Labneh is the easiest cheese you’ll ever make. Although called cheese, this Middle Eastern staple occupies the space somewhere between yogurt and cheese in the dairy spectrum. <br /> <br />It is made very simply by straining yogurt in muslin overnight until all the whey water seeps out resulting in the most luscious ‘cheese’—labneh. <br /> <br />Although making labneh at home requires little fuss, it does need some prior planning. I like to make them into little balls, like so, and that needs about 24 hours of draining time. I sometimes also make it more like a spread which would need less, but we’re still talking 12 – 15 hours. Having said that though, I usually make a bigger batch than I immediately need and it helps that it keeps well in the refrigerator for a good amount of time. <br /> <br />When we have a batch of it in the fridge, it goes on everything: slathered on toast, used as a dip with vegetables or scooped onto shards of crispy pita breads. Used widely in sweet dishes all along the Mediterranean, you can substitute labneh in place of cream cheese in desserts too – it has the same consistency, distinctive tartness, and richness AND is significantly lower in calories. This cheese has super powers. <br /> <br />Fresh figs with a dollop of labneh and a good drizzle of honey makes for the quickest summertime dessert. Labneh cheesecake, mousse, tiramisu (!) or just simply sweetened with sugar and maybe a pinch of cardamom or cinnamon, the choices are endless. <br /> <br />In a similar vein, the versatility of topping options are unlimited too – fresh herbs, za’atar, a combination of the two, follow your own adventure!

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