Oh the Glory that is White Bloomy Gooeines

[OzzieCheese]

As you might have guessed by now... it is 'Malembert' Day today.  It is a beautiful June morning that started at 7 DegC but with the sun out and everything alright it is a wonderful time to create.
Attached is the control sheet but I have changed a couple of the ingredients - mainly the amount of cream.  A wonderful thing happened and for no extra cost - but the Maleny Milk I normally use with 3.9 % fat is now 4.4% -WooHoo  .  And another is that where I buy the milk is now stocking the pure cream fro the same breed. and it is topping the charts at 45% fat.  YaHoo.  So only going to add 300mls to the new 4.4 Milk and this is going to be an amazing cheese I feel.
The Milk is on and the beeper is about to go off.

I'll add Images and other ramblings as the day goes on...

-- Mal

[OzzieCheese]

Just noticed an error in the control sheet - I'll fix and re-post - I omitted the step adding the cultures and also I have changed the sequence of when to add the Calcium Chloride.  I'm adding this after I've heated the milk and just before adding the cultures.  I find the curd is better if there time between adding the Calcium Chloride and the rennet.

Back Soon..

-- Mal

[OzzieCheese]

Corrected Control Sheet - don't use the one in the first post.  I've removed it so please use this one

-- Mal

[Boofer]

Corrected Control Sheet - don't use the one in the first post.  I've removed it so please use this one

-- Mal

Oh Mal, you're just trying to confuse me. 

-Boofer-

[jmason]

xkxkxkxkxkxkxkkxkxkxkxk, ah roger control xkxkxkxkkkxkxkxk
kkkxkkxkxkkkxkc    ah control, we definately have a cheese kkkxkkkxkkkxkxkkxk

what with all the control, free the cheese, their being oppressed, it's a classic example of the violence inherit in the system.

Good to see you at it again, and congrats on the seasonal milk score.

John

[OzzieCheese]

Absolutely-- and I think it goes to show that they don't standardise the milk.  In other words spin off the cream and add it back to get the 'corrected' fat content.  This further endears me to their product.  I'm currently at the flipping stage and they are looks great.
One this is definite though, and that is the pH marker of 6.4 -6.45 results in a drier curd.  They settled a lot faster than the last time.
Being now the start of the cooler part of the year, the overnight drain to pH 4.7-4.8 is more important and to measure in the morning as well.  The pH of 4.7 at salting is very important as this sets up the cheese for the ripening process.  It keeps the other bugs at bay while the P.C and G.C get their thing on!.

I'll post image later..

-- Mal

[jmason]

You know Mal I am afraid to complicate my process with timing things based on pH at this point.  I do some checks here and there but it is really just me trying to get used to pH as a part of the cheese making process, I don't change my cycle based on what the pH is doing, at least not yet.  My cam makes are going so well and giving me such lovely cheeses that I don't want to risk messing it up with tweaking, at least for now.  I love these little cheeses and have a ball making them, and so far (knock on wood) they haven't given me any grief.  And I have messed up here and there.  Last time I was just starting to use the floc/multiplier factor (which I love btw) and used too low a multiplier, but things still seem to be working out, albeit I may end up with a drier cam that what I really want, we'll see.  Anyway having a ball with these and with cheese making in general.  Thanks for all your posts on them that have taught me a great deal.

John

[OzzieCheese]

I too think that over complicating takes away from the joy of just doing.  This make was just based on time and Temperature only.  I took the pH readings just for reference and just because I'm a details kind of guy.  There are somethings that I just need to make sure of.  For example - the end pH does need to be low to protect the cheese during the first stage of ripening. Which means really - a long drain over night before salting in the morning.  I measure it for reference only. I too love making these as it is an ongoing process and you have to be involved all the way - not like a cheddar that just sits there but hands one from first pour to last bite.

Sorry been slack with the photos - I will post them today.
 
-- Mal 

[OzzieCheese]

Here are the required photos..

1.   You've all seen my pictures of my kitchen..
2-3  The milk and cream specs
4. The cream really is that thick - it is wonderful.
5. Just cut curd

 

[OzzieCheese]

I thought I'd stop here and talk about the curds at this stage.   I know there are yootoob videos out there on how to make this style of cheese and to be quite frank they ruin the cheese at this stage.  Some of them stir so much that the curds are described as 'Cottage Cheese' and look like milk soup !!  If you are cutting and stirring to that method them I would probably say that you will end up with a cheese that is a bit tasteless.  There will be no fat left to speak of, well at least not as much as too leave a wonderful mouth feel at the end.  I also think that because there is much more lactose lost during this rough handling that the cheese won't reach that nice pH that sets the cheeses up for a proper ripening.  Too much calcium phosphate will be lost to the whey and will loose the buffering capability that helps prevent 'Skin Slip'.

Treat these curds like fragile little glass bubbles because, in my opinion anyway, this is where a great Camembert style of cheese is made.  The next image is the curds at 15 minutes of really gentle stirring, just enough to tease out the whey.

1. Just Cut.
2. Just lifted from the bottom to the top - left five minutes.
3. After 15 minutes at 32 DegC.

[OzzieCheese]

There is not much to see at this stage other than a few shots of the rig I use to flip 6 at once.

1.  There is sufficient room in 6 Cam Molds to take the entire curds from 8 litres (with added cream).  They will fill all the way to the top but just let them settle under their own weight - don't press down otherwise the curds squeeze out the drain holes and you can't drain effectively and you will have issues actually flipping. They will stick to the side and wont drop when turned.
2. So even after 10 minutes there is considerable settling.
3. After 4 hours and 4 flips they are almost at their final height.
4. The morning after.  The temperature dropped to 14 degrees in the house overnight and this effected the final pH a little, but I'm not overly worried.

[OzzieCheese]

The last few are of the salting

1. 2 tabs of salt for all 6
2. equally measured out
3. Evenly rubbed all over.
4. My control sheet reading and notes.
5. final cave shot with them safely stored 2 to a container

[OudeKaas]

These look great so far, OC - thanks for sharing and with such nice pics! One question - can you describe in more detail how your 'rig' to flip six molds works? I see the frame and the bamboo mats, and that you are using cheese molds with a perforated bottom on one side - how does the flipping process actually work?

EDIT: Whoops, OK - so I looked back and read your previous thread (also with great pics) and I think I get it. You put a board above and below the bamboo mats on each side, and the 'rig' lattice just serves to help stabilize so there is less risk of a mold slipping out laterally. Cool system.

[OzzieCheese]

You got it.. I'm on the lookout for a used commercial one where the molds sit in little collars - food grade PVC or something similar though for the time being this works well enough. nothing worse than one slipping out sideways 

-- Mal

[OudeKaas]

Wow, I looked up your "Cave Cube" too - that's fantastic! Much better than just laying out pans of water in the cheese fridge. Gonna have to get one of those!