Author Topic: Brie Center Hard - No Bloom Cause?  (Read 3084 times)

Offline Al Lewis

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Brie Center Hard - No Bloom Cause?
« on: January 05, 2013, 01:38:15 AM »
Okay guys I tried to find this and can't, although I'm sure it's on here somewhere.  What stops brie/camembert from getting soft in the center?  Taste great but just won't develop the soft pasty center.  Also having a problem getting the PC to grow.  Had a brownish paste on the outside so I scraped that off and sprayed a little PC mixed in water with a little salt and sugar.
« Last Edit: January 05, 2013, 07:49:57 PM by Al Lewis »
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Offline Schnecken Slayer

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Re: Brie Center Hard - No Bloom Cause?
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2013, 03:57:04 AM »
It's the PC that makes the cream soft. If it doesn't cover the outside then it's little "roots" don't invade the cheese and break it down.
PC likes a fairly high humidity to grow, however if the temperature is also high then you end up with slipskin as the tendrils don't grow all the way to the center.
My second batch I kept at 9C and they took an extra week or two to fully mature but compared to my first batch, which had matured only half way through, they were great.
The brownish paste may have been B Linens.
-Bill
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Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Brie Center Hard - No Bloom Cause?
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2013, 04:20:57 AM »
Thanks a million SS.   ;D  I scraped the brown mold off and re-salted the surface.  It is dry now and I put the cheese back into the cave in a ripening container at the prescribed temp and RH.  We'll see if this all helps.
« Last Edit: January 05, 2013, 04:44:36 AM by Al Lewis »
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Offline Schnecken Slayer

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Re: Brie Center Hard - No Bloom Cause?
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2013, 05:04:47 AM »
You may consider, like others here have done,  making up a PC and water mix and misting the outside to repopulate them.

Hopefully you will end up with some creamy goodness in several weeks.  :D
-Bill
One day I will add something here...

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Brie Center Hard - No Bloom Cause?
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2013, 05:08:15 AM »
I've mixed some PC in water with a pinch of salt and sugar to mist the cheese.  Hopefully it will get furry for me.  O0
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hoeklijn

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Re: Brie Center Hard - No Bloom Cause?
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2013, 12:07:00 PM »
An other possible cause can be the culture or the make. I remember a post from LinuxBoy about President Brie where he explained how this Brie was stabilised to prevent it from getting running...

george

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Re: Brie Center Hard - No Bloom Cause?
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2013, 12:32:47 PM »
I also recall something about added cream acting sort of as a stabilizer - so if you're making them double or triple cream ...

But I think the first place to start is definitely getting the PC to grow properly.

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Brie Center Hard - No Bloom Cause?
« Reply #7 on: January 05, 2013, 03:31:26 PM »
I've cleaned the culprit and will mist it with PC as soon as it dries enough.  Thanks guys.  A cheese to each of you for your help. ;D
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Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Brie Center Hard - No Bloom Cause?
« Reply #8 on: January 11, 2013, 03:16:35 PM »
Well I've misted this thing for a week and nothing.  Ordered some SAM6 culture and will try that next time.
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Offline Schnecken Slayer

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Re: Brie Center Hard - No Bloom Cause?
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2013, 05:09:35 PM »
That's unfortunate. I have not had a problem with getting a good covering.
I wonder if it hasn't been stored properly before you purchased it.

Good luck with the new SAM6.
-Bill
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Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Brie Center Hard - No Bloom Cause?
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2013, 05:20:03 PM »
I'm going to contact the vendor as it was shipped directly to me from the UK at Christmas time and took a long time to get here.  I really don't think it should have been warm that long.

Okay, got the vendor on the line and he's sending me new stuff to try.  We'll see how that works out.  Normally this stuff will grow fuzz on a bowling ball. O0
« Last Edit: January 11, 2013, 07:26:42 PM by Al Lewis »
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