Author Topic: Sixth Cheshire  (Read 1449 times)

Geodyne

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Sixth Cheshire
« on: April 12, 2014, 08:20:43 AM »
(Edited to read sixth, as I found I've already made five when I looked at my notes.) This is a modification of the recipe posted by JeffHam (originally from fied), to try the approach Jeff has been using. This is different to mine in having a lot less stirring and a longer cheddaring, which I think might give the moister, crumblier cheese I'm looking for. I overshot the temps a bit so the cheese may turn out drier, but we'll see. No pH monitoring today, as I discovered when I pulled my pH meter out that one of the batteries had weeped inside the cavity. I'll have to fix that. In the meantime I went by feel.

26 L pasteurised, NH milk
260 ml pre-cultured MM101, with 1 grain S. thermophilus added
7 ml single-strength vegetarian rennet, added to 120 ml boiled and cooled water
80 g salt

Floc multiplier = 3x

0900 Heat milk to 30C, add culture. Culture 30 mins, increasing temp to 33C (I reached 33C very soon in the culturing)
0930 Add rennet, stir a few times. Floc in 10 minutes = 30 minute set (got clean break at 30 mins). T = 32.2
1003 Cut to 1 cm. Rest 5 mins. T = 32.0
1008 Stir every 5 mins for 50 mins, maintaining temp at 32.
1150 Rest 45 mins, covered, maintaining temp.
1200 Drain whey. Break curd mat in half and cheddar for 3 hours, turning and breaking each piece in half every 30 minutes. Maintain 32C.
1500 Mill to 1 inch and add salt. Press into 8" tomme mould with hands, place in press, press 30 mins @ 7.5 kg (this weight was enough to express clear whey but not white)
1530 Remove from press, flip, press 2 hours @ 20 kg
1730 Remove from press, flip, press overnight @ 30 kg.

Photo shows first flip.

This will air dry for a couple of days, then go into the cave to be neglected for three weeks. I ordered milk for two makes for this weekend, then bought a very cheap flight for a last-minute holiday, leaving on Tuesday!
« Last Edit: April 12, 2014, 09:50:57 PM by Geo »

JeffHamm

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Re: Sixth Cheshire
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2014, 09:17:22 PM »
Hi geo,

I think this make is originally from fied (from Scotland, but I've not seen her post for quite a long time).  I've got one in my cave now, which I want to age out a bit longer.  Her recommendations were for around 6 to 8 months as I recall.

Anyway, the only think I'm worried about with your current on is that there's a lot of cracks and crevices.  What's the diameter of the mould you're using?  Mine is only about 6.26 inches across (so, around 15.5 cm).  If your's is bigger, you might need to increase the weight when pressing.  If you're going to abandon it for 3 weeks, it might be wise to coat it in salted butter, to fill the cracks, etc.  Maybe even better, you could bandage it, then coat with butter.  Will help keep the moulds from getting inside the cheese (the plan, whether or not successful will be revealed in our next episode: The Tasting!)   

- Jeff

Geodyne

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Re: Sixth Cheshire
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2014, 09:53:58 PM »
Fied, that's right. My memory is appalling.

No worries on the cracks and crevices, that photo was from the first very early flip. I've turned it again this morning and it's in the press without a cloth at the moment to smooth out a couple of cloth marks, but the knit is great.

I've pressed this in an 8" tomme, but I work with Caldwell's advice of pressing to see clear but not white whey. I find I get a good knit every time using that approach, without having to use really high weights.  I had more weight in reserve but didn't feel it needed it.

Geodyne

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Re: Sixth Cheshire
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2014, 02:36:55 AM »
So this cheese came out of the press at 7am this morning and I put it back into the press for another 5 hours with 30 kg weight, to smooth out a couple of cloth marks. Come midday it was time to come out of the press to make way for the Lancashire I'm making this morning.

This cheese weights 3385 g, which is a bit higher-yield than I was expecting, but at 13% is about right for a moist cheese intended to be eaten young. I'll cut into this at the 4-6 week mark.

For now, it gets a day or two of air-drying, then I'll salt the rind as a preventative against moulds and put it in the cave.

JeffHamm

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Re: Sixth Cheshire
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2014, 04:24:02 AM »
Ah, ok, that looks much better.  A cheese to you for a wonderful looking cheshire.  I bet it will drop a fair amount of weight as it ages as much of it will be moisture (at least, that's been my experience - I end up with around 1400+g out of the press, but by the time it is ready to be cut, it will be down to around a kilo or so; these being 11 L makes).  I've tried one of these that young.  How do they taste at 4-6 weeks?  That's caerphilly country!

- Jeff

Geodyne

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Re: Sixth Cheshire
« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2014, 04:34:53 AM »
Thankyou for the cheese!

Yes, I'm expecting quite a bit of moisture loss over the next few weeks. What I'm aiming for with this cheese (as opposed to the aged Cheshires) is a young, white, crumbly, lemony-acid cheese. Which is what the young Cheshires sold in the UK are like.

JeffHamm

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Re: Sixth Cheshire
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2014, 05:48:06 AM »
Look forward to the report then.  Nice to have a few options for a young cheese.

- Jeff