Been trying to get back in to cheesemaking- started with a fast-ripening cheddar a couple weeks ago, but was reading about the ease of doing a cantal in just a couple hours and was very interested!
Started this out on Weds 4/17
-2 gal p/h whole milk (target store brand)
-1/8 tsp C101 Meso DS
-~3/8 tsp calcium chloride, diluted (ran out, planned to use 1/2t)
-1/2 tsp animal rennet, diluted
-Heated milk to 88F, added culture, let sit for a min or two, stirred well
-Cultured for 30 min
-Added calcium chloride, stirred well
-Added rennet, stirred for 30 seconds
-Floc time around 12 minutes, multiplier 3.5
-Used a whisk to "cut" curd at 42 minutes (not a clean break, more like yogurt)
-Let curd sit for five minutes
-Drained in cheesecloth (took a long time to scoop all the curd out of the whey)
-Placed in 4" mold (kept pushing down with hands as going to fit it all in)
-Pressed at 25lbs for 12 hours
-Flipped, pressed at 25lbs for 12 hours
-Removed curd and milled with hands (859 grams curd at this point)
-Added cheese salt and mixed(don't recall how much, ~2-2.5% by curd weight)
-Put back in press, pressed at 80lbs for 24h
-Flipped, pressed at 80lbs for 24h
-Flipped, pressed at 120lbs for 24h
-Flipped, pressed at 120lbs for 24h. Tried to press without cheesecloth, cheese came out of bottom of press so a very lopsided/misshapen cheese now
-Took out of mold last night (4/21) to air dry, flipped this morning and it was already just about dry, will vacseal tonight to age for an unknown period of time. 499 grams out of the press.
Aside from shape issues, there was definitely a bit of knitting issue too, most likely because of the cold curd and cooler ambient temperature. I am having trouble with my wrapping in cheesecloth and getting it to look nice, I just end up with lots of wrinkles and can't seem to pull them out nicely which is why I try to press without it- any tips for nicely wrapping in cheesecloth when putting the curds in to press? I have been using a synthetic cheesecloth if that makes a difference.
With the leftover whey I made ricotta and got about 11.5oz from the make. It was a little on the drier side than when I have made it in the past using just milk and lemon juice, but I was impressed by the amount I got since there was so much curd in the cantal portion. I made the ricotta on a whim and made it from memory (it has been a few years) so I heated the whey to 190 (added a little salt while heating), and then I added 1/4cup lemon juice to try to further increase yield- took off heat, stirred briefly, let sit for 10 minutes, then drained for about ~45 min.
Attached pictures:
1. Milled and salted curds
2. Top of cheese after final pressing
3. Pressed cheese being weighed
4. Side of cheese with overhang
5. Ricotta
