Member Christy has I think posted the first authentic
French Neufchatel Cheese Making Recipe (from book
200 Easy Homemade Cheese Recipes) and her records of making it on this forum.
I also have that book in which the procedure calls for adding salt after bag draining and then lightly pressing before molding.
I am also interested in making this cheese, attached are zoom ins of three pictures of this cheese from
my trip to Europe last summer. But sadly all three vendors had the same supplier and while heart shaped, all were wrapped in paper. Label says
lait cru, or raw milk.
Thus a little desktop internet research:
- Nice picture and some info here.
- Neufchatel AOC website in French, same website translated by Microsoft into English (have to give the translator software a minute to translate each page). The "Manufacture" page is interesting. Also, the long film (which you can expand to full screen) is more interesting, although I couldn't understand the French and too many cow pictures, the making process was interesting, especially the textures at the different steps.
Some observations and questions from the Neufchatel-AOC.org website:
- The white mold is from Pencillum candidum, but some makers also add Geotrichum candidum.
- After draining, the bags are lightly pressed.
- What is the liquid added in the video around the middle of the making process? Is it the same thing that the Microsoft Translator has a problem with "a few good cheese flower flower are émiettés and added. This will promote the development ofPénicillium candidum producing beautiful white cover."? Could this be the point at which they are adding the P candidum & G candidum molds?
- I assume the crystals added just after adding that liquid are dry salt?
- The artisan makers just used medium and large cookie cutter/cake type molds, anyone know where to get one?
- The cheese tasters were eating what looked to me like very young Neufchatel, I'd have liked it more mature.
- How do you get the nice brown tinge on parts of the rind (I also had some of that coloring on a manufactured Double Cream Brie I bought)?
- The manufacture Webpage says can be eaten after the P candidum blooms or after aging at lower temp & humidity for several months.
