Instructions: Put the milk into a spotlessly clean stainless steel saucepan. Heat it very gently until it reaches the shivery stage and is barely tepid. Add the rennet, stirring it well into the milk. Cover the saucepan with a clean tea towel and the lid. (The tea towel prevents the steam from condensing on the lid of the pan and falling back on to the curd). Set aside and leave undisturbed somewhere in your kitchen for 2-4 hours, by which time the milk should have coagulated and will be solid.

Cut the curd into dice with a spotlessly clean knife. Put back on a very low heat and warm gently until the whey starts to run out of the curds. It must not get hot or the curd will tighten and toughen too much. Ladle into a muslin-lined colander over a bowl. Tie the corners of the cloth together and leave to drip overnight.

Crackers: Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.

Mix the brown and white flour together and add the salt and baking powder.

Rub into the butter and moisten with enough cream to make a firm dough.

Roll out very thinly - about 1.5mm thick. Prick with a fork and cut into 6cm squares, diamonds or rounds. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and quite crisp. Cool on a wire rack.

Sieve the cottage cheese. Mix in the freshly chopped herbs and garlic if using. Season to taste. It may even need a pinch of sugar. Transfer the cheese to a pretty bowl and serve with home made crackers.

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