Author Topic: 1st Caerphilly  (Read 4389 times)

Fundy Mental

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1st Caerphilly
« on: September 29, 2014, 12:58:54 AM »
Well, after reading a lot of folks pleasure at Caerphilly, I had a crack at one on the weekend. I am fortunate in that I was able to source fresh raw milk for this attempt. I used 15 litres for this attempt.

- Pasteurised the the milk and cooled to starting temp, 32 deg C
- added my starter culture and let rippen for 30 minutes, I also added a tiny amount of geo here to help with the flavour and later the rind development
- added rennet, floc factor of 4,
- once cutting the curd I let it rest for 5 min then gently stirred whilst raising the temp to 35 deg C over the next 20 min
- let curd rest for 45 min
- drained off the whey and hung the curd mass for 5 min to further drain
- placed mass back into tray to solidify
- went through a cheddaring process for around 40 min. flip drain, flip drain
- cut curd into chunks and added 15grams of salt and mixed through
- placed into mold
- pressed for 30 min
- remove, flip redress and press for 40 min
- remove, flip redress and press for 12 hours
- place in brine for 16 hours
- remove from brine, pat dry and place on rack to dry out. I flip it twice a day, basically when I get up in the morning before work, and when I get home at night
- once dry it will go into cheese fridge to work its magic

I will upload a photo of the cheese a little later.

Observations.
- flocculation method is just the best
- when I removed the cheese from the press the final time it seemed a little soft. It certainly didn't have any gaps and appeared to have knitted together well. It was a little lop sided as I think the follower didn't quite sit level on the way down
- upon removing the cheese from the brine it appeared to be a little slimy. It was a fresh brine made for this cheese
- the cheese seems to have firmed up a bit now after its first night drying out of the brine

looking forward to tasting.

Question:

there seems to be some who cheddar and some who don't this style of cheese. Is this a correct observation or I am not reading things correctly?

regardless, making milk solidify into additional edible product is fun.

FM

JeffHamm

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Re: 1st Caerphilly
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2014, 05:57:36 AM »
Hi FM,

Yes, caerphilly is a good cheese to add to the list.  I find it best very young, as in I cut into it at 3 to 4 weeks, and it should still have a bit of a tang to it.  There are 4 make protocols floating around, one which is adapted from Tim Smith's book (and is found on a blog Greening of Gavin) and that one involves cheddaring.  There's alson one by Peter Dixon that involves cheddaring as well.  Then, there's one from the 200 Easy Homemade cheese recipes, which doesn't involve cheddaring.  And the last one is one I found in an early 1900s New Zealand Newspaper, and I call it "traditional caerphilly", and it doesn't involve cheddaring.  They are all good makes, and people who've made some of each report they produce similar results, so really, the choice is yours.

I've recently aged a "traditional" make out past 7 months, and to be honest, while it is improving since I cut into it, I prefer it as a young cheese.  So, my recommendation is to cut this quite young.  If you want an aged cheddar, make a cheshire, dunlop, derby, or a true cheddar.  They are made for aging out, and are well worth the wait.  Caerphilly is for helping you survive that wait! :)

- Jeff

Fundy Mental

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Re: 1st Caerphilly
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2014, 07:16:26 AM »
thanks Jeff

here is a couple of pictures of the cheese. As I said it is currently drying out. Notice the lop sided top (until it becomes the bottom). As I flipped it over there was a very small pool of whey on the top, hhhmmmm.

Offline awakephd

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Re: 1st Caerphilly
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2014, 04:38:27 PM »
Lovely color - AC4U! I wouldn't be too worried about the lopsided shape. Just tilt your head a bit as you eat it. :)

A little whey "weeping" from this cheese is normal, in my limited experience. Just keep flipping it regularly to keep it evened out.
-- Andy

JeffHamm

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Re: 1st Caerphilly
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2014, 08:31:46 PM »
Looks very good.  Have another cheese.

And yes, there will be moisture and whey on the tops and bottom for a bit.  Keep an eye on it, and flip it morning and evening if you can.  Depending upon your local humidity, watch out for it drying too fast and cracking.  Auckland has a typical humidity of around 70%, so this isn't a problem for me early on (though, as I just found out, if I put a cheese out because I figure its rind still needs a bit of drying after it's been in the cave for a month, it will crack - ooops).  If you find your cheeses tend to crack at this air drying phase, put a plastic box over top of them with a glass of water to create a higher humidity micro climate.

