Hi,
My 3rd Wensleydale was my best cheddary type cheese, so I had to try this make again. I used Dairy Dale milk, and this is supposed to be the same stuff as Anchor Brand, but sold as a budge milk (both put out by Fontera, just one in the expensive bottle, and the other in the cheaper bottle). However, I had major curd shatter this time, which is unusual. I do get a bit of soft curds from the budget store brand milk I usually use, but never complete disintegration. Anyway, in the end, the cheese is now complete and the knit is really good. Will see how it turns out. It has good colour as well, so it should be ok. Only time will tell.
- Jeff
Wensleydale Cheese: Sunday, Oct 21, 2012 (overcast, 22.5 C)
10 litres Dairy Dale whole milk + 1 Litre Nosh Blue
2 ice cube flora danica
3 ice cubes buttermilk
¼ tsp CaCl¬2 (50% solution)
1.77 ml 280 IMCU calf rennet
Mould: 6.25” diameter
2 tbs salt
1) Warm milk to 32 C (time 7:30 temp 32.0 C)
2) Add starter and ripen 1 hour 20 minutes (time 7:30 - 8:50 finish temp: ??.? C)
3) Add CaCl (time 8:42)
4) Add Rennet (time 8:53:00 – floc time 9:08:00)
5) 3.25x floc (time to floc 15 m 00 sec = wait 48 m 45 sec = cut time 9:41:45)
6) Cut to 1 cm cubes (942:9:51)
7) Rest 5 minutes (time 9:51 – 10:01; waited 10 )
8) Hold temperature, stir gently for 1 hour 30 minutes (wait for acidity target; temp 30.0 C time 10:00 - 11:30; curd shattered. Don’t use Dairy Dale again)
9) Drain whey (they take 15-20 minutes to do this; for home maker, add 15 minutes to step 8? 11:30-11:45)
10) Form a curd cake, and cut into blocks (time 11:45-12:00 2l of whey as press cut at 12)
11) Turn every 10 minutes for 30 minutes (3 turns; as it raises to an acidity target if you have them; flip times 12:10 - 12:20 - 12:30)
12) Cut into 5 cm cubes and keep curds warm 30 minutes (wait for acidity target if you have them) (time 12:55 – 1:30).
13) Add salt
14) mill into fine crumb (I went thumbnail size, and added salt after milling)
15) Press in the pot 30 minutes (15 kg; 1.08 PSI 1:52 – 2:30)
16) flip redress press in the pot 30 minutes (20 kg; 1.43 PSI 2:30 - 3:45)
17) flip redress press in the pot 1 hour (35.2 kg 2.53 PSI ?.?? - ?:??; skipped)
18) flip redress press 24 hours (officially they build up to 40 psi! So press as heavy as you can; 35.2 kg; 2.53 PSI; 3:45pm – 6:30 am flipped ????g – flipped ?:?? pm – out of press 3:45 pm 1624g dimensions 15.6cm x 7.0 cm = 1337 cm3 = 1.21g/cm3) Fantastic Knit. Nice colour
19) air dry
20) cave and age (minimum 4 weeks)
Made ricotta (got 256g, from approx 7 litres of whey – didn’t use a 2 litre jug of it; raised to 92.2C and added ¼ cup white vinegar).