Author Topic: Fontina Cheese Making Recipe  (Read 4077 times)

Annie C.

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Fontina Cheese Making Recipe
« on: April 07, 2009, 05:07:42 AM »
I've been searching for a fontina recipe to no avail.  Can anyone share one with me, or tell me where I might be able to find one?  Thanks.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Fontina Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2009, 12:00:22 AM »
I have a recipe that is not entirely clear as to the starter culture other than home made and made of milk but it may get you started. I have no idea if it's Yogurt or buttermilk but it's one of the two.


Fontina

Milk is heated to no more than 36°C / 97°F. Coagulation is obtained using calf’s rennet  for  45 to 60 minutes

Inoculation is done with a milk based starter culture. Pre packaged enzymes are not allowed.

Stir the soft curd and break it up roughly for the first time. Then let curd stand for a short time then cut again to rice sized graduals.

Then the mass is cooked at 47°C/117°F and left to sit on the bottom of the pot.

Then cheese is then cut into pieces pressed for 12 hours and turned frequently before being transferred to a cool 10°C / 50°F room at 90-95% humidity.

The cheeses are turned daily and salted and washed with brine soaked bushes ever other day until the rind acquires a brown coloring.

Matures in no less than 80 days.


eVenom

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Re: Fontina Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2009, 01:08:25 AM »
how is it going to get brown??

also I think is a thermophilic culture like yogurt because it gets the high temp treatment at 117 deg

good luck!

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Fontina Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2009, 01:29:45 AM »
Good point - sorry I was watching the NCAA BBall final.

eVenom

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Re: Fontina Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #4 on: April 08, 2009, 01:32:48 AM »
who won?

Bella

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Re: Fontina Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #5 on: April 08, 2009, 11:06:45 PM »
Have read up on this cheese since Annie C asked about a recipe - it sure looks an interesting cheese and one I shall attempt to make in the near future. 

Deejay - how long is the cook process from 36 to 47 degrees C? And then how long is the curd left to sit at the bottom of the pot?  Have you made this one? How did it turn out?

Thanks for posting the recipe.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Fontina Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2009, 10:30:40 PM »
Venom -
We won! UConn ladies. it was a blowout. We won every game all season by at least 20 points.


Bella -

This is all the information I have on this cheese. It comes from a handbook of sorts called "293 traditional types Italian Cheese A guide to it's discovery and appreciation"

It's not a recipe book but gives enough information that you can work out the remaing details through experimenting and based on experience with similar cheeses. If I were to try this I would do something like this:


Fontina

1) Place milk in stockpot or double boiler on stove and gently warm to 35°C /96 °F if using cow's milk or 31 C/88 F if using goat's milk.

2) Dissolve the yogurt starter in 1/4 cup of the warmed milk and add.


3)Coagulation is obtained using calf’s rennet  for  45 to 60 minutes


4) Stir the soft curd and break it up roughly for the first time. Then let curd stand for a short time then cut again to rice sized graduals.

5) Then the mass is cooked at 47°C/117°F at a rate of ~1 C/2 F every five minutes. this will take ~25 minutes, stir occasionally & gently with ladle while heating to keep curds from matting. Let the curds sit on the bottom of the pot for about 5 minutes.

6) Then cheese is then cut into pieces pressed for 12 hours and turned frequently before being transferred to a cool 10°C / 50°F room at 90-95% humidity.

7) The cheeses are turned daily and salted and washed with brine soaked bushes ever other day until the rind acquires a brown coloring.

Matures in no less than 80 days.

As I said I have not made this cheese but this would be how I would try it and make adjustments as needed. I'd also start with one gallon of milk to see what happens.

Anyone else got any ideas???



Bella

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Re: Fontina Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2009, 11:32:33 AM »
Thanks Deejay
I'll give this a go in the near future and report back.
B

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Fontina Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2009, 04:21:41 PM »
Good luck hon! I've never had it. There are so many cheeses I've never had and they all look so tastey!