Author Topic: Another attempt at cheese after 2 years. Camembert.  (Read 12654 times)

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: Another attempt at cheese after 2 years. Camembert.
« Reply #45 on: August 13, 2015, 11:44:16 PM »
You can wrap them now - I don't tend to, but that is personal choice only.

A Cheese for you wonderful looking cheeses.

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Shalloy

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Re: Another attempt at cheese after 2 years. Camembert.
« Reply #46 on: August 14, 2015, 01:03:55 AM »
Ok what do you mean you dont tend to? What do you do with yours then? 
I thought they had to be wrapped or they would dry out. I have the cheese foil so was going to wrap them and put in my household fridge to make way for more cheese in the cave. Is that okay to do?

Offline awakephd

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Re: Another attempt at cheese after 2 years. Camembert.
« Reply #47 on: August 14, 2015, 02:36:36 PM »
Shalloy, there are two options:

1) Wrap in cheese-ripening paper (special paper that lets the cheese breathe -- make sure you get the right side against the cheese).

2) Continue to ripen in a ripening container; wipe the moisture out every day or two. Takes up more room in the fridge, but saves on buying the special paper.

Regardless of which method, they need to be in the cool fridge now!
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Shalloy

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Re: Another attempt at cheese after 2 years. Camembert.
« Reply #48 on: August 17, 2015, 10:30:00 AM »
I have them in my house fridge now still in the container.. (Had to make room in the cheese fridge for 2 lots of blues I've done)

I have paper backed foil that has small holes in it. Is this for cams or for blues?

If I keep them in the container do I still have to sit them on the mesh so they get air around them?  Or can I just sit them in the bottom of a normal plastic container?  I'm still getting condensation on the lid but just a fine mist, nothing dripping or anything like that? 

My ageing container takes a lot of room up in the fridge so if I can sit them in normal Tupperware containers I could at least reclaim some fridge space.

Offline awakephd

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Re: Another attempt at cheese after 2 years. Camembert.
« Reply #49 on: August 17, 2015, 01:32:16 PM »
Shalloy, I don't know the answer on the foil, as I have not used that product. Here is what I am using: http://artisangeek.com/microcrystaline-cheese-wrapping-and-ripening-paper/ -- it does have micro-perforations in the outer plastic layer, but there are also other layers to it ... at least that is what I understand from the description on the web site. In any case, it has worked very well for me.

For the containers in the fridge -- when I have ripened this way, I have used mesh to keep the cheese up off the bottom and allow air. Actually, I went a step further. I got an "egg crate light diffuser ceiling panel" (like this: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Plaskolite-4-ft-x-2-ft-Suspended-Light-Ceiling-Panel-1199233A/202025149?MERCH=REC-_-NavPLPHorizontal1_rr-_-NA-_-202025149-_-N) and cut it to fit the small plastic containers that I used in the fridge. Then I cut a piece of mesh to go on top of that, then the cheese. (Obviously, everything gets sterilized by a run through the dishwasher before use!)

This may be overkill ... but it certainly worked for me. My main reason for changing to the paper has been the ability to save space in the fridge -- the plastic containers were too tall to stack and still fit on the lower shelves of the fridge, so they took up a lot of room.

"A fine mist" sounds just right. Ripen until the cheese gets a bit squishy all the way to the center, then cut and enjoy!
-- Andy

Shalloy

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Re: Another attempt at cheese after 2 years. Camembert.
« Reply #50 on: August 18, 2015, 12:06:08 AM »
Thanks heaps for that info. I will try and source the wrapping paper here locally otherwise will use a smaller container.  They are slightly softer on the edges but still firm in the middle. But theyve only been at 4C for a week now.

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: Another attempt at cheese after 2 years. Camembert.
« Reply #51 on: August 18, 2015, 08:34:28 PM »
@Shalloy

I use the cheese wrap from here and each sheet is large enough for 4 Cams (Std 100mm Dia).  They work well and although their postage is a bit steep, I find the range offered quite good - though I'm lucky as they are just down the road from me..
http://greenlivingaustralia.com.au/cheese-wrap-white-pack-of-10

Here is a quick photo sequence of how I wrap mine.
http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,13720.0.html

As far as ripening containers I use the Decor range and get two per container - see the top of the first picture.

