American Neufchatel - Recipe Clarifications

[Sailor Con Queso]

Yes. I think you overheated it. Just try it at room temp. If your room is cool it might take longer. Same with cream cheese.

[DeejayDebi]

P -
I am still wrapping my mind around the chocolate vomit. God I remember that smell! Even if it separated it shouldn't have gone bad that fast. The only heat was from wrapping it in a nepren waist wrap?

U-
1 degree is really not that anal really it is suggested that when cooking curd you initally only raise the temperature by 2 degrees in 5 minutes.

[humble_servant7]

Keeping a stove on for 12-16 hours throughout the day is the definition of insanity to me, and would very much be to my family members also. But then again-- I am merely a newbie at this game.

I REALLY do hope that their arent TOO many other cheese recipes that call for the stove to be on in such excessive amounts of time like this anymore.

And if there were-- I can't help but wonder what other type of heating alternatives could there be that could satisfy this criteria and do it well with much more efficiency (i.e. NO constant watching/monitoring)  without the constant threat of the house catching fire and burning down overnight.

U-
1 degree is that anal really it is suggested that when cooking curd you initally only raise the temperature by 2 degrees in 5 minutes.

Great info, Debi!

So this is the average range in which cheesemakers should heat their curds up?

Exactly the info I needed to begin looking for the heat source that I need.

Will there ever be other ranges in which the directions call for the heating temp to be a bit more fast adjusted, or in slower heating increments? Can you tell me what is the fastest heating temp. range, and what is the slowest heating temp. range for which I will EVER need in making different types of cheeses?

I need to know so I can decide which heating element would be ideal in giving me both the low and slow time, and alternatively one that could heat things up extremely quick whenever need be.

Perhaps I should invest in TWO separate heating elements. One ridiculously fast, and one slow, so at that I can alternate between the two and adjust heating temps accordingly.

[padams]

Actually, Debi, I didn't have the wrap at that time, so i just put it in the cold oven.   I was really shocked that it would smell like that when I opened it in the morning!

[DeejayDebi]

I'd say 1 degree per 5 minutes is as low as I have ever seen. Some recipes will suggest no more than 5 degrees in a 10 minute period. The main thing to remember is new born curds are as delicate as uncooked eggs start slow and work up.

[humble_servant7]

I'd say 1 degree per 5 minutes is as low as I have ever seen. Some recipes will suggest no more than 5 degrees in a 10 minute period. The main thing to remember is new born curds are as delicate as uncooked eggs start slow and work up.

Okay thanks. GREAT!

So what about maintaining the target temp? How does one go about doing that? I imagine through cycling the the heat on and off?

And will there ever be a time in which I may need it to heat up faster? Like for instance when trying to get the starting cold milk temp up to heat in the 80 range? Would heating it up faster than the 5 deg per 10 minute interval be okay then?

[umgowa]

I'd say 1 degree per 5 minutes is as low as I have ever seen. Some recipes will suggest no more than 5 degrees in a 10 minute period. The main thing to remember is new born curds are as delicate as uncooked eggs start slow and work up.

Okay thanks. GREAT!

So what about maintaining the target temp? How does one go about doing that? I imagine through cycling the the heat on and off?

And will there ever be a time in which I may need it to heat up faster? Like for instance when trying to get the starting cold milk temp up to heat in the 80 range? Would heating it up faster than the 5 deg per 10 minute interval be okay then?

Since this thread is about Neufchatel cheese, I assume you're talking about that . . . and as Sailor Con Queso said a few posts ago "Just keep it at room temperature. . . . if the temp cools down, it will just take a little longer".  This takes a lot of the anal retentive strangeness out of keeping a constant temperature on my oven for 16 hours.

[humble_servant7]

I'd say 1 degree per 5 minutes is as low as I have ever seen. Some recipes will suggest no more than 5 degrees in a 10 minute period. The main thing to remember is new born curds are as delicate as uncooked eggs start slow and work up.

Okay thanks. GREAT!

So what about maintaining the target temp? How does one go about doing that? I imagine through cycling the the heat on and off?

And will there ever be a time in which I may need it to heat up faster? Like for instance when trying to get the starting cold milk temp up to heat in the 80 range? Would heating it up faster than the 5 deg per 10 minute interval be okay then?

Since this thread is about Neufchatel cheese, I assume you're talking about that . . . and as Sailor Con Queso said a few posts ago "Just keep it at room temperature. . . . if the temp cools down, it will just take a little longer".  This takes a lot of the anal retentive strangeness out of keeping a constant temperature on my oven for 16 hours.

Right. I was just wondering if this operation was even possible.

[umgowa]

I'll let you know.  This cheese was recommended for newbies in my cheese book.  The only weird part of the recipe was the 18 hour thing on the stove.  Now that Sailor Con Queso has made things saner and easier, I have enough courage to start out.  Since I don't like cottage cheese (the cheese project always recommended for newbies) I'm going to start with something easy that I might actually like . . . and according to my book it's Neufchatel.  I think I can manage 18 hours at room temperature.  I'll let you know.

[fuzziebear3]

As a frequent bread maker, I know there are places (or places that can easily be made) in my house that are a little warmer than the rest.  Consider these:

1.) Turn your oven on for about 30 seconds, then turn it off.  It will be warmer in there.  Additionally, if you leave the light on, it will stay cozy.

2.) Higher places (a top shelf) in your house are warmer than lower places.  Interior areas are warmer than exterior areas.

3.) I have a small lamp with an incandescent bulb - I put this lamp in an interior closet in my utility room, and my bread (or curds) on an upper shelf in the closet.  This area is usually about 80F.

My recipe for neufchatel says room temperature of at least 72F for 12-18 hours.  So if you just find a slightly warmer place, I don't think you need to keep heating it up further.  Really, I think it is more important not to mess with the curds during this time than it is to try to keep kwarming them up.

[DeejayDebi]

Fuzzir has a good point. I found the only place in my house that is close to 72 degrees all the time in the winter is on top of my refrigerator near the back. Those tings give off pretty good heat up against the wall.