Hi,
This was such a treat last time that I figured I have to get another one going right away. I've remembered to use the non-homogenized Silver top milk this time, which ups the fat content and also results in a firmer curd. This is a really quick make (at least to the point of getting it in the mould, there's the continual flipping through the day, but that is just when you think of it and it isn't a disaster if you have to go out through the day, and no need to get up through the night or anything).
Anyway, once this is out of the mould tomorrow, it will go straight into the cave. So, as my last one ended up getting contaminated with wild geo and blue mould, I've prepared it's own container this time. I moved my bitto in with the tomme, and took the bitto's old box, poured in a kettle full of boiling water and soaked the mats and chopsticks that I use to keep the cheese off the bottom (to avoid sitting in whey, and to allow air to get to all sides). Then, gave everything a good soapy wash and another boil wash. That should, fingers crossed, have got the box as free from contaminates as I can get it. So now, the hope is, the b.linens will grow without too many helpers joining in and ending the aging process. Will see how that works out for me in a few weeks I suppose.
Munster (200 Easy Homemade Cheese Recipes, where it is spelled Muenster) Sunday, Aug 31, 2014
2 Litres Silver Top (creamline 4% fat, 3.1% protein)
3 Litres Homebrand Standard (3.2% fat, 3.1% protein : gives 0.87:1 P:F Ratio – target 0.88:1)
2 ice cube buttermilk
1 ice cube crème fraiche
1/20th B. Linens (or less)
¼ tsp CaCl2 in egg cup water
Rennet (0.8 mls 280 IMCU Calf rennet)
Salt
brine for washing (6 g salt to 194g water)
6 ½ inch tomme mould with follower
1) Add CaCl2 while setting up
2) Add culture and b.linens to milk and warm to 32 C (7:22 32.2 C)
3) Ripen 15 minutes (7:22 - 7:37 31.8 C raised back to 32.1 C)
4) Add rennet (7:39:00 floc time 7:52:00 = 13 m 00s 4x floc = 52m 00s cut time 8:31:00)
5) Cut to 1.25 cm cubes (8:31 - 8:33) (so 4.6x floc used)
6) Ensure temp is 32.0 C ( 27.2 C raised back to 31.2 C)
7) stir gently for 15 minutes (8:41 - 8:56)
8 ) Let curds settle, cover and rest 30 minutes (8:56 - 9:26)
9) Drain whey to level of curds, then gentle transfer curds to cloth lined colander
10) Drain 30 minutes (9:34 - 10:04)
11) Ladle soft curds into mould (but press them lightly to ensure they are spread evenly – used coffee cup full of water; put mould in pot with lid, and fill cup with boiling water to keep pressing environment warm and moist) and drain 24 hours (flip several times over this period and remove any whey – keep cheese above the whey (10:10 – flipped 11:15, fusing nicely – again 12:30 - 1:40 – 3:25 – 5:40 – 6:30 – 8:00 pm - 6:00 am – 4:15 pm – 752g 15.6 x 4.0= 765 = 0.98 g/cm3)
12) If cheese still too soft to handle, continue to drain/flip for 6-7 hours more (??:?? - ??:??)
13) Sprinkle each face with ¼ tsp salt up to 1 tsp for larger cheese (6.25” tomme mould, used ½ tsp each face )
14) Place cheese in ripening container and ripen at 13 C, 85% humidity
15) Flip cheese daily, remove any whey until no more released (about 3 days; was dry first day)
16) Start washing every for 2 weeks (smaller cheeses) to 3 weeks (larger cheeses). Orange smear should start to form after 10 days or so. (Started washing Wednesday, Sept 3, 2014 PM).
17) Can be eaten at this point, or continue to ripen up to 3 months (gets stronger the longer you continue to ripen it).
18) Rind should be soft and moist, but not sticky. Once the rind is where you want it, wrap in parchment paper and store in regular fridge to extend.
NOTES: the curd and resulting cheese is much firmer than my last make (which didn't use the 2 litres of cream line milk). This should make the cheese stand up to the washing and ripening process a bit better, so as long as we can keep it clear of mould we should be fine.
I'm using 6-8 g of salt in 144 g of water as my solution, so around 4-5% brine. Didn't add any b.linens to the brine this time.
Tuesday, Sept 16, 2014: getting a really good schmeir now.
Saturday, Sept 20, 2014: very aromatic. Salted both faces and the sides as there have been one or two black spots wanting to form. B.Linens are starting to show a bit.
???day,
? ??, 2014: 15.? x ?.? ???g; ?.?? g/cm3