Author Topic: Coagulation trouble with Rennet Curd Bloomy Rind Cheese recipe from Caldwells book  (Read 2163 times)

Offline Danbo

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I'm having some troubles with this recipe on page 188 in Caldwells book. It says 1,8 ml single rennet for 12 litres of milk. That sounds like very little and my flocculation took 27,5 min.

The recipe says that goal time for cutting is 30-35 mins. If using flocculation the floc. factor is 6...... In other words my flocculation should have happened after 5 minutes!?!?!?!?

What to do? In my case according to flocculation I have to wait 2 hours and 40 minutes....

Am I doing it all wrong? Should I just wait for a reasonable clean cut regardless of flocculation?

I have tried this a number of times with the recipes from Caldwells book. I'm using new fresh rennet paste and fresh culture...

:-) Danbo

Sailor Con Queso

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Rennets vary considerably and recipes are a basic guideline at best. You should follow recommendations from the manufacturer, not the recipe. The fact that you are using rennet "paste" changes everything. There is no direct correlation between liquid rennet and the paste. I would adjust your rennet until you get a floc of 12-15 minutes. So next time I would double your rennet paste.

The coagulation time in the recipe is also just a guideline. You can either work with time based recipes or just use the flocculation method and ignore everything else. You will get much more consistent results with flocculation. Floc factor is not an absolute either and the multiplier is up to you. Longer coagulation = more moisture in the finished cheese.

Offline Danbo

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Hi Sailor,

Thanks for the advice. :-)

The rennet paste that I'm using is stadardized to a strength of 1:15,000 Soxhlet and a chymosin content of around 80% just as my normal rennet (http://www.hundsbichler.com/paste).

I normally strive towards a flocculation between 10-15 minutes and I usually use more rennet than the recipes in Caldwells book suggest. I think that you are right - I need more rennet...

I still find it strange that. the recipe says that the goal time to cut the curd is 30-35 minutes and the flocculation factor is 6... This would denmand that my flocculation occurs aften just 5 minutes - that can't be correct...

I will follow your advice and solely use flocculation and not time.

:-) Danbo

lazyeiger

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The recipe says that goal time for cutting is 30-35 mins. If using flocculation the floc. factor is 6...... In other words my flocculation should have happened after 5 minutes!?!?!?!?

Danbo,

I think that the 30 - 35 mins is a typo in that recipe, taking into account a flocculation factor of 6 for this type of cheese, I believe it should read 1 hour 30 mins to 1 hour 35 mins. I don't have my notes with me, however I do seem to remember that the last time I made that recipe my floc time with single strength calf rennet was 15.5 mins and I cut at 1 hour 33 mins.

Jon




Offline Danbo

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Hi Jon,

That makes sense.

Next time I make the recipe I will increase the amount of rennet and rely on flocculation and the factor of 6.

Thanks for input - both from Sailor and you.

:-) Danbo

Offline OzzieCheese

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This is why I love cheese making - so many variables that keep you on your toes and there is no better teacher than getting your hands dirty (or clean in our case) and doing it. Sailors advise is sound -he should know - he's been doing it for a while.  The gelation period and multiplication factor are really up to you and what the desired outcome is for your cheese.

For example the label on my rennet says 1 ml for 10 litres but know too well that this is insufficient. That 3.5 mls of my 200 IMCU rennet will Floc 8-10 litres at 8min 30 secs - or theres about.

-- Mal

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

Savu

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If you look at the beginning of the chapter on bloomy rinds she states the curd set time is 1-3 hour so that puts paid to the 35 mins!

Offline Danbo

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Thanks Savu,


That solved the mystery...


I guess that it's just a simple typo and it should have said 1 hour and 35 minutes or something like that. When I previously have made Bries I have used a floc. factor around 6 which results in a curd set time around 1,5 hrs.


I will make a new batch soon, so I appreciate your feedback very much.


:-) Danbo