Low fat stabilised camembert

[shaneb]

Hi all,

I'm having horrible luck getting this thread started. I seem to keep killing it. One last attempt.

I did end up attempting a low fat stabilised camembert make. Below is a copy of the make sheet and initial photos. I had leftover curds, so I've attempted a Cambozola as well. The PC was not added to the milk, but situated on later. The majority of the make is based on LoftyNotion's Cambozola make (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,14480.0.html), but with Francois' suggestion of making a stabilised cheese.

This afternoon I've seen the first signs of white fuzz.


Thanks all for your advice.

[shaneb]

Camembert early photo.

[shaneb]

Cambozola early photo.

Shane

[shaneb]

And finally the make sheet.

Shane

[Schnecken Slayer]

They look good Shane!
What was Francois stabilisation method that you mention?

[shaneb]

Thanks Bill. Yeah, that kind of got lost in the broken thread. It is half thermo, half meso starter cultures. I'll try and add some more detail to the thread later. Francois was concerned being low fat that they would turn to puddles very quickly if just using meso starters.

Shane

[shaneb]

Here are some updated photos of the camembert and Cambozola. In starting to see some blue on the Cambozola, but not a great deal of white fuzz yet on any of the cheeses. This is my first batch where I've sprayed PC. Do you think it's worth spraying then again? I'm on day 10 now.

Thanks.

Shane

[LoftyNotions]

Shane, I think I remember that you didn't have G. c. to add to the P. c. It could be that your surface pH is still too low for good P. c. growth, since one of the jobs G. c. does is to raise pH. I have mixed emotions about re-spraying. If you have some white surface growth, I think I'd be tempted to leave it alone for now. I only sprayed mine on 2 consecutive days. Is your humidity high enough?

Larry

[shaneb]

Thanks Larry. That is good to know about GC. I'll have to get myself some next time I do an order. The humidity in the ripening box is around 95%.

This morning I'm a bit happier about where things are at, so there is no need for a respray anyway. There is definitely fuzz on the camembert. It is just not as white as what I'm used to at this stage. It has a yellowish tinge, but there are no odours other than a hint of mushroom. I've started patting them down.

The blue is spreading on the Cambozola. The form factor of this cheese is not ideal, but I didn't really know how much in the way of curds I had leftover when choosing a mould to put them in.

Here are some photos from this morning.

Shane

[shaneb]

I'm making some progress now on the camembert. I think another day or two and then off to the cold fridge.

The Cambozola is getting rather blue with small smatterings of PC. It is a little wetter than I'd have hoped though. I have patted it down a couple of times with paper towel.

Below are some more photos.

Shane

[Schnecken Slayer]

Looking good, although  I would have expected some growth on the cams by now... 

[shaneb]

I believe it was my fault by getting them too wet in the spraying process. It's the first time I've sprayed them. I've only ever added PC to the milk.

Shane

[shaneb]

This morning I've moved the camembert to the cold fridge until they are ready to eat. The Cambozola is making progress, but a little slower. I did spray that cheese later than the camembert to give the PR a head start.

Shane

[shaneb]

The camembert are off ripening in the cold fridge still and looking very good. The Cambozola on the other hand is in the cave. I haven't quite got a full covering of PC yet, but I hope I can move it in the next couple of days. There are no ammonia smells so far and it hasn't softened yet. Here are some updated photos of the Cambozola.

Shane

[awakephd]

It's getting there! AC4U for perseverance.