American Neufchatel - Recipe Clarifications

[umgowa]

I am brand new to Cheese making.  The book I'm reading tells me a good first cheese would be neufchatel.   I don't like cottage cheese, so I selected neufchatel as the easiest that I would like to eat.  I have 2 questions about the recipe.  1)  It calls for 4 tablespoons of fresh cultured buttermilk.  My question is:  can I use low fat  fresh cultured buttermilk?  2) the recipe says to disolve the rennet into the milk and hold at 85 degrees.  Then it says the  Milk should coagulate in 16 to 18 hours.  Does this mean I have to keep this milk mixture sitting on my turned on stove for 16 to 18 hours?    Keep my stove turned on for 16 to 18 hours? 

[padams]

Neufatchel is supposed to be easy, but I tried to make some last week and ended up with a gallon of rotten milk.....but I tried some fromage blanc, and it seems to be good....what i did was purchased a neoprene "weight loss belt" from walmart and wrapped my pot, kept in the oven overnight, and turned the oven to "warm" 2 or 3 times.  I think the neoprene belt really helps, but a thick towel would probably accomplish the same thing.  Good luck!

[DeejayDebi]

There are two type of Neufchatel American style (cream cheese like) and French type more of a brie/camembert type thing. Which are you trying to make?

[umgowa]

There are two type of Neufchatel American style (cream cheese like) and French type more of a brie/camembert type thing. Which are you trying to make?

The book doesn't say explicitly, but reading between the lines I would guess that it is American style Neufchatel.  The reason . . . it says it is like cream cheese.

[DeejayDebi]

I am brand new to Cheese making.  The book I'm reading tells me a good first cheese would be neufchatel.   I don't like cottage cheese, so I selected neufchatel as the easiest that I would like to eat.  I have 2 questions about the recipe. 

1)  It calls for 4 tablespoons of fresh cultured buttermilk.  My question is:  can I use low fat  fresh cultured buttermilk?  Yes but it will be wimpy not as creamy    

2) the recipe says to disolve the rennet into the milk and hold at 85 degrees.  Then it says the  Milk should coagulate in 16 to 18 hours.  Does this mean I have to keep this milk mixture sitting on my turned on stove for 16 to 18 hours?    Keep my stove turned on for 16 to 18 hours?     Yes again to the 85 degrees. You may be able to just place covered it in your oven with the lights turned on if they are incandesent bulbs - they will keep it warm. It doesn't necessarily mean the flame or burner has to be turned on. Hope that helps.

Yep that's the American version all right!

[padams]

Debi, any idea why mine went bad?  not a high enough constant temp is my guess.  Which is why i got the neoprene wrap to help....

[Sailor Con Queso]

French style uses a B. linens (white mold), American does not.

[DeejayDebi]

Debi, any idea why mine went bad?  not a high enough constant temp is my guess.  Which is why i got the neoprene wrap to help....

Other than rotten milk can you give me a hint as to what you made? Was it store bought or raw milk?

[padams]

Sorry....I was trying to make Chocolate neufatchel with 1 gallon of 2% store milk, adding 1/4 tsp CaCl; 1/8 tsp MA starter; 20 drops of vegetable rennet (5 drops/qt as per directions) following John's recipe on here, and set it aside to ripen overnight.  When I opened the lid the next morning, it had good coagualtion with whey around the edges.  However, it smelled funny: when I started draining it, it smelled like chocolate milk vomit (any mom knows that smell).  The milk was fresh; it had the oldest expiration date and I had just bought it the day before.  i know the milk source is good, it is my friends' dairy. (i often just buy mik from the store to help support them)  I turned it into chocolate milk with my own powder mix.

I guess that there are a lot of things that can go wrong....but if the milk is ok, would temperature be the next variable?

[umgowa]

I am brand new to Cheese making.  The book I'm reading tells me a good first cheese would be neufchatel.   I don't like cottage cheese, so I selected neufchatel as the easiest that I would like to eat.  I have 2 questions about the recipe. 

1)  It calls for 4 tablespoons of fresh cultured buttermilk.  My question is:  can I use low fat  fresh cultured buttermilk?  Yes but it will be wimpy not as creamy    

2) the recipe says to disolve the rennet into the milk and hold at 85 degrees.  Then it says the  Milk should coagulate in 16 to 18 hours.  Does this mean I have to keep this milk mixture sitting on my turned on stove for 16 to 18 hours?    Keep my stove turned on for 16 to 18 hours?     Yes again to the 85 degrees. You may be able to just place covered it in your oven with the lights turned on if they are incandesent bulbs - they will keep it warm. It doesn't necessarily mean the flame or burner has to be turned on. Hope that helps.

Yep that's the American version all right!

My question is not so much about the 85 degrees.  I'm sure the recipe is correct about the 85 degrees.  My question is about how I maintain the 85 degrees for 16 to 18 hours.   Am I correct in the way I am interpreting this recipe that I must keep this mix of millk on by stove (or in my oven) with the burner on constantly for 16 to 18 hours?? 
It seems so strange to me.  Please tell me if I am correct.

[Cheese Head]

ungowa, I and others here make ours at room temperature as is historically done. Room temperature historically before AC and heating can be anywhere from 65 to 95 F depending on time of year and historical location, (N France, S France, Spain, Greece, Turkey etc).

American style Neuf / light cream cheese uses mesophilic starter culture which works up to around 100 F. With warmer temperatures the reproduction of the microorganisms and creation of the lactic acid will be faster and thus the creation of this cheese quicker.

Here in Houston we have AC thus winter I make this cheese at 72 F and in summer at 78 F room temperature. 85 F will also work well, if your environment is not that warm in addition to the other ideas, another method is to pre-heat your kitchen oven a little and then switch off power and leave the oven light on. Depending on your oven and ambient temperature it should be close.

[MrsKK]

I put my covered kettle of cultured and renneted milk in a utility sink and fill it with hot tap water (about 124* F).  I then put a cover over the entire sink to trap the heat and leave it for about 12 hours.  The curd is still about 80* after that time, even though the room temp right now is about 65* at best.

Wrapping the kettle with a thick towel or blanket will work, too.

[umgowa]

Thank you all.  This is all very helpful.  I think the guy who wrote the book I'm reading may be a little anal.  At one point he calls for raising the temp. of the milk by 1 degree.  How anal is that??  The idea of keeping my stove turned on for 18 hours and maintaining things at 85 degrees just did not seem right.  It's comforting to know that you more experienced cheese makers are content to approximate the 85 degree target with room temperature.  Can I assume then that at least for Neufchatel cheese, these temp. guidelines are targets, not carved in stone and a few degrees one way or the other will not ruin the cheese?

[Sailor Con Queso]

Neuf does not need to be heated during ripening. Just keep it at room temperature 68-72F for 12-18 hours depending on the temperature of your room. Overheating will cause the curds and whey to separate instead of making a nice cream cheese.

[padams]

Really, Sailor?  maybe I got it too warm and that is why mine spoiled?