Author Topic: My 8th Caerphilly  (Read 3729 times)

JeffHamm

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My 8th Caerphilly
« on: August 18, 2012, 06:59:43 AM »
I realised I haven't had any caerphilly for quite some time now, so it was time to rectify that issue.  Also, I realised I've got a bunch of cheeses for long agine, but I'm in short supply of nibbles.  A caerphilly, and maybe a butterkase next weekend, and that problem will be solved.

Things got a bit hectic around the place as I was doing the pressing, so the time recording went by the whey side (sorry, couldn't resist, even if good society dictates I should have).  Still, those aren't critical steps, and it's more "flip when the moment grabs you". 

Anyway, by my records this is my 48th cheese, not counting riccotta's.  The make went really well, though the temperature did go a bit high during the cooking phase.  I'm not sure that's really such a bad thing with this make though, but the results will tell.  The curds seemed really good by the end of it all, and the knit was looking good during the flips, so I'm hoping it will be a good one when it comes out in the morning.  I've upped my makes to 11 litres as I realised my pot will hold 11, so it's that little bit extra.

Caerphilly (Aug 18th, 2012); Saturday, sunny,  19 C

11L Home Brand Standard milk
½ tsp 50% CaCl.
2 ice cubes flora danica
2 ice cubes buttermilk
0.66 ml microbial rennet IMCU 750 in egg cup of water
2.5 tlbs salt (and more for salting during pressing)

1)   Warm to 320C, 3 ice cubes mesophillic culture (Flora Dancia) : 11:40 (right on)
2)   Ripen 60 min (target time 12:40) Time: 12:40
3)   add ½ tsp CaCl in egg cup water
4)   Time 12:44:00 Temp 31.0 0C, add rennet (0.66 ml, in water), stir
5)   Floc time 12:56:30 so 12 min 30 sec, 3x floc so wait 37 min 30 sec (40 min by recipe) Target cut time: 1:21:30
6)   1:21:30  Cut into 6mm cubes.  v.good curd
7)   Rest 10 minutes to heal (start 1:29-1:39)
8)   Raise temp to 33 over 10 minutes  (reached 33 at 1:55, starting temp was 30.0 ish)
9)   Stir for 40 min with curds at 330C (Start time: 1:55-2:35; temp continued up to 35.5C)
2:35-2:40 : Pitch and drain after 5 minutes (temp is 34.0? 0C)
10)   2:40   drain in cheese cloth for 5-10 minutes to form curd cake (press lightly if necessary; ie 2 litre milk jug filled with water placed on top of follower on top of cheese cloth “bag” of curds in colander)
11)   3:10 : cut into 1 inch slices, stacked (in the pot; in sink with warm water)
12)   Flipped stack every 10 minutes over 30 minutes (so flip at 3:20 and 3:30)
13)   Milled into thumbnail size bits (start ?:??)
14)   Added 2.5 tbls of salt
15)   Pressing in the pot under 10 kg (4:10-4:20). (10 minutes; warm water in sink; 0.72 PSI)
16)   Flip, salt, and re-dress 
17)   Press in the pot under 15Kg (4:20-4:40) (10 minutes; 1.08 PSI – went 20 minutes)
18)   Flip, salt, and re-dress
19)   Press in the pot under 25.0 kg (20 min) (?:??-?:?? 1.79 PSI) didn’t record time
20)   Flip, salt, and re-dress
21)   Press overnight under 35.2 kg. (starting at ?:??pm; 2.53 PSI – 7:13 am)  didn’t record start time

Knit very good.  Cheese a bit lopsided (6.5 on one side, and 7.5 on the other).  Weight out of press, 1640g.  15.5x7.0 = 1320 cm3 = 1.24g/cm3

« Last Edit: August 18, 2012, 07:42:28 PM by JeffHamm »

Offline Boofer

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Re: My 8th Caerphilly
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2012, 02:54:15 PM »
Things got a bit hectic around the place as I was doing the pressing, so the time recording went by the whey side (sorry, couldn't resist, even if good society dictates I should have).  Still, those aren't critical steps, and it's more "flip when the moment grabs you". 
Sounds like you were dancing around in the kitchen...  :)

Anyway, by my records this is my 48th cheese, not counting riccotta's.
Yea!!! Wait...what?  No, it's got to be higher than that. You're a Cheesemaking Machine, Jeff!  8)

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

JeffHamm

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Re: My 8th Caerphilly
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2012, 05:49:36 PM »
My dancing is too dangerous to do around knives!

And, I've been a rusty maching lately, as work has been busy so not many made recently.  I was making one a week a while back to stock up, and those will be a year around Dec/Jan.  I tend to report on each cheese as it progresses, to keep a record of how things went, which can make it seem like I'm making more than I am.

