My first try at Mozzarella, and it worked! I used the instructions on LB's site
http://www.wacheese.com/ for Mozzarella with a starter. I also looked at the pictures on
http://www.cheesemaking.com/Mozz-Culture.html The process took much longer than I allowed for, and the final product was more firm and more salty than desired. I think I can figure out how to change the firm and salty, but I do not know how to speed up the process. Luckily, I made a double batch, and the other pound of curd is in the freezer for another day, ready to stretch! It will be great for pizza!
The ingredients...
2 gallons pasturized cream top milk
1/4 tsp thermophillic blend from Cheesemaking.com (C201)
1/2 tsp lipase
1/4 tsp Calcium Chloride
1.75 ml rennet (Mad Millie)
1/4 cup salt
Target to rennet, 6.4 Target to drain 6.1
Flocculation 3
11:50 Milk at 90 degrees. Stirred in lipase, and starter. Kept at temperature pretty closely.
2:40 Still measuring 6.5 ph, but I could not wait any longer, so stirred in calcium chloride, and the rennet. Flocculation in 9 mins, so 27 mins until ready to cut.
3:10 Clean break, and cut into 2 inch curd, and let rest 10 mins, then cut into about 1/2 inch pieces and let rest another 10 mins.
Stirred very gently, cutting pieces I missed.
4:00 Placed pot in sink of water at about 120 degrees. About 30 mins of gentle stirring, then resting 10 mins, 3 times. Then curds settled for along time. I kept testing the pH... Temp got a little higher than I wanted, up to 108 degrees.
5:00 pH 6.3
5:30 At this point, I was expected at dinner at 6:00 somewhere else with a caprese salad, so I had to go buy some fresh mozzerella.
6:00 pH 6.1, drained the curd and put it in the frig, and was a little late to dinner as i gathered the ingredients and went. At least they were my tomatoes!
3:30 Two days later.... took the curd out of the frig and onto the counter. No longer able to measure pH since mine only does liquid. I am a little anxious, and not sure how long to wait. But I figure it has to come to room temperature.
6:30 Heated some water to 120 degrees, and dropped a piece of curd into the water. When I fished it out a few moments later, it looked a little stretchy to me. So I heated 2 quarts of reserved whey, and 1/4 cup salt to 180 degrees. While it was heating, I cut the curd mass into halves, and put 1/2 into the freezer.The rest I cut into short 1/2 inch strips, and placed in a pot in the sink. I poured the heated whey against the inside of the pot. After waiting about 3 mins, the curd seemed to want to gather together. After about 10 mins I was able to pull it around with a wooden spoon and lift it out of the pot. It Stretched! I did the pulling with the spoon multiple times, and then as soon as I could hold it with my gloved hands, I did enjoy some play time with stretching. I decided to shape it into a log.
7:30 Caprese salad with another of my tomatoes!
Impression: A bit more chewy than I wanted, and not creamy enough. A bit too salty. Great flavor and pleasantly squeeky. I think it would be good for pizza.
I think the next batch I would stir a bit more gently while bringing to 104 temp, and would be careful to not go over. I hope that would yield a bit softer cheese.
I sure would like to know if there is a way to make the pH drop a bit more quickly though.