Author Topic: Faux emmental  (Read 3861 times)

margaretsmall

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Faux emmental
« on: August 16, 2013, 10:41:11 PM »
I haven't made cheese for a while, partly discouraged after the great blue disaster back in February but mainly because we've been away travelling quite a lot. But now we are back home for a stretch so the cheese making box is out. Thought I'd start with something Swiss since I bought a packet of propionic about a year ago. Browsed my collection of books and decided on Caldwells 'semi to hard cheese with large eye' aka emmental. But, as she says this is a big cheese and you should make a batch of at least 4 gallons (16l) and I'm not comfortable with more that 8l, so it's a faux emmental. I followed Caldwells instructions as well as I could, but here I'll write what I did which varies a bit.
4l Peel Valley gold top, 2l Coles skim, 2l Ivyhome skim, average fat 2.9%
Warm to 30.9oC in a double boiler arrangement.
Added 150g thermo C culture and 1/16 tspn. Prop.
Added 1ml double strength calf rennet.
ph 6.7
Flocculation at 18 minutes, multipled by 2.5, so cut after 45 minutes. Initially into 2cm, then used my monster whisk to break up into the desired 3mm cubes.  Rested 5 minutes.
Heated to 50oC over 40 minutes. ph now 6.3
Drained, into mold. Used the wrong one, picked the cylinder I've used for tomes, should have chosen a bigger one so that the cheese is flatter, but never mind...
Using my husbands bar bells which weigh 2.3kg as weights, I pressed with one for an hour, then two for an hour and a half, then three overnight, the next morning I brined it for 4 hours. It's now sitting in a plastic container with a little container of water in my pantry which at this time if year maintains a fairly steady 10oC, which is handy (good for the food as well) I'm surprised that its so dry, I've mostly made softer cheeses which tend to weep whey for a couple of days. This isn't at all, so I guess that means I did a good job of expelling the whey during the cooking process. It will stay there for about 2 weeks, then I'll move it into some part of the house where the temp. Is around 20oC. The cheese weighed 874g when it came out of the brine, and I made 321g ricotta from the whey.
I know it won't be an emmental but I'm hopeful that it will be a good tasting cheese anyway.

Offline Boofer

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Re: Faux emmental
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2013, 12:58:32 PM »
Alright, Margaret, we'll be watching this with great interest. Your make seems reasonable.

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margaretsmall

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Re: Faux emmental
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2013, 01:47:09 AM »
This is what it looked like out of the brine. I know, terrible photo, and not so good dressing either, but the wrinkles seem to be ironing themselves out as it sits quietly in the pantry. No sign of nasties on the rind so far. I replaced the small container of water with a wet paper towel under the drainer, and that seems to be keeping the box hydrated better. I give it a little breather every morning while I have breakfast.

Offline Boofer

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Re: Faux emmental
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2013, 02:06:35 PM »
I give it a little breather every morning while I have breakfast.
I do something similar, but I have found that the cheeses I'm sharing company with are not so much into conversation. They're mostly quiet and unassuming. :)

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margaretsmall

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Re: Faux emmental
« Reply #4 on: August 21, 2013, 04:41:27 AM »
That's Ok, I'm not very talkative myself at breakfast.
« Last Edit: August 23, 2013, 10:20:34 PM by margaretsmall »

margaretsmall

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Re: Faux emmental
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2013, 10:21:35 PM »
Now gently washing off specks of black mould and a spot or two of white stuff. Warm phase starts tomorrow.

High Altitude

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Re: Faux emmental
« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2013, 05:01:24 PM »
How did this one turn out?  Did it develop holes during the warm phase? 

I made the same recipe (also using 2 gals milk), and entered the warm phase less than a week ago.  It develops molds every day (dislike), so I have been washing with either a light brine or even vinegar brine to keep it at bay. 

I really don't want this cheese to have a thick rind, so this morning I decided to apply mold-inhibiting cream wax as an experiment.  I hope it will keep the exterior mold-free as well as preserve a thinner rind.  It hasn't really started to expand yet, but if it does (and I hope it does), I will probably need to remove the coating until it's at full-holey'ness   :o.

Let us know how your Emmental is/was, please!

margaretsmall

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Re: Faux emmental
« Reply #7 on: November 26, 2013, 09:15:20 AM »
well.... I bagged it because we were going away. About 3 weeks ago I was amazed to see, after all this time, there was a rather alarming swelling. And I could see moisture in the bag. Should have taken a picture of course. It had been unseasonably hot here, and my 'cave' doesn't cope well with not weather so the temp. inside was probably higher than optimal, so maybe we simply have a delayed swelling. Didn't have time to deal with it, turned it over, and the swelling subsided. After about a week took it out of the bag, and its been sitting in its own box ever since, in the hope it will dry out a bit. Not brave enough to cut it yet as I'm thinking the swelling was not something I want. Although how I will tell, I don't really know! smell I suppose. Or we'll drop dead after we eat it. I'll keep you posted.
Margaret

jwalker

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Re: Faux emmental
« Reply #8 on: November 26, 2013, 02:55:42 PM »
I would think that with the P. Shermanii , and a little warmer temps , a little swelling could be expected.

It should be fine , if not downright delicious , I like the flavor Shermanii imparts to the cheese . and have been using it in all my Swiss style cheeses lately.

Will be watching for your taste results.

margaretsmall

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Re: Faux emmental
« Reply #9 on: December 17, 2013, 03:18:53 AM »
I promised an update on the faux Emmental. My last post advised that I had taken it out of its vacuum bag because it was very wet. I put it in its own box and diligently mopped up the box and the cheese for what seemed like a long time. It was still giving off moisture, which seemed odd. In the end I left the lid off in the hope that would dry it out. Then I forgot to check it for 2 days.... and the cave is definitely not humid. To my dismay there were now cracks on the surface. Time to give it up. Cut it in two. Asked my husband to take a sniff (I have no sense of smell), smelt like cheese. We ate a sliver each, and it tasted like cheese. Rather like Swiss cheese actually. The next day we were still alive, so I concluded that the alarming swelling (which had gone down in the meantime) was, as jwalker suggested, just late blooming. So I bagged half and have been eating the rest on my morning toast. And despite all, its delicious, and I'll do it again. This is what it looks like, very few eyes. If anything it seems a tad too dry. Amazing.

Offline H-K-J

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Re: Faux emmental
« Reply #10 on: December 17, 2013, 04:15:03 AM »
no eyes, not a bad thing, my alp styles are very tastey.
I just want one with eyes :o
A cheese to you onward and,
you know what I mean :D
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Offline Boofer

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Re: Faux emmental
« Reply #11 on: December 17, 2013, 02:50:12 PM »
Congrats, Margaret!

If your cheese tastes good, that's half the battle. Will you try this style again?

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margaretsmall

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Re: Faux emmental
« Reply #12 on: December 18, 2013, 08:55:21 AM »
Yes, I'll do it again. In 2014. Have to deal with Christmas first.

jwalker

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Re: Faux emmental
« Reply #13 on: December 20, 2013, 02:28:25 PM »
Margaret , a cheese to you for that !

About those cracks , I had two cheeses do exactly the same thing , I sprayed them with a little wine and vacuum sealed them , voila , the cracks sealed themselves up and virtually disappeared .

Good work.