John's Cheese #024 - Camembert #4

[Cheese Head]

Today I start my fourth Camembert making based on the recipe here but cooking at low temp longer like in Tea's recipe here to try and get moister final product Camembert that oozes at room temp when served.
My batch #1 records here, #2 here, and #3 here.

MAKING

• Aug 17, 2008, 11:00AM: Poured 1 US gallon/3.8 litres of store bought pasteurized homogenized whole cow's milk from fridge into stockpot on smallest ring on stove, with gas burner. Added 1/2 teaspoon diluted CaCl2 as milk pasteurized, few spores of Danisco brand Penicillum Candidum VS (mild), and 4 ounces/ice cubes of homemade mesophilic starter culture. Covered and set aside.
• Aug 17, 2008, 11:10AM: Stopped heating as temperature at 96 F/36 C, measured pH at 6.0.
• Aug 17, 2008, 1:05PM: Measured temp at 94 F/34 C and pH at 6.0, re-warmed to 96 F/36 C, diluted 1/16" teaspoon powdered rennet in 1/4 cup water, trickled into milk while stirring with whisk. Covered and set aside for curd to set.
• Aug 17, 2008, 1:40PM: Clean break, cut curds to 1/2 "/1 cm "diamonds", set aside for cut curds to heal.
• Aug 17, 2008, 2:10PM: Stirred cut curds small amount and re-warmed accidentally too much to 115 F/46 C, set aside for curds to expel whey.
• Aug 17, 2008, 2:40PM: Measured temp at 113 F/45 C and pH at 5.8, stirred cut curds small amount.
• Aug 17, 2008, 3:25PM: Stirred cut curds small amount.
• Aug 17, 2008, 4:10PM: Ladled curds and whey into two Camembert hoops on mats on draining tray.
• Aug 17, 2008, 4:50PM: Turned both Camemberts in hoops using new clean mats on top.
• Aug 17, 2008, 10:00PM: Turned both Camemberts in hoops using new clean mats on top.
• Aug 18, 2008, 6:00AM: Turned both Camemberts in hoops using new clean mats on top and placed in low humidity fridge to dry off.
• Aug 19, 2008, 8:00PM: After forgetting Camemberts previous night (cheeses now quite dry on one side), placed on in 20% brine solution to add salt.
• Aug 19, 2008, 10:00PM: Forgot to set timer while watching first 1/2 of Dr. Zhivago with family. Removed first cheese after 2 hours (will be very salty)and placed second in brine.
• Aug 19, 2008, 10:20PM: Removed second from brine, left both outside fridge overnight to air dry.
• Aug 20, 2008, 6:30AM: Placed both in high humidity cool temp freezer cheese cave to develop mold and age.

NOTES

• Need to be less forgetful with timing etc.

[Tea]

Oh boy Cheese Head, I hope it works out for you.  These are certainly tricky to get right.

[Cheese Head]

Tea, I goofed up again, left both too long in fridge and excessively dried one side of cheese, then left one in brine for 2 hours, way too long based on your recipe!

[Tea]

Oh no John!!  Well hopefully the worst that will happen is that they will be a little too salty.  Hopefully it won't affect the mold growth.

[Junglerott]

CH have you figured out why they are getting liquified? I had the same problem with a batch of Crottin. It seems we may have some problem in common. Both of our cheeses seem to age well and grow good mold and then they liquify. Mine also had a pretty bad smell also. My batch was 14 days old when it happened.