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: My 8th Caerphilly
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2012, 07:48:02 PM »
And here it is.  I hadn't checked on the stack of weights after going to my max weight.  This resulted in a wee slant, but because I have a spacer (made of Duplo pieces - large leggo) the stack of weights can't tip far enough to fall over.  Anyway, I'm pleased with the outcome.  A good knit, and the weight is about right.  From the feel of the curds it seemed like I was going to have a larger one, and this is on the upper end.  It will lose moisture and probably settle down somewhere around 1.1 kg in the end, but then, caerphilly gets cut into in 3 or 4 weeks, so it may not last long enough to fully dry out.  Yum. 

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: My 8th Caerphilly
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2012, 07:05:07 AM »
Cut into this one today.  It was down to 1390g, and has a nice coverage of wild geo.  The texture is nice and creamy, and it has that nice fresh tang to it.  This has really turned out well (or it's just been so long since I've had a caerphilly that I'm really enjoying this one).  Hope everyone else has good luck with their caerphilly makes.  It's a really nice cheese, and not a hard one to produce.  Still my first recommendation for a starter hard cheese.  And, once that experienced cheese makers can learn from too.  Yum!

- Jeff

Offline H-K-J

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Re: My 8th Caerphilly
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2012, 04:11:54 PM »
Jeff,
that looks really nice ^-^ I need to buck up and make one of these soon :o
A cheese to you for such a nice outcome :)
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bbracken677

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Re: My 8th Caerphilly
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2012, 04:29:43 PM »
Yes...very nice looking and am looking forward to tasting mine! I am smelling it now as it is sitting next to my laptop drying   ;)

JeffHamm

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Re: My 8th Caerphilly
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2012, 06:00:49 PM »
Thanks guys!  And H-K-J, this is a great one to make while waiting for your stiltonesques to mature.  It can be cut into around 21 days, so you could get 3 or 4 of these in by the 90 day deadline. :)

Just a couple weeks to go bbracken667.  That's nothing in cheese time.  I'll be interested in seeing and hearing your tasting report.

- Jeff

boothrf

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Re: My 8th Caerphilly
« Reply #8 on: September 13, 2012, 09:34:04 PM »
Very nice cheese Jeff, a cheese for you!

Really like the look of your rind as well as the lovely "bubbly" interior. You are certainly the Caerphilly King of the forum and have encouraged plenty of us to give it a go too. Hope #8 turns out as well as this one. 

JeffHamm

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Re: My 8th Caerphilly
« Reply #9 on: September 14, 2012, 12:03:15 AM »
Thanks Bob.  The holes are all mechanical openings.  If I had a dutch press I could probably work on getting rid of them, but I'm not fussed really.  I'm really pleased with the rind on this.  I just brushed it whenever blue showed up (didn't use any brine or vinegar) and that seems to have allowed the geo to develop, but keep unwanted volunteers at bay.

Oh, and this is #8!  :)

- Jeff

boothrf

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Re: My 8th Caerphilly
« Reply #10 on: September 14, 2012, 12:17:47 AM »
OK, I was confused by the photo numbering 02  ;)

Anyway, whatever number it is, it look great! So those openings are mechanical, I initially thought they were from a gas producing culture, but then realised you didn't really use any in your recipe. I guess you use a simple vertical press then?

I like the rind treatment, looks like I will need to buy a new brush, don't think my cheese would appreciate using the manky old nail brush I have in the laundry ;)

JeffHamm

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Re: My 8th Caerphilly
« Reply #11 on: September 14, 2012, 02:42:14 AM »
Hi Bob,

Yes, I just stack weights as my press.  I can get just over 2.5 PSI with 35kg on my 6.25" diameter mould.  I use Duplo (large size leggo) to build a cross brace to prevent it from tilting.  Works pretty well, and as long as I get a good external knit I'm not so fussed about the interior.  Add character.  At some point I'll try and get around to building a dutch press though as one can only have so much character.

The starting numbers on the photos are for organising them in chronological order in their folders.  This has become 03_ because I found a shot of the cheese before I cut it, which is now 02_ ...  I have a final folder which has each cheese on it's "cut day", numbered 1 through 50, as a photographic record of my diet results.

- Jeff

boothrf

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Re: My 8th Caerphilly
« Reply #12 on: September 14, 2012, 04:40:50 AM »
My press is similar Jeff, you may have seen a photo in my Caerphilly #1 post.  I'd like to get a dutch press as well.  I'm intrigued by your Duplo cross brace, sounds very creative. Your Kiwi Duplo must be pretty strong!

Understand your comments on the photos. I'm guessing you must work in a scientific field in your real job?  I'm an engineer and recognise a scientific mind at work when I read your recipes and notes  ;)

JeffHamm

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Re: My 8th Caerphilly
« Reply #13 on: September 14, 2012, 05:10:36 AM »
I'm guessing you must work in a scientific field in your real job?  I'm an engineer and recognise a scientific mind at work when I read your recipes and notes  ;)

Busted!  I'm a research psychologist (no clinical connection/training).  I guess our habbits, good and bad, shine through.  :)

- Jeff

boothrf

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Re: My 8th Caerphilly
« Reply #14 on: September 14, 2012, 05:15:33 AM »
Ha ha. And we are both probably frustrated food technologists too!

Have a good weekend!