Author Topic: First Brie was going great until cheese paper disaster  (Read 4009 times)

pamelam07

  • Guest
First Brie was going great until cheese paper disaster
« on: January 15, 2015, 03:44:25 PM »
I made my first Brie (4 small wheels) a few weeks ago following the recipe on cheesemaking.com as well as referencing Artisan Cheese Making at Home. The process seemed to go well and the parts I worried about like keeping temp and humidity for ripening were working well until last night. As per instructions on both sites I wrapped the cheese when it went from the warmer environment to a fridge within a large container with two each. Last night I unwrapped the cheese to see how it was looking and the cheese paper is stuck to the white mold. I bought the paper from the New English Cheese Company and even read the instructions twice on what side goes in. Now I am assuming I misunderstood as I'm sure that isn't supposed to happen. I tried picking it off, rubbing it (which was rubbing off my white mold too) and using a knife to lift small areas. Has anyone else had this happen? Is there a way to save the rind on this or an I stuck letting them finish and being one of those people who cuts the rind off to eat it?

Offline pastpawn

  • Mature Cheese
  • ****
  • Location: Clearwater, FL
  • Posts: 251
  • Cheeses: 45
  • It aint easy being cheesy
Re: First Brie was going great until cheese paper disaster
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2015, 04:03:31 PM »
I made my first Brie (4 small wheels) a few weeks ago following the recipe on cheesemaking.com as well as referencing Artisan Cheese Making at Home. The process seemed to go well and the parts I worried about like keeping temp and humidity for ripening were working well until last night. As per instructions on both sites I wrapped the cheese when it went from the warmer environment to a fridge within a large container with two each. Last night I unwrapped the cheese to see how it was looking and the cheese paper is stuck to the white mold. I bought the paper from the New English Cheese Company and even read the instructions twice on what side goes in. Now I am assuming I misunderstood as I'm sure that isn't supposed to happen. I tried picking it off, rubbing it (which was rubbing off my white mold too) and using a knife to lift small areas. Has anyone else had this happen? Is there a way to save the rind on this or an I stuck letting them finish and being one of those people who cuts the rind off to eat it?


I recently made camembert and wrapped with paper.  No problem at all.  My cheese formed a fairly tough skin that didn't weep at all.  It sorta looks as if your cheese was still draining? 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002I47P40/ref=od_aui_detailpages02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Andrew

pamelam07

  • Guest
Re: First Brie was going great until cheese paper disaster
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2015, 04:14:03 PM »
hmm what makes you think it looks like it's draining? I didn't wrap until surface was dry to the touch and no more whey was coming off in the tray. It still could have been too early but I based it on a good white mold coverage cause it seemed like timing was different in most sources I looked at. The paper was dry but a bit moist where it had been stuck to the cheese. Was I supposed to unwrap it often? I didn't see that anywhere so I didn't.

Offline Al Lewis

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Port Orchard Washington
  • Posts: 3,285
  • Cheeses: 179
    • Lou's Food & Drink
Re: First Brie was going great until cheese paper disaster
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2015, 05:32:47 PM »
Not sure what your process was but once these are dry enough to salt they should be in the cave getting the mold petted down and flipped every day.  After about 5-6 days you should wrap in cheese paper, get the right stuff, and kept in the cave turning daily until they soften.  Does that sound like your process?  Take a look at this... http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,12314.msg94967.html#msg94967
Making the World a Safer Place, One Cheese at a Time! My Food Blog and Videos

pamelam07

  • Guest
Re: First Brie was going great until cheese paper disaster
« Reply #4 on: January 15, 2015, 06:08:56 PM »
Thanks for your feedback. That may have been the issue. After dry enough (2 days) I salted and then put into a cave at about 56F for 4 days, the white mold formed nicely all over and I was flipping twice a day. Then I wrapped and put into my cheese fridge. I was then flipping every day but not unwrapping. I just checked the website again (which they updated at some point this morning) and I can see that now they have removed the wrapping part all together and list it should go into a cave at around 10-15 days.

It seems possible I didn't wait long enough before wrapping and possibly didn't use the paper correctly. This is the paper I used and I put the brown side in as we thought it looked much shinier http://www.cheesemaking.com/shop/cheese-wrap-brown.html

Any ideas how I can get the paper off the mold?

Offline Al Lewis

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Port Orchard Washington
  • Posts: 3,285
  • Cheeses: 179
    • Lou's Food & Drink
Re: First Brie was going great until cheese paper disaster
« Reply #5 on: January 15, 2015, 07:42:51 PM »
I don't use that paper.  I get this one.  Many people don't eat the outside of the Brie, I'm not one of those, so you may want to just leave it on.
Making the World a Safer Place, One Cheese at a Time! My Food Blog and Videos

Offline OzzieCheese

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Australia
  • Posts: 1,507
  • Cheeses: 171
  • Sun-Grass-Cow-Milk-Cheese-Happiness
Re: First Brie was going great until cheese paper disaster
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2015, 01:02:35 AM »
@ Pam,

Interesting situation.. Brie and Cams are basically the same cheese so the comments here are from the point of view of ripening.

http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,13412.0.html

I move the cams whilst still in the ripening container to the 4 deg C fridge as soon as they are covered in the lightest of coverings.  I rarely wrap my cams unless I'm actually giving them to someone.  The sooner you move the cheese into the cooler fridge the slower the ripening and thinner the outside rind is - making it more enjoyable to eat as well.

Hope that helps.

-- Mal 


 


Usually if one person asks a question then 10 are waiting for the answer - Please ask !

SOSEATTLE

  • Guest
Re: First Brie was going great until cheese paper disaster
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2015, 02:22:36 AM »
I make a lot of bloomy rind cheeses and have not found it necessary to wrap with cheese paper at all. I do flip and pat down the mold daily until desired ripeness.


Susan

Offline pastpawn

  • Mature Cheese
  • ****
  • Location: Clearwater, FL
  • Posts: 251
  • Cheeses: 45
  • It aint easy being cheesy
Re: First Brie was going great until cheese paper disaster
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2015, 03:43:13 AM »
I move the cams whilst still in the ripening container to the 4 deg C fridge as soon as they are covered in the lightest of coverings.

This is the advice I should have followed.  I read your advice previously, but I had to fail myself to "get it". 
- Andrew

pamelam07

  • Guest
Re: First Brie was going great until cheese paper disaster
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2015, 02:31:40 PM »
Thanks for the advice, I wish now I had tested and only wrapped two and then at least I'd have saved some. I'm gonna let them continue to ripen so at least I can see how my recipe worked