Author Topic: 7" Brie - Does it look okay to you?  (Read 6660 times)

High Altitude

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7" Brie - Does it look okay to you?
« on: October 23, 2013, 05:35:32 PM »
This is my first Brie attempt (using Caldwell's "Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking"), and the recipe went smoothly enough I think.  The PC started developing within a few days and has developed slowly and fairly evenly over 12 days.  It's not as fluffy as my latest 4" Camemberts though, which were made a week later. 

The one side has some slightly darker, lumpy areas as you can see from the photos and parts of the side are also lumpy.  What is that?!?! 

The other side is rather pristine in comparison, so wondering if it's Geo (which I did add) affecting the one side?  The PC doesn't seem to be covering those spots as well as it is on the nicer side. 

Any thoughts or opinions are very welcome...please.  :-[

I plan to wrap it on day 14 (when my paper arrives in the mail...note to self: order larger cheese wrapping paper at the same time as you order larger cheese mold  :D) and relocate to the fridge for another few weeks aging (maybe 6 weeks because of its size?).


Spellogue

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Re: 7" Brie - Does it look okay to you?
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2013, 03:26:06 AM »
The brainy/wormy surface around the edge looks like a classic geo rind, like you would find on a Crottin.  The PC should overtake it with velvet soon, but you might consider cutting back on the quantity of geo you are using in your next brie make.  Did you use Geo 13?  I find the 13 to be rather assertive.

High Altitude

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Re: 7" Brie - Does it look okay to you?
« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2013, 04:06:04 PM »
Well yes, I did use Geo 13, Spell...good guessing!  I added what probably amounted to a 1/32 tsp for a 1.5 gallon make.  When they say to add a skewertip of geo, I guess they mean the skinny side edge of a skewer, not the flat end. 

I'm also getting some geo 17, which should be a little less assertive. Hope it'll cover over with PC, like you say.  I'll wait a few more days before wrapping to make sure that happens.  Thanks so much for your input  ;D!  I feel better.

jwalker

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Re: 7" Brie - Does it look okay to you?
« Reply #3 on: October 25, 2013, 01:00:25 AM »

High Altitude

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Re: 7" Brie - Does it look okay to you?
« Reply #4 on: October 25, 2013, 03:07:22 PM »
jwalker, thanks but I don't think it's that (at least not yet) because the whole cheese is still very firm.  Today I will wrap and put in the colder fridge for aging.  If it does progress to slip skin, I should be able to feel a gooey slipping-around sensation, right?

I appreciate your response, and know that slip skin is a huge concern with these bloomies, always  :o!

Have a super weekend  8)

Spellogue

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Re: 7" Brie - Does it look okay to you?
« Reply #5 on: October 26, 2013, 09:30:42 PM »
jwalker, thanks but I don't think it's that (at least not yet) because the whole cheese is still very firm.  Today I will wrap and put in the colder fridge for aging.  If it does progress to slip skin, I should be able to feel a gooey slipping-around sensation, right?

I appreciate your response, and know that slip skin is a huge concern with these bloomies, always  :o!

Have a super weekend  8)

The big head start that the geo has could contribute to an onset of slippage.  I'd pat the rind each flip, keep it quite cool, and avoid wrapping rather keeping it unwrapped in a mini-cave container at this point.  I don't normally wrap bloomies until their about ripe.

High Altitude

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Re: 7" Brie - Does it look okay to you?
« Reply #6 on: November 01, 2013, 06:23:59 PM »
Thanks Spell.  I didn't see your post before I wrapped her up!

I forgot my Brie for a few days and during that time the PC did cover the geo growth on the one surface of concern quite nicely, but the sides started to cave in  :-[, AND there was a CRACK (be it small)!  ???

Because my wrapping arrived in the mail 5 days later than expected, I couldn't get this wrapped when I wanted, but anyway that probably doesn't matter in the big scheme.

So here are the latest shots of this one.  I'll age it out in the cold fridge for a few weeks (4-6?) and see what I get.  Next make, I'll use far less geo (or maybe none if I haven't yet gotten the geo 17 I want) and hope to have better success.

Tomer1

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Re: 7" Brie - Does it look okay to you?
« Reply #7 on: November 02, 2013, 11:18:14 PM »
Wow very wormy! :0

High Altitude

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Re: 7" Brie - Does it look okay to you?
« Reply #8 on: January 02, 2014, 06:14:28 PM »
Well, my "wormy, brainy" brie was amazing!  I think that Geo 13 was a success in this make...so I made another already!  I was going to get Geo 17 also, but think I'll stick with the 13 so long as it is working like this.  I'll let you know how the second attempt at this recipe turns out later....used mini-brie molds and they came out way too thick!

This 7" make was incredibly creamy and intensely flavored like a French Brie that is aging well.  So, so happy with this one  ;D. 'Twas a sad day when I had my last bite of it....

Geodyne

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Re: 7" Brie - Does it look okay to you?
« Reply #9 on: January 02, 2014, 09:45:08 PM »
That looks truly awesome. Well you might make another!

Have a cheese.

jwalker

  • Guest
Re: 7" Brie - Does it look okay to you?
« Reply #10 on: January 03, 2014, 02:58:22 PM »
Oooooohhh........very nice looking Brie !

A well deserved cheese to you.

Offline mgasparotto

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Re: 7" Brie - Does it look okay to you?
« Reply #11 on: January 03, 2014, 11:42:38 PM »
gorgeous!

cowboycheese

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Re: 7" Brie - Does it look okay to you?
« Reply #12 on: January 04, 2014, 09:27:13 PM »
That looks yummy. A cheese for you!

Digitalsmgital

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Re: 7" Brie - Does it look okay to you?
« Reply #13 on: January 04, 2014, 09:56:30 PM »
A fun rollercoaster-ride of a thread...starts out fine, a little excitement, then uh-oh! calamity, then a happy happy ending! Don't fix it if it ain't broke...AC4U!

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: 7" Brie - Does it look okay to you?
« Reply #14 on: January 05, 2014, 12:02:56 AM »
All of my Bries look like that on the sides.  Never hurt any of them. They still taste delicious!  That's an awesome cheese you have there.  Keep up the great work. A cheese to you for your great success. ;)
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