-- Mal
 
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Shalloy

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Re: Another attempt at cheese after 2 years. Camembert.
« Reply #52 on: August 19, 2015, 11:14:40 PM »
Thanks for that Mal. I will order some of that paper.
 Ive seen the containers you use and brought one from Woolies the other day which I have 3 of my blues ageing in at the moment. I need to buy some more though.

Shalloy

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Re: Another attempt at cheese after 2 years. Camembert.
« Reply #53 on: September 03, 2015, 10:32:55 AM »
Well they are just over 1 month old now and looking great.  A full covering of white mould but they don't have any smell like ammonia or a mushroomy smell. Shouldn't they have this sort of smell by now?

I've kept them in their container in the fridge at 4C even though I now have the paper to wrap them in as I didn't need the space in the fridge just yet.

They are fairly soft n the sides and edges but still quite firm in the middle.

And I've noticed that the lid has less moisture on it now after two days where as before the entire lid was covered in a mist of condensation now it's only like a quarter of the lid so I suppose this means they are starting to dry out more.

How many more weeks can I expect them to ripen for?


Offline awakephd

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Re: Another attempt at cheese after 2 years. Camembert.
« Reply #54 on: September 03, 2015, 02:15:31 PM »
Shalloy, remind us of the recipe you followed -- especially in terms of how much fat (whole milk? whole milk + cream?) and what sort of culture you used. If this is a high-fat make (the kind that Mal makes, and that I have copied, with delicious results!), then it generally takes 6 weeks or so to ripen. A lower-fat make will ripen more quickly.

But of course, the ultimate guide is your preferences and how the cheese feels -- I generally wait until the cheese is *starting* to get squishy in the middle -- I like them with just a bit in the center that is not yet fully converted to goo. If you like them gooey all the way through, wait a bit longer.

Note that the form factor also plays a role here -- a somewhat thinner cheese will ripen to the middle faster and more evenly than a somewhat thicker one. (Obviously, one can get too thin -- not looking for a pancake here!)
-- Andy

Kern

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Re: Another attempt at cheese after 2 years. Camembert.
« Reply #55 on: September 04, 2015, 12:38:54 AM »
I second Dr. Awake's comments.  In addition, have a well-earned Cheese on me. 

After wrapping I keep my Cams in the 4C fridge where they will age the slowest.  At this time they are "on their own" and not part of the original batch.  I take one out about a week before I want to eat it and put it in my 12C cheese cave for about 4-5 days and then take it out and let it finish ripening at room temperature for a day or two.  I've found that the rind feels squishy long before the center is ripe so I now error on the side of "over ripening".  This is something you'll have to decide for yourself.  The cheese will still be good even if you eat it before fully ripe.   ;)

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: Another attempt at cheese after 2 years. Camembert.
« Reply #56 on: September 04, 2015, 05:39:45 AM »
@Shalloy
Well don't they look the goods - well done.  Now here comes a bit of a contentious comment and some here might disagree but I don't think there is a right or wrong smell maybe just a 'white' or 'strong' smell - bad joke.  for example. the last batch I made (was lower in fat and cream) had a very strong smell about them - my wife is my pungency indicator, and ripened in about 6 weeks.  I liked them and a friend who just came from France said it was the best he'd tasted.. go figure, he has to come 1/2 way around the globe to get a good Cam.. :) but also, the previous, previous batch which was a very full fat milk and lots of cream took 8-9 weeks to ripen and had hardly any odour about them (mushroomy aside). You might have to sacrifice one to the scientific study of 'Cheesiness'.  They really do look good !!  A cheese for your perseverance.

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Shalloy

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Re: Another attempt at cheese after 2 years. Camembert.
« Reply #57 on: September 05, 2015, 03:12:56 AM »
The recipe I followed was just 7.5 litres of milk. I used unhomogenised milk from Woolies and had to shake the XXXX out of it to get the cream to dissolve in of which some of it didn't and was lost to the whey.

I used mm100 culture and made a starter 24 hours prior and I also added PC culture to the milk. 

There is still a good amount of condensation on the sides of the mine cheese cave so I guess they are still doing there thing.

Wow I now have seven cheeses.  Thanks gents.