Friends,
After some helpful comments from fellow-camembert makers concerning temperature and wrapping, I decided to try 3 different ways of making camembert at once.
In short, all contained:
- storebought no-fat milk
- cream
- cultured buttermilk starter
- rennet
- commercial supermarket Brie rind
Type 1:
Cultured in basement at around 14 C in a closed container. After 4 days: covered with mold. Day 5 wrapped in plasticfoil. Day 12: feels soft, tried: not entirely done. Still has a 'heart'. Strange and unpleasant sweet aftertaste. Thrown out. FAIL.
Type 2:
Cultured in basement at around 14 C in a closed container. Day 4: covered with mold. Day 5 wrapped in plasticfoil and moved to fridge. Day 12: feels soft, tried: good! soft, extremely creamy and runny, slight ammonia smell. Flavor okay, a little bland. Rind quite thin.
Type 3:
Cultured in fridge at around 5 C in a closed container. Day 10: covered with mold. *EDIT april 21: wrapped in plastic foil* Day 15: feels soft, tried: Excellent! soft, extremely creamy and runny, very slight ammonia smell. Flavor great, a not too strong (nothing compared to raw milk) but very delicate. Very good and beautiful cheese. WINNER!!