Author Topic: First Camembert: triple cream  (Read 16598 times)

bbracken677

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First Camembert: triple cream
« on: August 14, 2012, 02:30:56 AM »
Today I began my first make of Camembert triple creams. So far so good (I think).

Recipe:


1.   Made sure all items were present and available
2.   Sterilize molds, stirring spoon, knife,  2 gallon pot,  draining mats, thermometer tip and small bowl.
3.   Heat milk (1 gallon raw milk, 1 cup heavy cream) to 90F.   
4.   Once 90F is reached add  MM100 (1/8 tsp and  1/16 tsp per gallon of each LM57 and MD88 cultures as well as a dash of PC and Geo
5.   Allow milk to ripen for approx. 1.5 hours. (maintain 90F temp) Took less time: My records show that I had reached the desired Ph in 50 minutes
6.   Add rennet
7.   Use flocculation method (small bowl) to determine length of time to allow for curds to develop. Had a short floc time: 10 minutes so using a x5 multiplier, 50 minutes after adding rennet I went to the next step.
8.   Ladle curds into molds for draining.
9.   Flip the forms 4 times early on (every 2-3 hours) for even whey drainage.  Once the cheese begins to settle, flipping should stop. They should drain 24-48 hours, the cheese shrinking to approx. 1/3 of original height.  Once there, remove from molds and apply ½ teaspoon salt to top, then flip and get bottom and sides with another ½ tsp ea.
This is where I stand currently...given the time, current Ph, it looks like I will be salting the cheese tomorrow morning
10.   Move to the cave.  Aging at 48F and 95% humidity.
11.   Turn cheese daily until mold growth complete.
12.   Reduce temp to 42F…wrap cheese…monitor  “feel” of cheese.
13.   Hopefully, by 60 days the cheese will be ripened.


They look very nice currently. Didn't experience any problems except I let the heat get away from me and actually heated up to 93F before I caught it...temp at ladling was approx 89F.  I did notice that I had very little whey left....percentage-wise I got the largest harvest of curds from a gallon I have ever seen. Total whey was 2-3 cups, including what drained from the cam forms. Only about a cup was left in the pot.
« Last Edit: August 14, 2012, 11:13:00 AM by bbracken677 »

bbracken677

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Re: First Camembert: triple cream
« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2012, 02:34:43 AM »
Pictures of the make up to current. Will post a pic of the cams once they are out of the mold tomorrow : )

george

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Re: First Camembert: triple cream
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2012, 11:00:04 AM »
Isn't 1tsp of culture a huge amount for a 1-gallon make?  Don't remember off-hand what I use for 2-gallon cam makes, but I'm using 1/8 tsp for 3 gallon makes of other cheeses (like butterkaese, etc).   ???

bbracken677

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Re: First Camembert: triple cream
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2012, 11:20:14 AM »
Typo! Thanks for the catch....I used 1/8 tsp.  I fixed it in the recipe.
Got up this morning and de-formed and salted the triplets and tucked them away in the bat cave.

george

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Re: First Camembert: triple cream
« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2012, 11:28:16 AM »
Oh goody, I was worried for a few moments there.  You spent so much time researching and prepping for this, would have been very very sad.   :)

Offline Boofer

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Re: First Camembert: triple cream
« Reply #5 on: August 14, 2012, 02:58:46 PM »
I'll be watching this make with keen interest. Never made a Cam, let alone one that should be really rich & creamy.

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Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

bbracken677

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Re: First Camembert: triple cream
« Reply #6 on: August 14, 2012, 07:37:38 PM »
The triplets are salted, and resting comfortably in the bat cave at 52F and currently 90% RH...working on getting the RH up a bit higher.

bbracken677

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Re: First Camembert: triple cream
« Reply #7 on: August 15, 2012, 03:06:22 PM »
Took them out today, to flip and to get a breath of fresh air....still struggling with humidity (or lack thereof) it's running about 91% in the mini-cave within the cave...not horrible, but not what I would like either. Not sure if that is humid enough for geo and pc development.  Temp is running a cool 50F.
No sign (that I can tell) of bloom yet....day 3.
« Last Edit: August 15, 2012, 03:14:19 PM by bbracken677 »

mtncheesemaker

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Re: First Camembert: triple cream
« Reply #8 on: August 15, 2012, 11:41:07 PM »
Just a suggestion: you might want to get them off of that matting and onto something that allows the cheese to be off the bottom to allow for drainage and air circulation. Lots of folks use a plastic "egg crate" with plastic cheese matting on top. Much easier to clean also.

bbracken677

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Re: First Camembert: triple cream
« Reply #9 on: August 16, 2012, 01:16:00 AM »
Done did it...went and picked up something like that today....wasnt satisfied with the drainage and I already knew it wasnt allowing much air circulation.
BTW...finally got the humidity up to 94%....so that is taken care of as well.

Offline Boofer

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Re: First Camembert: triple cream
« Reply #10 on: August 16, 2012, 05:52:02 AM »
so that is taken care of as well.
For being so on top of things and correcting your environment/process where it needs to be, I extend a cheese to you.  :)

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

bbracken677

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Re: First Camembert: triple cream
« Reply #11 on: August 16, 2012, 11:36:05 AM »
Thanks!  I checked the babies before hitting the sack last night and found RH was at 99% lol   

bbracken677

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Re: First Camembert: triple cream
« Reply #12 on: August 16, 2012, 12:12:16 PM »
This morning I flipped them, and the smell was amazing.... I think I saw the barest hint of geo growth, but it's a bit too early to tell. Looked like a hint of a dusting of powder.

I can't wait...I am going to eat one now!  Not really, but  I want to...really badly   lol

bbracken677

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Re: First Camembert: triple cream
« Reply #13 on: August 17, 2012, 11:33:55 PM »
Just checked my babies...and it's official....there is a discernible geo or pc growth!!  woohoo!  The smell was absolutely delicious....my wife thinks I am a nut. I carried the mini-cave into the living room and announced "I have mold growing on my cheese.....smell this!"   

She agreed, however, that the smell was heavenly even though she remarked on the mold growing "that's just gross!"   

Offline Boofer

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Re: First Camembert: triple cream
« Reply #14 on: August 18, 2012, 06:20:06 AM »
Just checked my babies...and it's official....there is a discernible geo or pc growth!!  woohoo!  The smell was absolutely delicious....my wife thinks I am a nut. I carried the mini-cave into the living room and announced "I have mold growing on my cheese.....smell this!"   

She agreed, however, that the smell was heavenly even though she remarked on the mold growing "that's just gross!"
Okay, it's official, you have arrived! Welcome to the Deep End of the Pool. Been there...doing that!  :D

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.