Fundy Mental

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Re: 1st Caerphilly
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2014, 10:10:41 PM »
thanks Jeff and awakephd

flipped this morning and wipped down the cheese just to dry it off a bit. Its suppoesed to be 33 deg C here today, although the place where it is air drying is relatively cool. Just need to watch the humidity so will see what sort of lid I can find to raise the mumidity.

I was wondering if the pressing may not have 1 - been long enough or 2 - been hard enough. Time will tell. It is all about learning in the end.

FM

Fundy Mental

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Re: 1st Caerphilly
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2014, 08:09:35 PM »
went to flip cheese yesterday afternoon and it was quite damp as the whey continues to come out. I pat dry and flip. This morning it is the same, quite damp so I pat dry and flip. I have placed a cover over the cheese with a small container of water next to it to raise the humidity as suggested. I notice a small hole on the cheese, I very tiny crack me thinks although it is round in shape not unlike if a bubble burst. The flip regime is a 12 hr cycle. Will see how we go but I am quite surprised how damp the cheese gets over the 12 hr period. still wondering if I did not press for long enough or hard enough.

Spoons

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Re: 1st Caerphilly
« Reply #7 on: October 01, 2014, 02:59:55 AM »
Nice cheese Fundy!

The excessive whey expulsion is probably due to a mix of factors during the process of making the cheese such as; floc factor (try 3 or 3.5), curd size maybe? and letting the curd rest for 45 mins as opposed to a continuous stir. Or maybe pressed too hard too early and whey got trapped.

Fundy Mental

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Re: 1st Caerphilly
« Reply #8 on: October 01, 2014, 10:48:31 AM »
thanks spoons

good thoughts and will note for number 2. Cheese was a lot dryer this afternoon so that was positive. Will see how it stacks up in the morning but at this rate it will be into the cave Friday and I get to test out the cave cube I purchased from John at Perfect Cheese.

FM

amiriliano

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Re: 1st Caerphilly
« Reply #9 on: October 02, 2014, 02:52:17 AM »
A Beauty! What did you do to keep the rind that clean??

A cheese for you!

Fundy Mental

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Re: 1st Caerphilly
« Reply #10 on: October 03, 2014, 08:57:37 PM »
Hi amirilliano

the pics were taken out of the press at the start of the air drying. I put it in the cave last night to harden up and attract bugs of the good kind.

Fundy Mental

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Re: 1st Caerphilly
« Reply #11 on: October 18, 2014, 10:20:51 PM »
An interesting observation. The cheese has been in the cave a couple of weeks now as is still the same colour. No signs of growth or anything. A couple of weeks to go be fore i crack it for a taste.

JeffHamm

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Re: 1st Caerphilly
« Reply #12 on: October 19, 2014, 06:40:59 AM »
Hi Fundy Mental,

This caerphilly is 3 weeks old now.  I usually cut into mine at 3 or 4 weeks, and enjoy it most then.  It should have a tang to it, sort of sour but not off.  I quite like it at this stage, so it might not be a bad idea to cut into it, see what you think.  If it's not quite where you want it, age it another week or two.  Cutting it won't stop it from aging.  This isn't really a cheese for long aging, so if you want a cheddar to age out then go for a traditional cheddar or a cheshire or derby or dunlop.  They all age nicely.  There's a 2 month Lancashire on the boards which is good, but if you want a traditional long aging Lancashire you need to hunt around for a version where you make curds 3 days in a row, then combine them to make the cheese! 

Anyway, this caerphilly looks good and I know I would be into it around now. :)

- Jeff

Fundy Mental

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Re: 1st Caerphilly
« Reply #13 on: October 19, 2014, 09:33:22 AM »
Thanks Jeff

I cut into the cheese and here is the result. Not bland at all, just a tang but very subtle. Centre seems a little creamy, not sure. Certainly crumbly. Her are a couple of pics.

FM


Offline Andrew Marshallsay

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Re: 1st Caerphilly
« Reply #14 on: October 19, 2014, 11:21:13 AM »
A great looking cheese, Fundy (or is that Mental?).
Please accept a cheese for your cheese. Well done!
- Andrew