The Cheese Thread

[Kai]

I've never tried making cheese with homogenised milk, my understanding is that you will get a set but it will be a poor one and that adding calcium chloride will help. My plan of attack would be to try some softer cheeses first.

 

[Airgead]

I've never tried making cheese with homogenised milk, my understanding is that you will get a set but it will be a poor one and that adding calcium chloride will help. My plan of attack would be to try some softer cheeses first.

Thats exactly what I heard too. Which is why I'm chasing the non-homoginised stuff. I've never tried with regular. I'll be making some semi-hard cheese soom so I might try two batches side by site - on normal, one non homoginised. Maybe 3 batches, one regualr with calcium as well. Maybe its a myth.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Fents]

so where can i buy the good stuff from in Melb? c'mon promise i wont tell anyone..

Im trying brie first...is that too ambishish first tgime round?

 

[fixa]

So the kit arrived last night.. Yay!!!

Gonna make some on the weekend, but the missus wants to go away, so might have to make it tommorow night.

I'm a bit confused though.. i thought normal milk was fine to use with maybe some CaCl added, but now not so sure after reading the "home cheesemaking" book..... anyone?

 

[goatherder]

I've used normal milk fixa - just the plain old pasteurised/homogenised woollies brand stuff. I didn't add any CaCl either - it seemed to work OK and tasted pretty good.

 

[fixa]

Sweet.. cheers goatherder

 

[fixa]

Well, i'm about to "mash in" on my first cheese attempt. Making Blue cheese, and looking forward to it!

 

[Fents]

my kits been sitting in the fridge / freezer for 2 weeks now. bloody need more hours in the day.

 

[THE DRUNK ARAB]

Well, i'm about to "mash in" on my first cheese attempt. Making Blue cheese, and looking forward to it!

Good luck with it fixa.

Mine is now 4 weeks old and I am ready to needle it.

C&B
TDA

 

[fixa]

Well the temp control was easy. The curd hasn't set real hard ( i think i had the cool boiled water for the rennet a bit hot still), but pressing on (no pun intended) anyway. Was surprisingly simple!!!!
Give it a go for those who haven't done it.

 

[fixa]

Good luck with it fixa.

Mine is now 4 weeks old and I am ready to needle it.

C&B
TDA

Cheers Mate..

Can't wait to taste mine.

 

[Fents]

Made my cheese yesterday and today!

Started with 10 litres of organic un homogonised milk from safeway. Ended up with loads of BRIE!

Cant wait to taste it.

Just wondering tho cause i dont have a spare fridge to keep it in can i keep it in a kitchen cupoard in a container with a dish of water in it and the lid slighty open? should reside around 16-18c ???

 

[fixa]

yeah i think that'd be fine fents..

I've now made blue, and 4 nights ago made camembert.
After brining and leaving for 2 days, the camembert already has a thin layer of white fuzz starting.. i'm excited!!!!

Now to make a press so i can get some cheddar on.

 

[Fents]

what have you got ur's in fixa? old fridge?

cant belive how long it takes too, spose its not that bad, 90 mins here, 20mins turn here and there sort of stuff.

 

[fixa]

Currently the blue is in a fermenting fridge by itself, the camembert is just on the table downstairs in a decor container. stays around 15 degrees down there this time of year. When it gets a bit warmer it'll go in the other fermenting fridge. Try and keep the blue away from everything i've heard....

Actually, i was surprised how little effort it took. I preheated the milk in it's containers in the sink, and when i poured them into the saucepan, the temp was right on both times, so little to do in that respect, just keeping addidng some warm water to keep them that way. I can't get non homogonised milk up here though. Apparently not enough tree huggers up here, just dirty rotten miners. So i'm not getting an awesome set on the curd. Willl order some CaCl from cheeselinks and see how that goes.

 

[Fents]

Sounds like you have it sorted fixa.

I didnt think i'd get non homogonised either but the missus spotted it walking through safeways.

bring on the tastings!

 

[Fents]

Heres my take on the brie situation :

1. Start with all the ingredients - 10 Litres Organic Non homogonised milk, plus the other stuff in the cheese kit..

2. Add Type B starter to 500mls of milk and stir then let it sit..

3. Pour all milk including starter into a large pot and bring to 31c (or as close as you can) and leave for 90minutes..

4. To help retain it at 31c best to leave the pot in a sink full of warmish water...

5. It was 11.30am i was hungry and thirsty so it was melted cheese on spelt toast with a fresh Saaz Pilsner to wash it down!

 

[Fents]

6. After 90mins + 30mins of adding another Starter we get to cut the curd!! Milk basically sets like yogurht and you cut it into 2cm cubes...

7. Once the curd is cut you leave it for about 15mins then turn the curd over gently in the pot..

8. Then you leave it again for another 2 x 15mins turning the curd again, it will start to break up now..

9. Drain off most of the whey (clear lquid) from the curd...Scoop the curd into your hoops....can be any shape really round, square we did both. Also note i thought we would only get about 2kg's of cheese but i reckon we got heaps more, make sure you have enuff hoops! we had to use the rice cooker basket...

Also Line a tray with cheesecloth so all the whey can drain out...

This is the left over whey

10. Now you have to constantly turn the cheese over so it drains...said somthing like turn on the second hour, sixth hour and then the next day..

11. And turn again!

12. The next day you make a brine solution (20% salt - 80% water) and soak the cheese on both sides for 2 hours.

Then all we did was line the tray again with more cheese cloth, let them dry and put then on a cack rack in the cupboard until tonight when i'll put them in containers with a dish of water for humidity - 4 weeks from now and we sample!!!

 

[Airgead]

Then all we did was line the tray again with more cheese cloth, let them dry and put then on a cack rack in the cupboard until tonight when i'll put them in containers with a dish of water for humidity - 4 weeks from now and we sample!!!

Looks good Fents. I'll be trying my hand at Brie in the next few weeks. What weight of cheese did you end up with? It looks like a pretty good result from 10l. Even at $2.50/l for that non homogenised stuff (same brand I get at Coles here in Sydney) it looks like you get enough to make it worthwhile.

Also, did you inoculate with white mould? Or was that in your starter?

Cheers
Dave

 

[Fents]

Hi Dave...

I dont know how much we ended up with, i'll weigh it tonight but i tell you what i was shocked. I read that you only get 20% cheese out of your starting weight in milk....So if we started with 10litres (10KG's) i would of expected 2kg's of cheese, but i reckon theres somewhere more like 4kg there, that big flat wheel of brie is massive!!!

As for the cost of the milk $2.50 per litre i reckon its fine, plus i'd rather buy the best anyways.