Camembert rinds too thick and papery

[Seattle Slim]

I have been making Camemberts pretty successfully with a rennet curd using c. 1/24 t. PC (Neige) and 1/4 of that amount of Geo per 2 gallons of milk. The taste of the cheeses is very good and they are ripening very nicely about 21 days after I put them in the refrigerator. But the rinds are thicker than commercial Camemberts and a little papery. Any ideas as to the cause of this problem (if it is a problem) and what might be done about it?

[SOSEATTLE]

Do you pat the mold down and flip as the cheeses are ripening? I pat down and flip mine daily. This keeps the rind a little thinner. Do you have any photos?



Susan

[Gürkan Yeniçeri]

Would it be a low humidity problem? I keep mine in the plastic boxes till we consume it and I don't wrap or pat down the mold.

Check my pictures here

[shaneb]

Gürkan - I'm interested in the ripening boxes. Do you keep them totally sealed up or do you leave them partially open for ventilation. My last one gave off a lot of ammonia. I'm trying to avoid that again.

Thanks

Shane

[OzzieCheese]

Hi Shane,

For the ripening containers I use these... Though I don't buy them from here - Woolies and Coles carry these.

http://www.greenlivingaustralia.com.au/cheese_hardware_ripening-box.html#ripening_box

I find that two cams work perfectly... Three is possible but it get a bit crowded and they ripen too slowly..

Hope that helps..

-- Mal

[shaneb]

Thanks Mal. Do you leave the vent open or closed? I use the systema boxes with a fresh bamboo mat for each batch. I have the lid not fully on a large bamboozle that I started early last week. It has a nice coating of white fluff all over, but am unsure whether to keep well ventilated other than when I do my flips morning and night. I haven't seen anyone mention what ventilation is required for cam/brie during maturation.

Thanks.

Shane

[SOSEATTLE]

I open my ripening box daily and let the cheeses have a chance to get fresh air. Also, I keep the ripening box closed but not tight so that there is some ventilation.



Susan

[Gürkan Yeniçeri]

Slim,

My boxes are these




As you see the shelf in there is sitting at halfway. The other box Mal linked has a steamer mash which is very close to the bottom. I bought the boxes from Target as muffin carrier boxes.

I keep them all sealed but turn the cheeses every day, so the air in there refreshed. The fridge is about 10-11 degrees celcius. Mold appears on the cheese on the second week. And once it covers the cheese, I take the temperature to 4 degrees celcius.

[shaneb]

Thanks Susan. The box I have is not quite square. I have the lid rotated by 90° so that there is a slight air gap at either end. There still seems to be humidity in there. Is that okay?

Gürkan - Do you continue turning twice daily in the fridge?

Thanks.

Shane

[Gürkan Yeniçeri]

Shane, yes, till the PC covers the camembert. After that I just leave them in the fridge, in their boxes.

[OzzieCheese]

I keep mine closed and wipe out every day when in the warmer 10-12 Degree C phase and after I move them to the 4 Deg C Fridge - every other day. I dont bother wrapping either - but I think I've said that but, just in case . I also use the ones like the white ones for my Fetta-ish cheeses. I turn the platform upside down so it keeps the cheese under the brine.  Lotsa variation on that theme ...

-- Mal

[shaneb]

Thanks guys. That is very helpful.

Shane