This recipe is from Mastering Artisan Cheese by Gianaclis Caldwell with adaptations to 10 litres of milk . Modelled on the St. Paulin style cheese.
Measurements using the mini spoons from Green living Australia are as follows:
Drop (1/64th) :Smidgen (1/32nd) : Pinch (1/16th): Dash 1/8th: Tad ¼ th tsp.
Ingredients
10 litres Melany Milk – un-homogenised full cream milk.
the original cultures were 1/8th tsp. Choozit MM100 and 1/16th tsp LM culture but my Sacco MO 036R culture had the same ingredients – so 1 Dose – and for my current batch = 1 smidgin.
I've been quite captured by the other ingredients in the cultures but one thing I have come to understand is, you have to ultimately understand what the batches of culture you are using and what your over goal for the cheese is. Mrs Caldwell goes into great depth in her book.
Calcium Chloride 1/2 tsp diluted in 1/4 cup non-chlorinated water.
1/4 tsp of single strength rennet. diluted in 1/4 cup non-chlorinated water. This is an objective amount I used 1.8 mls of (200 IMCU) and was not enough
4 litres of Filtered (@32DegC) - non-chlorinated water with 1.5 level tsp pure salt dissolved. it was supposed to be 0.2% by weight.
Heavy Brine 23% (near saturated)
Heat milk to 32 deg C and add Culture.
Ripen for 1 hour
Add diluted CaCl2 ( Tad to ¼ cup of non-Chlorinated water)
Add diluted rennet (200 IMCU) (2 mls to ¼ cup of non-Chlorinated water). Setting Goal 45 of Minutes. if using the Flocculation method I used a 3.5 multiplier.
Cut Curd @ your Cut Time or when you have a clean break (I find that the Flocculation method gives a more consistent result.) to ¼ (6mm) over 20 minutes, the original says take 20 minutes but manually cutting only took 3-5 minutes.
This is where a little interpretation is needed. 20 minutes is a long time to cut the curds so very gently stirred for the remaining time(approx. 15 minutes), given the next stage is to partially drain the whey, without stirring I would not have been able to. As it was it took a bit to get 4 litres out.
Rest for 15 minutes.
Partially drain by removing 4 litres of whey (approx. 50%). keep for later for either pressing, or a batch of Ricotta
add the wash water @32OC. Stir in gently teasing apart the curd mass.
Heat and stir for 30 minutes, Stir gently and slowly heat to 38OC(100OF). The texture of the curds will change.
Pitch curd - no, not at the cat !! this is basically consolidating the curd mass to roughly the shape and size of the form you are going place it into. I wish I had photos to show but, it is as simple as getting your hands around the curd mass (I also used a piece of plastic draining mat to help scoop it together) massaging it into a smaller shape under the whey. It really quite magical. Leave it there for 15 minutes.
Gather curds with the cheese cloth and gently massage into the cheese form.
Add 1 kg weight and gently press under the whey for 15 minutes. Remove from form, work quickly but gently, redress the cheese press at the same weight for 30 minutes.
repeat and press at 2 Kg for 1 hour. Do these pressings under whey if you can. It will help close the rind.
Redress and continue to press. Out of the whey this time, until the pH is 5.2-5.3. About 4-6 hours. This is about acid build up before brining the cheese. because of the temp of the day this step took about 8 hours for me - be patient as this is where the acid is been created and help the aging process. Don't be temped to over press this cheese as it needs the acid build up and removing the whey too quickly will remove the food the culture needs to do it's job.
Brine the cheese - if using saturated 4-6 hours per Kg of cheese. Mine wasn't quite that so I left it over night.
Age in the Cheese fridge at 10-13 deg C for about 6-8 weeks.
I'll keep you posted on the aging.
CheeseOn
-- Mal
