Cracked-up caerphilly

[Andrew Marshallsay]

Caerphilly No 3 came out of the press this morning, looking good. Went into the brine and out again.
Just a few hours later I noticed that there were a number of small surface cracks in it. I am assuming that the rind hadn't closed quite as well as I initially thought so I've put it back into the press with some more weight on it (currently 1.5 PSI) with a view to leaving it overnight.
I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar problem and can I expect another night in the press to solve it?

[OzzieCheese]

Hi RP,

Here is the link to my Notes on Caerphilly.

http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,10375.0.html

I don't tend to overpress this cheese

1.   Press for 10 minutes @ 10 lbs.  Remove from the mould rub salt in the top, bottom and sides  - redress .
2.   Press again with @10 lbs. for 10 minutes. Repeat the salting as well.
3.   Repeat and re-press @ 15 lbs. for 20 minutes.  Repeat the salting as well.
4.   Unmould re-salt and redress and press again @ 25 lbs. for 16 hours. 

There are some pH markers but without a pH meter it is all pretty much guess work.  But the theory is to lightly press the cheese as to give the culture enough time to convert max Lactose into Lactic acid and this helps the final crumbly nature.
The old weights are for our non Metric brethren.  I have single arm dutch press but the initial press weights are light and frequent and the last one, overnight but still not all that heavy.  Keeping the cheese warm during the first 3 press and flip operations will help the knit (and the Acid development).  While I don't press under whey for this cheese I do place the cheese mold inside the warm pot into the press while pressing. 

Hope that helps

--Mal 

 

[Andrew Marshallsay]

Thanks for the advice Mal. If this one doesn't work out as I would like it gives me something to work to next time.
I have put the cheese back in the press for another 24 hrs. It's looking good so here's hoping.
I probably should have posted the complete notes yesterday but I was a bit pressed (no pun intended) for time.
The make was based mostly on Caldwell's recipe but with reference to Peter Nixon, Gavin Webber and Tim Smith.

10L of Paris Creek full cream milk (P=3.3%, F=3.5%) heated to 32C.
Cultures were stirred in: R7 mesophilic (approx 3/4 of recommended dose) and Italian and Swiss thermophilic (approx 1/4 of recommended dose).
Ripened for 60 min.
3.0 ml of Calcium Chloride, dissolved in water, stirred in about 5 min before renneting.
2.5 ml animal rennet(140 IMCU) dissolved in water and stirred in for 2 min.
Flocculation time was 12 min. Using a 3.5 multiplier gave a coagulation time of 42 min.
Cut into 12 mm cubes and rested for 15 min.
Stirred gently for 15 min and then raised to 34C over 15 min with continued stirring.
Maintained temp. for another 35min with occasional stirring.
The curds were poured into a cloth lined colander and allowed to consolidate for about 10 min.
The curd mass was then sliced into thick slabs and stacked in the warm pot. The stacks were turned three times over the next 15-20 min.
The curd was milled into thumbnail sized pieces and 3 tsp of salt was mixed in. (approx 1% based on a measured curd weight of 1.8 kg)
The curd was then transferred to a cloth lined mould and pressed at 0.12 PSI for 30 min (they had barely started to knit by this time.)
Unmoulded, flipped and returned to the press at 0.37 PSI  for 15 min, increasing to 0.76 PSI for another 15 min.
Unmoulded again and 1/2 tsp of salt applied to the top. Then flipped, 1/2 tsp of salt applied to the other end and back into the mould.
Pressed for 18 hrs at 1.12 PSI, turned once at 5 hours.
Unwrapped and pressed naked for 1 hour at 0.76 PSI to remove cloth marks.
Brined for 3 hours and then placed on a board to dry.
After a few hours a number of small surface cracks were apparent, so I returned it to the press for 24 hrs at 1.5 PSI, turning once at 15 hours.

[Boofer]

pressed at 0.12 PSI
press at 0.37 PSI
increasing to 0.76 PSI
Pressed for 18 hrs at 1.12 PSI
pressed naked for 1 hour at 0.76 PSI
press for 24 hrs at 1.5 PSI

I was just curious how you derived these psi figures.

-Boofer-

[Andrew Marshallsay]

Hi Boofer.
Fair question. I calibrated the press by using a set of bathroom scales to measure the force applied and then divided that by the cross-sectional area of the mould in square inches.
I'm inclined to think that this is a more useful measure than the force, or weight in pounds or kilograms. I would have preferred to stick to metric measures but nobody else seems to use anything for pressure except PSI.

[Boofer]

nobody else seems to use anything for pressure except PSI.

The Maasdam recipe from Danisco uses bar units.

I had worked up a metric version of my press spreadsheet, but never had much application for it. It specifies kg/cm^2.

For most folks, if the mould dimensions are known, then the pounds or kilograms that are applied gives readers enough information. But psi is good too.
 
-Boofer-

[awakephd]

Andrew,

FWIW, my Caerphillies always seem to come out with a bit of a "crackled" look on the top and the bottom. Of course, I'm only up to #4, so not exactly a long track record, but it has been quite consistent. The last one I made (this past weekend), I pressed at 60 lbs for a 6.5" diameter mold -- which has been well more than enough, in other cheeses, to get a very good knit. The sides are knit beautifully, but once again, the top and bottom look "crackled." However, the past 3 Caerphillies have had the same look, and yet have had no problems with rind development over the 3-4 weeks that I usually age them. They have been less likely to develop mold than the Lancashires that I often make at the same time, which generally come out perfectly knit on all sides. (I have not been brave enough to allow a wild rind to develop in my cave, so if I get any mold on my natural-rind (i.e., unwaxed) cheeses, I clean them off with vinegar/salt.)

--from another Andrew, though I generally go by Andy

[Andrew Marshallsay]

Hi Boofer,
Thanks for the information. It's interesting to see that there are some other units being used out there.

For most folks, if the mould dimensions are known, then the pounds or kilograms that are applied gives readers enough information.

You make a good point. I think that the value of quoting pressure (e.g. PSI), apart from when mould dimensions are not known, is when scaling recipes up or down.
Andy,
Your experiences are very comforting. I doubt that my Caerphillies (is that the plural?) will last long either. The one wild rind I did turned out to be mostly wild blue but that did not seem to be a problem. (Good name, by the way.)

[Andrew Marshallsay]

Cut this one today and it turned out well. The minor cracking I noticed did not seem to have caused any serious problems. I am thinking that perhaps it was drying a little too quickly. Anyway, the rind flora developed nicely and did not get into the body of the cheese. I have waxed half of it and am making inroads into the other half.

[JeffHamm]

A cheese to you for a great looking caerphilly!  How was the flavour?  The rind looks fantastic.

[Andrew Marshallsay]

Thanks Jeff.
The taste is good. Fairly mild and not quite as acidic as the ones I've made before. I may look to modify that next time.

[John@PC]

A cheese for you as well Andrew.  Nice rind development for such a young cheese!