Cheese Making Ingredients, Acids
Rennet is the most popular coagulant to help in curd formation but several different food grade acids can also be used and are used in some, normally soft cheese making recipes. Common ones are:
- Citric Acid
- Citrus Fruit Juices
- Tartaric Acid
- Vinegar
More information and discussion on acids for cheese making is available normally in the forum's Cheese Making - Ingredients Board or by searching the forum using the Search Box in top right corner.
Citric Acid
Citric acid (sometimes called Sour Salt) is a weak organic acid that are in a variety of fruits and vegetables, most notably citrus fruits, with lemons and lime having the highest concentration. Citric acid is commonly used as a natural food preservative, to add an acidic, or sour taste to foods and soft drinks. Most commercially used citric acid come a bacteria and sugar process and is sold as a white crystalline powder or in solution with water.
Availability
- Canning or ethnic or spice sections sections of large grocery stores.
- Large bakeries.
- Wine, beer, and cheese making supply stores.
- Candy making section of cake supply stores.
Uses
- Ricotta Cheese
- Paneer/Panir Cheese
Citrus Fruit Juices
Citrus fruit juices are used in cheese making due to their high natural citric acid content and as they impart their flavour on the cheese. Commonly used citric fruit juices are from lemons, limes, grapefruit, and oranges.
Availability
- Made by hand by squeezing fruit.
- Buying from grocery stores.
Uses
- Lemon Cheese
- Paneer/Panir Cheese
Tartaric Acid
Tartaric acid is colorless, odorless, and transparent white crystalline organic acid that occurs naturally in many plants such as grapes, bananas, and tamarinds and is a product of fermentation in wine. It's primary uses are in the food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries. In food it is used as an additive to give a sour taste and as an antioxidant. Cream of tartar, often used in cooking, is a derivative of tartaric acid and thus not the same as tartaric acid.
Availability
- Wine, beer, and cheese making supply stores.
Uses
- Marscapone Cheese
Vinegar
Pure vinegar is a combination of acetic acid and water and is made by the fermentation of ethanol. Acetic acid concentration is normally 5% by volume for table vinegar but is significantly higher for pickling. There are many types or flavours of vinegar such as apple cider, balsamic, fruit, malt, rice, white, wine. Different cheese making recipes may call for different ones, and normally refer to table type acetic acid concentration vinegars. The word vinegar is derived from French "vin aigre", or "sour wine".
Availability
- Almost every grocery store.
Uses
- Queso Blanco
- Ricotta
