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Home > Breakfast Ideas

Kesong Puti (Filipino White Cheese)

BY :Bebs | Published: 10/28/ 2020 | Updated:11/06/ 2020 | 15 Comments

RECIPE PRINT
5 from 2 votes
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This Kesong Puti or Filipino White Cheese recipe requires only 3 ingredients to make and a few simple steps to follow! It has a soft and delicate texture with a mellow salty and tangy flavor that melts in your mouth!

Filipino white cheese made from carabao's milk.

I remember having these every time we visit or pass through Laguna going to Tagaytay, which is one of the provinces that produce the best Kesong Puti in the country. Competing for this title are Cebu, Cavite, and Bulacan. My papa loves having them for breakfast paired with freshly baked pandesal.

Now, I can make this delicious treat for us in my own kitchen anytime!

Quesong Puti

  • What is Kesong Puti?
  • About the Ingredients Used
  • Foxy Tips when making Kesong Puti
  • Printable Recipe
  • Kesong Puti

What is Kesong Puti?

Also spelled as "Quesong Puti" and called Kesilyo or Kiseyo in other parts of the country. Keso is the Tagalog word for cheese while puti means white.

It is an unaged cheese made by heating unskimmed milk and then adding a coagulating agent for the milk to turn into curds. These are traditionally presented wrapped in banana leaves.

This cheese bears some similarities with the Spanish Queso Blanco, Indian Paneer, and the Italian Ricotta and Mascarpone. However, the nearest kind of cheese that it resembles is Cottage Cheese, sans the cream.

It is a popular breakfast spread that is usually paired with hot Pandesal and coffee for breakfast! You can also toss it with your Fiddlehead Fern Salad or Greek Pasta Salad or sprinkle it on top of your pasta.

Quesong Puti

About the Ingredients Used

  • Milk- Carabao milk is traditionally used to make Kesong Puti, though you can also use cow or goat milk. However, milk from carabaos is more nutritiously superior! It has lower cholesterol content and is packed with protein, calcium, iron, and phosphorus! At the same time, it yields more curds, so you make more cheese. The only downside is availability.  Fresh carabao milk is not as prevalent in the market compared to cow milk. So if it's not available in your area, you can use pure fresh cow or goat milk to make your homemade Kesong Puti.
  • Coagulant- I tried both cane vinegar and apple cider for this recipe, look for the acidity of 4.5 - 5%. However, you can also use citrus juices like lemon, lime, or calamansi. Rennet is also commonly used.
  • Salt- is added to the curdled milk for flavor and to draw out more moisture from the cheese. Some recipes soak their molded curds in a mild brine solution.
Steb by step photos in making white cheese

Foxy Tips when making Kesong Puti

Use fresh and pure whole milk for the best results. It should still contain its natural enzymes and good bacteria that are essential in making this cheese. Processed milk like skimmed or ultra-pasteurized milk will not work.

It is important to remember to heat the milk, don't boil it! Pasteurization of milk is done by heating it at 60-63°C for about 30 minutes. Using a high temperature will alter the protein properties which will result in a prolonged curdling process or no curdling at all. Let the milk cool down to 32-37°C before adding the coagulant.

The texture of your Kesong Puti varies depending on how much vinegar you put in it. The more vinegar you add the faster the curds will form and the firmer they are. If you want more compact and firmer cheese, remove as much whey as you can. Whey is the liquid that is left after the curds have formed. I prefer my Kesong Puti very soft and almost gelatinous in texture so I leave the whey on and let it set. However, if you prefer a firmer consistency, you can place the curds in a cloth and either drain or squeeze out the whey.

Carabao Milk Vs. Cow Milk

You can store your Kesong Puti in the fridge for a week or two. Make sure it is placed in an airtight container. I do not recommend freezing for longer storage life because the ice crystals will affect the texture of the cheese.

