Author Topic: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success  (Read 8289 times)

GlabrousD

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Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
« on: April 17, 2014, 04:39:05 AM »
Hiya All,

well I've decided to try for a Caerphilly this time following the directions from Jeff's post here: http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,8147.0.html

It's the first time I've tried the "Floc Method" and after 20 minutes my little bowl was still happily bobbing around on the surface of the milk with no apparent inclination to stick. So I foolishly gave up and thought I'd cut at 45 minutes instead.

Checking at 27 minutes the damn bowl was now stuck firmly but I now had no idea when I should be cutting! Oh well. I checked the break at one hour and cut then getting good clean cubes which sank nicely into the whey when stirred.

Due to time constraints, distractions and forgetfulness I have no photos of the stirring, drain, press or flips so when I remove the cheese from the whey brine this evening I'll grab the first pictures. However I'm very pleased with how it's progressing so far.

Just a quick query to the Cheese Gurus if I may: I'm travelling on business for over a week at the end of April - will I be OK Vacuum Packing this cheese do you think?

Thanks in advance for any help and guidance. Cheers, GD.


Matthewcraig

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Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2014, 10:03:45 AM »
yes i would think vacuum packing would be fine :)


GlabrousD

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Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2014, 10:39:24 AM »
Thanks very much Matthew - that'll save the FLW from having to care for it in my absence :)

Cheers, GD.

JeffHamm

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Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2014, 06:04:25 PM »
Caerphilly is a pretty forgiving cheese, so the missed floc point isn't a disaster.  It may be a bit moister, but that's not a disaster or anything.  If it is dry, vac. sealing for a week should be ok.  Even if it leaks whey into the bag, you'll be able to remove it when you get back.  I've only made the 200 Easy Home version the one time I think.  It was quite good.  will be interested to hear how it goes for you.  Don't forget the photos when it's out of the press! And then repost to this thread your tasting notes (keeps everything together, which is the most useful for future archive miners.

- Jeff

GlabrousD

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Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
« Reply #4 on: April 18, 2014, 06:22:55 AM »
Thanks very much Jeff. It's currently air drying and I'll probably post photos tomorrow once it's had time to breathe :)

I'll keep the thread updated to the (hopefully not) bitter end.

Cheers, GD.

GlabrousD

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Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
« Reply #5 on: April 20, 2014, 06:45:24 AM »
Well it's been drying for two days under a plastic box. Room temperature here is now at 26 degrees centigrade - about 79 Farenheit so I was wary about over-drying. It looks to be developing a bit of a rind so it's into the cave in a ripening box until Thursday when it'll have to be vac-packed. I'm away on business and am abandoning my poor cheeses :(

Cheers, GD.

JeffHamm

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Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
« Reply #6 on: April 20, 2014, 06:49:21 AM »
It should be fine, as long as you can ensure it doesn't end up sitting in any whey and/or moisture.  Might get some mould on it, but that won't hurt it any.  How much does it weigh?  Looks on the small size, so I'm assuming this is around a 4 litre make maybe?  I'm curious as to the dimensions.

- Jeff

Matthewcraig

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Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
« Reply #7 on: April 20, 2014, 10:56:19 AM »
i know this really has nothing to do with the cheese, but what camera do you use to take pictures. all of your pictures seem to be such good quality  :D

GlabrousD

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Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
« Reply #8 on: April 21, 2014, 07:42:29 AM »
Hiya Jeff, a two gallon make yielding 944g when pressed - haven't weighed it since. I actually thought that wasn't a bad yield... the milk here is pasteurised & homogenised so I'm relieved to get any curds at all. The mould used was a 115x115x130mm open ended job and once completely pressed the follower was about 1cm from the top of the mould... so I guess the cheese is 115x115x115mm... ish :)

I'll have to weigh again and see what it's dropped to now... there's no more whey escaping and it seems pretty dry on the surface.

Thanks very much for the kind comment on the photos Matthew. I'm afraid I can claim absolutely no credit. The camera is a Canon EOS Rebel T1i (sold in Europe as the 500D) the lens cost more than the camera and focusses beautifully with a constant aperture over the whole zoom range. As I say, no skill just a nice piece of kit :-)

Cheers, GD.


JeffHamm

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Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
« Reply #9 on: April 21, 2014, 07:57:09 AM »
Ah, it's just the diameter is smaller than my makes, my mould is about 158 mm across.  And, 2 lbs for 2 gallons is a good yield, it's what you would expect.  My makes are a bit larger 11 Litres, which would be just under 2.5 UK gallons (or just under 3 US gallons).

- Jeff

GlabrousD

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Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
« Reply #10 on: April 21, 2014, 01:27:59 PM »
Thanks very much for the reassurance Jeff - you had me worried :)

I've just weighed it and we're down to 893g after two days in the cave. Not sure what the final weight will be but I'm looking forward to trying it regardless.

The reason for the small moulds is that I can fit two side-by-side in my cave... larger cheeses would take up two slots. Also managing anything more than 8 litres (my largest make to-date) is beyond my current cooking pot. Mind you I've just bought a catering sized colander that makes draining curds sooo much easier :)

Cheers, GD.

JeffHamm

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Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
« Reply #11 on: April 21, 2014, 06:04:12 PM »
The smaller mould gives you a better form factor, more barrel than disk, for many cheeses.  Stilton type blues, for example, would be better in your mould.  And, as you say, they pack better because the barrel shape is more efficient use of shelf space.  Hmm, must look into a 4.5 inch mould myself.  I've just got room for my latest buttterkase, and then my cave is full!  Oh oh!?

- Jeff

GlabrousD

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Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
« Reply #12 on: April 23, 2014, 03:37:18 AM »
...and then my cave is full!  Oh oh!?

Yes I'm finding the two biggest bugbears of cheese making are the needs for patience and an ever larger cave. I'm currently looking at vac-packing some cheeses so that I can stack them to age. I could also ask the FLW to move some of the wine from her half of the cave but I don't like to live that dangerously! :)

Cheers, GD.

GlabrousD

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Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
« Reply #13 on: May 07, 2014, 05:33:31 AM »
Well I took some photos before I disappeared on a business trip and have yet to post them... so here we go:

Cheers, GD.


GlabrousD

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Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
« Reply #14 on: May 20, 2014, 10:37:09 AM »
Well I've given in to temptation and cut the Caerphilly open... stupidly forgetting to weigh it in my hurry.

The good news is it tastes exactly like a "real" Caerphilly... I'm over the moon and have already munched nearly a quarter of one slice... must control the urge to eat it all :)

Cheers, GD.