Trying New Mold Size For My Stiltons

[Duntov]

I love Stilton Bleu and will keep trying to make it until I get it exactly right.  I started by following the instructions and recipes found on popular YouTube videos.  However the end results didn't have a great texture I suppose to the overnight light pressing prescribed in the videos.  I now have watched the 'How It's Made" video of an actual Stilton facility at least two dozen times.  Obviously they don't press it and I suspect the pressing being done at home is due to the smaller batch weights and available mold sizes. 

I don't want to press so a proper mold is needed so the aspect ratio and pressure per square inch is comparable to that of the real Stilton producers.  After some rough calculations and looking at available mold sizes, I think now I may be on the right tract.  I found a mold that is 5-1/8" inside diameter by 11-3/4" inches tall, open top and bottom and it is perfect for a 4 gallon + cream batch.

I am using a modified version of Al Lewis' basic bleu recipe with a pinch of Aroma B added and 3 pints of cream to 4 gallons milk.  The curds initially filled the mold to about one inch from the top. I flipped the mold every hour for the first four hours and then let it sit overnight.  I am now flipping once per day and hope to go a total of five days like they do for the real Stilton.  I am on day two and the whey is still weeping from the holes so I don't think it is drying out too fast.  Here are some pictures so far. 

[Kern]

And where did you procure the treasure mold?

[Duntov]

Here ya go Kern:

http://www.cheesemaking.com/fourme-d-ambert-cheese-mold.html

[Duntov]

I forgot to weigh the curd mass when I first filled it.  But at day two of draining, the mass weighs 5.375 pounds not including the mold weight of 12 ounces.  Given that a 5.125 diameter has 20.64 square inches, the current pressure at the base is .26 pounds per square inch.  Keep in mind that in school I majored in girl chasing not math, so the scientific cheese heads are free to double check my figures. 

[Duntov]

Day 3 afternoon update.  The curd has pretty much stopped weeping.  I slid the curd mass from the mold and it now weighs 5.125 lbs. and measures 5.125" dia. x 7.125" tall.  The outside is still very wet and creamy and I could easily (too easy) rub it and fill the pores.  When sliding the mold back on I had to lay it on the side because it wanted to elephant foot a bit in the vertical position.  It definitely needs to go another day minimum and I am still hoping for a total of fives days total. 

The blue tint you see is not the cheese but rather light passing through a blue glass jar on my window ledge.

[Kern]

I forgot to weigh the curd mass when I first filled it.  But at day two of draining, the mass weighs 5.375 pounds not including the mold weight of 12 ounces.  Given that a 5.125 diameter has 20.64 square inches, the current pressure at the base is .26 pounds per square inch.  Keep in mind that in  school I majored in girl chasing not math, so the scientific cheese heads are free to double check my figures.

You got the math right.  Did you get the girl?  Thanks for the lead on the mold.  I'll order one.  Your cheese is very nice looking (so far) and I look forward to seeing it after you smooth it.  Anticipating that it will look good I'll give you a cheese now.     It is always nice when you publish a recipe especially since your comments seem to indicate that you kind-of developed your own.  Maybe when you stated that this was a modified Al Lewis Large Easy Blue you meant that you used Al's recipe but tossed in some Aroma B and this was the modification.  Even with change only there was another:  The milk Al used was a P&H brand specific to Albertson's and Safeway and you may have used something different since you are in Florida.  I don't know if you have either of these chains around you and even it you did and they sold the Pantry Essentials P&H milk that Al used it might not be the same as milk is usually not shipped far. 

[Duntov]

You got the math right.  Did you get the girl?

Ha! I chased many until I found the right one!

It is always nice when you publish a recipe especially since your comments seem to indicate that you kind-of developed your own.  Maybe when you stated that this was a modified Al Lewis Large Easy Blue you meant that you used Al's recipe but tossed in some Aroma B and this was the modification

Ingredients:

•   4 U.S. Gallons whole milk, HTST pasteurized, homogenized, hormone free (Publix brand)
•   1 Pint light cream, UHT pasteurized, hormone free (Publix brand)
•   2 Pints heavy cream, UHT pasteurized, hormone free (Publix brand)
•   1 Tablespoon 33% Calcium Chloride solution in 1/2 cup purified water
•   1/8 Teaspoon MM100 Mesophilic starter culture (Danisco LYO 50 DCU)
•   1/8 Teaspoon powdered Penicillium Roqueforti PV (Danisco LYO 10 D)
•   1 Smidgen Mesophile Aroma Type B (Biena C64)
•   ½ Teaspoon liquid animal rennet in 1/2 cup purified water
•   2 Tablespoons cheese salt

Completed steps:

  1.   Put Penicillium Roqueforti culture along with ¼ cup of the milk at room temperature in a small bowl well ahead of time to start rehydration, stirring occasionally.
  2.   Add milk, cream & Calcium Chloride solution to pot and stir well.
  3.   Slowly bring up temperature to 86° F (30° C).
  4.   Add Penicillium Roqueforti/milk solution & stir well.
  5.   Sprinkle in MM100 starter & Aroma Type B cultures, cover with lid and wait ten minutes.
  6.   Stir all well, cover with lid and let mature for two hours holding at 86°, stirring occasionally.
  7.   Add animal rennet, stir well, cover with lid and wait one hour undisturbed.
  8.   Cut curds into one-inch size then slowly stir for two minutes.
  9.   Ladle curds into cheese cloth and hang for four hours, twisting occasionally to apply very light pressure to help the expulsion of whey.
10.   Break up curd mass into thumb size pieces.
11.   Add 1 tablespoon cheese salt, mix and wait 15 minutes.  Add final 1 tablespoon salt, mix well and let sit for another 15 minutes.
12.   Ladle curds into a 5-1/8” diameter x 11-3/4” open top and bottom mold.
13.   Flip mold once every hour for four hours, then once every 24 hours for five days. (SEE REPLY #12 BELOW)

Planned final steps (subject to change):

14.   Rub up curd mass on day five.
15.   Place in cheese cave set at 85% humidity and 50-55° F (10-13° C).
16.   Flip cheese once per day for four weeks.
17.   After four weeks in cave, pierce holes with about ¾” spacing.
18.   After one more week in the cave, pierce again.
19.   Age an additional two weeks or until the blue veining runs all the way through using a cheese tier.

Because the bleu cultures aggressiveness seems to vary wildly, I will probably invest in a PH meter in the future.

[Duntov]

The milk Al used was a P&H brand specific to Albertson's and Safeway and you may have used something different since you are in Florida.  I don't know if you have either of these chains around you and even it you did and they sold the Pantry Essentials P&H milk that Al used it might not be the same as milk is usually not shipped far.

I like the Publix brand milk because the cow herds, milking, processing and bottling is all owned and done by Publix at one location here in Florida.  Therefore, the milk is fairly consistent.  I have actually spoken with Publix Corp. offices about their milk and they were very informative.  I found out that all their milk is HTST EXCEPT their organic Greenwise brand that is UHT in quart size only!  So it pays to research the source of your milk. 

I question the milk provided by many of the larger companies such as Safeway.  I believe their milk is purchased from Co-ops so the source of the milk may vary greatly from batch to batch.  They have eight milk plants in different regions which would introduce variables.  Also, the Pantry Essentials is a name trademarked by Safeway as is Lucerne.  I wouldn't be surprised that both labels/milk come from the same plant.  Check the plant number marked on the cartons and see if both brands match.  It is not uncommon for larger companies to use two different labels on the same product for marketing purposes to capture both the quality minded and budget minded consumers. Seriously.

[Fritz]

Thanks for sharing your research and process, Duntov. Looks great so far! You've inspired me to get that mold and try something similar as my wife and I love our blues.
Good luck and please keep us up to date on your results...pics !

[Al Lewis]

Just ordered one of the molds.  Looks like it should give a good height to diameter ratio.   They sure beat you up on the shipping.

[Duntov]

Thanks for sharing your research and process, Duntov. Looks great so far! You've inspired me to get that mold and try something similar as my wife and I love our blues.  Good luck and please keep us up to date on your results...pics !

Thank you.

Just ordered one of the molds.  Looks like it should give a good height to diameter ratio.   They sure beat you up on the shipping.

 
Not cheap but it will last forever.  Your thread mentioning larger batches are more productive made a lot of sense to me.  However, I don't want to get into 8 gallon batches as that would be unwieldy for me.  I think 4 gallon batches are in my future.  Something I learned in my many years of both fresh and saltwater fish aquariums, is that the larger the tank, the more stable the chemistry and less likelihood of quick ph changes.  I would think this logic would also apply to cheesemaking. 

As-far-as the aspect ratio, it does seem close.  However this batch looks a little tall.  I think without the three pints of cream that I added, the ratio would even be better.

[Al Lewis]

I think you'll find it will shrink with regards to the height John.

[Duntov]

Day 5 update.  Interesting and a little scary morning.  I removed the mold and noticed an overall hue of tan surface color.  The surface was still quite moist and creamy but I sure didn't like the tan color.  I have been draining at room temperature which here in semi tropic Florida is at about 77-79° F (25-26 ° C) and high humidity.  Any cooler, the wife would put on a jacket.  lol   

As damage control, I wiped the surface with a damp sterilized cheese cloth and all the tan color was easily removed.  All seems well now.  Even with the wipe down, it was still moist and creamy and rubbed up very well.  The cheese now weighs 4 lbs. 15 oz. and measures 6.875 inches tall.

I am not sure how I would do the next batch however.  Do all the draining in a cold refrigerator or move to the fridge on day three or four?  Any suggestions are appreciated as the next one will be pricier using raw milk.

[Al Lewis]

I believe all of mine turned a slight tan during the drying stage.  It's the base for the various molds forming on the rind.

[Duntov]

I believe all of mine turned a slight tan during the drying stage.  It's the base for the various molds forming on the rind.

That's good to hear Al.  However, do we really want that surface coating prior to rubbing up?