Can't get enough of cheese? Try these super cheesy recipes:

Try this soft and cheesy Ensaymada recipe. | www.foxyfolksy.com
This homemade Ensaymada is made of soft, buttery  and pillowy buns coated with buttercream frosting and topped with lots of grated cheese.
Mac and Cheese is oozing with saucy cheesy goodness! you can never go wrong with this all-time American comfort food.
Super fluffy Cheese Rolls
Super soft and fluffy Cheese Bread Rolls glistening with melted butter and granulated sugar on top with melty and gooey cheese inside!
How to make Kesong Puti

Printable Recipe

How to make Kesong Puti
Print Review

Kesong Puti

5 from 2 votes
This Kesong Puti or Filipino White Cheese recipe requires only 3 ingredients to make and a few simple steps to follow! It is a soft and delicate unaged cheese with a mellow salty and tangy flavor that will melt in your mouth!
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 30 minutes mins
Total Time: 40 minutes mins
Course :Appetizer, Breakfast, Snack
Servings =10
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

Ingredients
 

  • 1 liter Carabao Milk see NOTE 1
  • 1 ½ - 2 tablespoon salt
  • 3-4 tablespoon cane vinegar see NOTE 2

Instructions
 

  • Form cylinders from banana leaves about 2-inch high and 2-inch in diameter tied around with a twine. Place them on a tray and set aside.
  • Place the milk in a pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 30 minutes stirring regularly to avoid burning.
  • Run the hot milk through a cheesecloth over a large bowl. Let the milk cool down a bit.
  • Add cane vinegar and stir. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes to allow the curds to form.
  • Add the salt and mix with a whisk to cut lumps into smaller/finer curds.
  • Fill the banana leaves full with the curds. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to form and set.

Notes

NOTE 1. Use pure whole milk for better yield. If you do not have access to carabao milk, you may also use cow milk.
NOTE 2. The more vinegar, the firmer the curds will be. 

Nutrition

Calories: 62kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 566mgPotassium: 132mgSugar: 5gVitamin A: 162IUCalcium: 113mgIron: 1mg
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @foxyfolksy or tag #FoxyFolksyRecipes!

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  1. Ian Ross says

    November 16, 2021 at 6:50 pm

    Hi! Would love to try this, but I don't have access to carabao milk. I saw you mentioning in the comments section that high fat cow's milk would work, but how do I know if the milk is high fat? Would something like Cowhead Pure Milk work?

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      March 03, 2022 at 12:42 am

      Cowheat will not give you so many curds. Look for fresh cow milk, and I mean really fresh, usually, they are in the chilled section. You can see the fat content on the nutrition label usually.

      Reply
  2. Julieta says

    July 03, 2021 at 4:03 am

    5 stars
    I am so happy I found your site ! I am very interested with your recipes.
    I have tried hopia, pandesal, hazelnut cake and today I just tried the quesong puti. I think it will be another success, looks good already( 20 more minutes ).
    Thank you so much for sharing all your delicious recipes.

    God bless you and your husband.
    Julie from Maryland

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      July 04, 2021 at 1:04 am

      I am glad that you are enjoying our recipes here, Julie. Thanks for the great comment and 5 stars..

      Reply
  3. Sean says

    February 16, 2021 at 5:44 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for sharing this. As a foreigner who worked in the Philippines for a few years, I was surprised that there are not more domestic cheeses, and when there are, they're quite expensive. Do you know if carbao's milk can also be used to make firmer, aged cheeses?

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      May 21, 2021 at 2:26 pm

      Hi Sean, you are quite right. I am also wondering if making aged cheese is possible with carabao's milk. But I do not see why not, right?

      Reply
  4. Alice Acera says

    February 06, 2021 at 9:17 am

    Can I use goat milk in a can?

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      February 10, 2021 at 1:02 am

      I have not tried it, but it should work if it has high fat content.

      Reply
  5. Monica says

    October 29, 2020 at 2:09 am

    Hi Bebs,

    Can I use the gallon cow's milk that is available in most grocery stores here in the US?

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      May 01, 2021 at 11:24 am

      Hi Monica, I tried it and although the taste is not exactly the same, it also works. Try to get high fat content milk.

      Reply
  6. Teri says

    October 28, 2020 at 11:15 am

    Is there a sub for Carabao’s Milk? I live in the US.

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      October 28, 2020 at 10:39 pm

      Hi Teri, I also tried it with cow's milk and it also works. Not exactly the same result but was also good.

      Reply
      • Teri says

        October 29, 2020 at 10:35 am

        Thanks!

        Reply
  7. magdalena pangan says

    October 28, 2020 at 7:50 am

    l love and enjoy your delicious recipes,

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      October 28, 2020 at 10:39 pm

      Happy to hear it, Magdalena.

      Reply

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