John's Cheese #015 - Cream Cheese #2

[Cheese Head]

I have three hard cheeses aging, and no cheese to eat! I need to make a quick cheese before withdrawal symptoms set it. So today I start my second ever Cream Cheese making using the recipe here. Last time I made Cream Cheese using a book recipe, it didn't set as per recipe and I had to add rennet and had significant concerns of cheese catching airborne infection as at room temperature for extra extended duration while, luckily didn't.

JUN 20, 2008

• 2:00PM Poured 1/2 US gallon/1.9 liter of Homogenized Ultra Pasteurized Half & Half Cow's Milk from cardboard container box into large saucepan, added homemade mesophilic starter culture ice cubes, covered and let warm to room temperature of in my case 77 F/25 C.
• 3:00PM Diluted rennet in 1/3 cup water and stirred in thoroughly with whisk for 3 minutes. Covered, set aside and let ripen overnight.

JUN 21, 2008

• 6:30AM Found that did not have a firm curd as per recipe, possibly not enough rennet, think more because Half & Half is Ultra-Pasteurized and thus almost dead as discussed below. Poured into cheesecloth bag lined colander, had to spatula out bottom which had semi-set. Hung bag from hook above pot to allow to whey to gravity drain.
• 9:00AM Placed bag back into colander and spatula'd thicker Cream Cheese off of cloth to enable moister material access to cloth to faster drain whey.
• 11:30AM Placed bag back into colander and spatula'd thicker Cream Cheese off of cloth to enable moister material access to cloth to faster drain whey.
• 1:30PM Placed cream cheese in mixing bowl, made 27 ounces/0.75 kg, added dried parsley, minced garlic, fresh coarsely ground black pepper, and small amount of cayenne pepper to make Boursin brand like flavoured cream cheese. Tasted, great (may have overdone it on black pepper).
• 2:00PM Placed Boursin cream cheese in covered food grade plastic container and then into fridge to allow flavours to blend.

NOTES

• Second time making Cream Cheese with Ultra-Pasteurized Half & Half cream, second time did not get a good curd, even with rennet. But did get nice cream cheese in end.
• Next time use fine pre-ground black pepper as cracked pieces from course ground are too big.

[DaggerDoggie]

Sounds excellent.  Are you adding any herbs to the mix?

I have trouble finding any type of cream or half & half that is not ultra-pasteurized.  Were you able to find some?

[Cheese Head]

Yep, will add herbs as don't want boring Cream Cheese!

Good point, didn't even look, just dug the container out of the garbage and took snap for you. You're correct, it is Ultra-Pasterurized. Just looked it up on Washington DC USA based International Dairy Food Association's website. See bottom of 1st table which says UP is 2.0 seconds at 138 C/280 F which is the hottest and basically longest on the list.

I assume they do this to the Half & Half to give it a very long shelf life as most people use it up slowly in their coffee. The consequence of UP is "almost dead milk" as I reserve "dead milk" for it's sister Ultra Heat Treated which requires no refrigeration and has a very long shelf life.

I used the same product when I made my first batch of Cream Cheese without rennet and maybe this is the reason I never got a curd set! Until in emergency mode I added rennet.

[DaggerDoggie]

I hope it works for you, but I have had no luck with ultra-pasteurized milk.  Funny, all the goat milk and organic milk I see in the stores is ultra-pasteurized.  I wonder if all those people paying that high a price for milk know what they are buying. 

[Cheese Head]

I have seen organic cow's milk in stores but normally just over twice the price so we give it a skip. Never noticed that it is also UP, you are right, may be less chemicals but also as UP it has way less good bacteria, I agee, I don't think buyers realize what they are buying. FYI when I was in Europe my uncle said that most organic food there now came from Balkan countries as cheaper, but, there is also less control there. So while labelled organic it may also be worse, more chemicals than regular!

[DaggerDoggie]

I think most people see "Ultra" and that has to be good!  I really never paid much attention until making cheese, but now I am very particular. I always wondered why cream had such a long expiration date, I always thought it was due to the fat content, which is part of it, but now I know why.  Ok, I'm off topic.

[Cheese Head]

Just went to store for more milk to make a faux Gruyere and checked the Half & Half again, while th 2 US quart cardboard container that I bought said Ultra-Pastereurized, the 1 US quart plastic bottles, same brand, just said Pastereurized . . . next time I'll try that and see if makes any difference.

[DaggerDoggie]

It looks like you made it work.  You said you added rennet and still did not get good curd.  What did you do to salvage it because it looks great.

[Cheese Head]

Good point, nothing really, just as per records above, basically it just naturally drianed out moisture over 7 hours hanging and I think through the souring of the cheese from the starter culture creating lactic acid giving natural coagulation.

One problem is that it is still softer than most store bought cream cheese, not that that's bad. My previous batch, when sitting in fridge, had a little more moisture drain out, kind of like store bought sour cream or yogurt after you've taken a spoonful out and open the container 2 days later.

So I'd like to find a way to get it dryer, but I'm worried that hanging longer will make it too succeptable to airborne infection. Maybe using a light pressing rather than just hanging and gravity.

[reg]

that looks pretty dam good from where i'm sitting !

reg

[reg]

just had some awful thoughts of that cream cheese with the boursin flavours, some smoked salmon, some dill, some real good crackers .... oh boy

[Cheese Head]

Still wonderful flavour and texture, little to much pepper for younger daughter, more for me .

Every couple of days I get a little water draining out, see picture, no big deal, just aesthetics. Anyone have any idea now to reduce or stop this?

[DaggerDoggie]

My thoughts are that it is perfectly natural.  We are so used to the stuff we buy that is overly processed to look perfect.

Of course, I have no empirical knowledge to support this, but I would think that as the curds age, even at colder temperatures, they would continue to release some moisture.

[Tea]

In my book they make the note that if using all cream or a higher percentage of cream than milk, then it will take longer to drain and that to speed this process up you can either work the bag manually, or even put it under a light press over night.
Maybe this is one of those things that it will take a couple of goes to work out just how much pressing/hanging will be required and just how "dry" the cheese should be if it is not going to weep whey.

Also "half and half" is entirely an American product, there is nothing similar in Aussie that reflects this.

[DaggerDoggie]

Well, being an American, I really didn't know what half and half was.  Did a Google search and it's half milk; half cream.  I use light cream in my coffee.  Again, didn't really know what that was  Google search says about 20% cream.  Heavy Cream or Whipping Cream is 36%,