with water.
☛ Return the pan to the heat and cook the curd for about 45 minutes and if you see it leaving whey liquid, replace it with water. Once it is done, cover a different saucepan and pour the curd through the cheesecloth to drain the water. After you have emptied the contents to the cloth, tie it securely and press it to drain out excess water.
☛ Place a weight on the cheese for about one hour. After this flip the cheese and apply pressure for about 3 hours. Now take a large bowl and fill it with water. Dissolve salt into the water and make a brine solution. Unwrap the cheesecloth to remove the cheese and float it in the solution. Refrigerate this for approximately three hours till the rind forms. For the equal formation of rind on the cheese, keep turning it at regular intervals.
☛ Remove the cheese from the brine solution and dry it with the help of paper towels. Place it on a plate and return it to the refrigerator. Keep checking the cheese and if you see any growth of mold, wipe it with a paper towel dipped in vinegar. After 25 days, you can use this Gouda cheese in any recipe you like.

How to Make Gouda Cheese Soup

Ingredients Required •Smoked Gouda cheese, 2 cups
•Italian plum tomatoes, with juices, 2 cans
•Large onion, sliced, 1
•Canned chicken broth, 1 cup
•Butter, 2 tablespoons
•Celery seed, ½ teaspoon
•Whipping cream, 1 cup
•Italian seasonings, 1 teaspoon
•Freshly ground black pepper, 1½ teaspoons
•Salt to taste
Instructions for Preparation

☛ Take a large saucepan and melt the butter in it. Saute the sliced onions in it till they turn light brown. Now transfer the canned tomatoes and chicken broth to the pan and cook them. With the help of a spatula, mash the tomatoes so that they cook thoroughly.
☛ Once it starts simmering, add the cream, seasonings, pepper and salt to taste and stir it to incorporate the ingredients. Stir in the cheese, while reserving some for garnish, and cook till the cheese melts and blends into the soup. Remove the pan from the heat, pour some of the soup into a bowl. Sprinkle the cheese and finely chopped thyme on it.