Author Topic: Merlin, a couple of questions, if I may please.  (Read 2513 times)

Tea

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Merlin, a couple of questions, if I may please.
« on: August 25, 2008, 08:58:08 PM »
A couple of us here have been trying to perfect camembert and brie cheeses.  As we have discovered from another thread, and from the different recipes, you informed us that they are indeed a different cheese, and because brie (I think it was) is made from raw, unpasturised milk, the original cheese is not allowed to be sold in the US because of the food regulations.  I think the same applies in Aussie too.  So I was wondering if the gooey cheese is possible using pasturised milks?  Is it the fact that the milk is raw that gives it the unique texture.  I know that I have never bought either brie or camembert that oozes like some of the pics that I have seen.
Also does that cheese become gooey after being taken out of the fridge, or is it gooey soft after being matured, but being held together but the crust of the outer cheese.  Just wondering what exactly it is that we are aiming/looking for.

We have also been discussing traditional "sealing methods" that may have been employed, and I was wondering if in your travels you came across companies that use these methods, and if so what are they.  I have been experimenting with bees wax, but I think that in reality it probably was too precious a commodity to be used on cheese.  Next I am going to trial wrapping and sealing with tallow (I don't use pork products) and see how that goes.

Would love your thoughts and imput on the above, negative or positive.
Many thanks.

merlin

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Re: Merlin, a couple of questions, if I may please.
« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2008, 01:35:36 AM »
These imported cheeses will indead ooze, even produced with the pasturized cheese.  The pictures that we have all grown a custom with are at the peak of ripeness and also at the perfect temperature to ooze.  It's just a whoe different world when you able to try these cheeses with the raw milk.  One of the best domestic brie's come from Marin French Cheese Company in CA.

When you talk about sealing up cheese with bee's wax I just see added dollar figures for no real reason.  You might get a little essence from bee's wax but it's just so unpractical.  You should experiment with washed rinds, try using a wine or Congaic.  You can also try certin types of leaves, chestnut leaves work great.   

I hope this helped.

Tea

  • Guest
Re: Merlin, a couple of questions, if I may please.
« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2008, 09:11:21 PM »
Hi Merlin and thanks for your response.  So what would be considered, or how do you tell from the outside what the optimal peak maturity would be, and what is the best temps for them to soften at?
I have made another batch of camembert from raw milk, and it has just gone into the humidity container.  I am hoping that I can get a better result with this lot than the last batch.
Yes i agree I need to try some washed rinds, like the beautiful one Reg has just posted.  I have soaked a cheese in port, but not as a wash.  For me importing chestnut leaves would probably be more prohibitive than bees wax.  ;)

Well if nothing else it is going to be fun experimenting with the different options.