chaource......or something

[tashad]

I started out on Sunday morning, making a half batch of chaource as per 200 Easy Cheese Recipes.  Using Meso Aroma B, geo 15, and PC-ABL.  Everything went according to plan until time to gently scoop the curd into the crottin molds.  I had purchased 4 crottin molds specifically to make this half recipe of chaource, but there were several different molds all called 'crottin', and I know now that I picked the wrong ones.  The recipe said that it would take a while, but that all the curds would fit.  NOT A CHANCE!  I switched to camembert molds, and even that took quite a while to get all the curd in there, since the recipe doesn't involve any cutting/stirring/cooking of the curds.  So, they're much bigger than they should be.  The pic is of them just before salting.

From here on out, it seems like the treatment for chaource is pretty much the same as for camembert, so I'll carry on and see what I end up with.  I assume that because they're so much larger than they're intended to be, they will not be ready to eat as quickly.  Does that sound right?  The recipe says that they won't soften like cams would.  Anyone know why that would be?  At first I thought that it was because of the acidity, being a lactic cheese, but it seems to me that cams sit and drain for quite a long time too and they would become fairly acidic in that time, no? 

[Vnature]

I found 2 different recipes of chaource and I tried them both. The draining of chaource takes a long time. Day or two. It becomes only 1/3 of the original height.  I used the camembert mold without any doubt. Otherwise I would be sitting with the skimmer in my hand till the next morning waiting for the available place in the mold. 

The first cheese was covered with Geo in 2.5 weeks. I opened it when it was 1 month old and it was ripe enough. It was about 4 cm high. The texture was firmer than camembert has.

The second batch is now sitting at the ripening chamber. One week has passed and there is no even a sign of growing Geo.

[tashad]

That's exactly what I was thinking, that if I stuck with those molds I'd be at it all night, at least. 

That's a nice looking cheese, Alexander.  I've never tasted (or even seen) chaource before.  Do you have a suggestion as to how I should determine when it's ready?  I am fairly sure that the different size means that it won't be ready in 2 weeks like the recipe said.

[Vnature]

That's a nice looking cheese, Alexander.

Thanks. 

Do you have a suggestion as to how I should determine when it's ready? 

I believe it will be ok in a week after being covered with PC. But I've been waiting for these yellow brain-looking curved lines to appear. I've read this is the sign of a "mature" chaource. And I wasn't dissapointed.