Author Topic: Gouda No 6  (Read 3239 times)

SalMac

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Gouda No 6
« on: September 13, 2008, 07:03:46 PM »
Ok trying to make gouda but twice the size (10l) with my new stockpots. First time I think I followed the recipe properly with some exceptions see below. Also first time of using calcium chloride.

First problem : using what i thought was the 13l pan, 10l comes surprisingly near to the top of the pan...like 0.5 cm from top. Hmm. I remember CH mentioning that the measurements on his set werent accurate.

Second problem : weight of pan plus milk in the double boiler (see post in equipment) more than expected

Third problem: Washing the curds with the 15l recommended by recipe in 30 mins takes an hour

Fourth problem: This fills my draining bag about 90% and it becomes difficult to hang

Fifth problem: My bigger mould has a closed base. Why I dont know. But flipping it culminated in the bloody thing breaking.

Now this isnt so bad as Ive just worked out the bigger mould is too wide for the esky I'm intending to use, as my new more accurate min max hygrometer indicates the fridges humidity is between 90 and 99%!!

So break it up again and pop it in a narrower taller mould with both ends open. Restart pressure process.

Sixth problem: Too much curd for the mould by about 10% which I know will go in once the moisture is expelled, so currently squidging it in.

This cheese has retained a lot more whey than the smaller one proportionately.

Anyone had a cheese break before and had to reform it? It broke after the first 20lb pressing.

Can you over press?

Sal
« Last Edit: September 14, 2008, 05:32:31 PM by SalMac »

Tea

  • Guest
Re: Gouda No 6
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2008, 09:38:55 PM »
Sal said:
Ok trying to make gouda but twice the size (10l) with my new stockpots. First time I think I followed the recipe properly with some exceptions see below. Also first time of using calcium chloride.

First problem : using what i thought was the 13l pan, 10l comes surprisingly near to the top of the pan...like 0.5 cm from top. Hmm. I remember CH mentioning that the measurements on his set werent accurate.

Tea replies;  mmm poor advertising, I wonder why the difference. 

Second problem : weight of pan plus milk in the double boiler (see post in equipment) more than expected

Ahh think of all the muscles you will build.  :D

Third problem: Washing the curds with the 15l recommended by recipe in 30 mins takes an hour

Could you explain a little more why this took so long.  Not understanding why?

Fourth problem: This fills my draining bag about 90% and it becomes difficult to hang

That was one of my observations to going bigger, everything else needs to be bigger then.

Fifth problem: My bigger mould has a closed base. Why I dont know. But flipping it culminated in the bloody thing breaking.

Again, not understanding why it broke.  I have some moulds with bases and some without bases, and I would say that the ones with bases are stronger than those without.  Was it a manufacturing fault?

Now this isnt so bad as Ive just worked out the bigger mould is too wide for the esky I'm intending to use, as my new more accurate min max hygrometer indicates the fridges humidity is between 90 and 99%!!

How big is the mould that you are using? You did only use 10ltr of milk?  Did I get that right?

So break it up again and pop it in a narrower taller mould with both ends open. Restart pressure process.

Sixth problem: Too much curd for the mould by about 10% which I know will go in once the moisture is expelled, so currently squidging it in.

This cheese has retained a lot more whey than the smaller one proportionately.

Anyone had a cheese break before and had to reform it? It broke after the first 20lb pressing.

No I haven't so I can't help you there, was it too thin or too dry?  Just trying to understand why it broke.

Can you over press?

I would think yes.  Different cheeses are pressed with different weights and times, so I would think that that would have to do with whey/moisture retention in part.  Sorry I can't be of more help, but I am trying to understand just how the problems occured.


SalMac

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Re: Gouda No 6
« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2008, 05:28:48 PM »
Hi Tea

The curd washing was because the whey didnt seperate very fast, and I wanted to loose as few curds as possible so had to keep waiting for curds to settle. For the 5 L recipe it says replace whey with 2-3 l water 3-4 times. So I doubled it and that meant trying to extract 17 l of whey and replacing it with same amount of water whilst holding the cheese and fresh water at 38 deg...quite frustrating I can tell you! Dont know whether I was trying to be too cautious

The cheese broke when we tried to flip it. To flip it because the mold wasnt open ended on both ends we actually had to take the cheese out and try and put it back in! Simply doesnt work as the cheese is too err floppy?

First mould was 20cm wide and 15cm tall sealed bottom
Second mould is 11cm wide and 13cm tall open ended

We have now worked out we can flip it without taking it out if we drill some holes in the follower and press it like this?

Am I right in thinking I dont actually need to use cheesecloth with the closed base mould if Ive used a draining bag beforehand?

Its certainly not the prettiest cheese in the world because of bad cheesecloth marks and its kinda odd shaped....but hey its all a learning exercise!

All day today Ive been battling with humidity issues but I'm going to open another thread on that!

Sal

« Last Edit: September 14, 2008, 05:34:06 PM by SalMac »

Tea

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Re: Gouda No 6
« Reply #3 on: September 14, 2008, 08:05:13 PM »
Hey that looks good.  Considering all that it has gone through, I think you did a good job.
Personally I find that if the cheese is too soft to be taken out of the mould and turned, I leave in pressing for another 1/2 - 1 hour, then try again.  Eventually the cheese compacts enough to allow turning.