Author Topic: Tzfatit and Cottage Cheese  (Read 4895 times)

Damaris

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Tzfatit and Cottage Cheese
« on: September 09, 2011, 07:08:37 PM »
I am in my start of making cheeses, and especially interested in doing Cottage Cheese and Tzfatit. I was going trough a lot of recent postes, and also started to make cheese on my own with this information.
Now i have two questions, first for the cottage cheese: I was using the amounts of rennet, calcium chloride and mesophlic starter as suggested in recipes in posts, and it turned out ok. But I am looking for a special consistence that I want the cottage cheese to be. Will changing the amounts of rennet, calcium and mesophilic starter change the consistence of the cottage? for example, if i use more mesophillic stater, will it lead to a more sour taste? or if i use more calcium or rennet, will it make the cottage more firm?

Regarding the Tzfatit: i just finished this cheese (almost) and it is now draining in the cheese basket. I wonder how long it is supposed to be drained, and, if it should be in the fridge in this process, or outside at room temperature.

I will be happy to have some help here,
thanks so much
Damaris

Tomer1

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Re: Tzfatit and Cottage Cheese
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2011, 10:21:30 PM »
Hi damaris, are you an israeli because I dont think tzfatit is known outside this place. (or maybe alex posted a recipe for newbies?)

"for example, if i use more mesophillic stater, will it lead to a more sour taste? or if i use more calcium or rennet"
Sourness (acidity) depends on the type of starter,making temp,amount of starter and ripening time and total duration of the make. (the sooner you drain and salt the less acidity is developed)

Using more rennet then required to achive a firm set in the specified time will just make a fresh cheese bitter.
Cottege curds are made in a specific way to achive their texture,moisture level,acidity and size.
Once that is done heavy cream is added to give a creamy mouthfeel.

Damaris

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Re: Tzfatit and Cottage Cheese
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2011, 07:40:31 AM »
Hi Tomer,
thank you, your answer helps a lot.

I am not Israeli, but I lived there and I am still going there a lot. Last time there, I went to buy Flora Danica cheese culture, calcium, and rennet that is not from the animal (I believe this is what they use in Israel to have it kosher?) I am from Austria, i could not find all that here, not at all kosher rennet.

Your name sounds Israeli, are you from there?
I am in love with the Israeli cheeses, especially the two that I posted. The Tzfatit that I did yesterday turned out really good, and I am so glad to know how to do it now, as I always miss it, when I am in Vienna (they dont sell that here).
Same goes for the Cottage cheese, the ones we have in Austria are awful for my taste, not creamy, soft, or anything, so I am doing a lot of experimenting about this, as i REALLY want to have a substitute from what I know from the Israeli cottage cheese.
So thats why I was asking about acidity and firmness of the cheese.
I am interested, if you are from Israel and if yes, if you are familiar with cottage cheese from there, such as Tara, Tnuva?

Another thing I wanted to know, in some articles about cheese making I could read about sterilization of the utensils that I am using. So - I dont have a dishwasher, everything I use is clean of course, but is it necessary to heat everything (like to wash it very hot in the dishwasher) to kill possible bacteria, germs? I am also using raw milk (that I pasteurize before), so I really want to do it right here!

Greeting from Vienna,
Damaris

Tomer1

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Re: Tzfatit and Cottage Cheese
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2011, 10:17:50 AM »
Yeah im an israeli.
We buy about 8-10 packs of cottage a week.  I prefer straus cottage, its more airey and creamy.
I think tnuva changed something in its production in the past few years,theres seems to be alot more moisture in it,espcially when you get to the bottom of the cup, theres just a pool of liquid.

I have a recipe but I must warn you, its a very time consuming cheese to make since it involves curd cooking and curd washing and then you have another stage where cultured milk or cream is made and later added to the drained curds create that creamy texture.

http://www.home-cheese.com/shop/content-cat.asp?extra=10&idPage=103
Use google translate and if you have any problems you can PM me.

Personally I prefer to buy it because I rather spend the time making more interesting cheeses (moldy,semi hard and hard) and also the store bought cottege already has great flavour which I dont think I can out do.
Since its mass produced on a giant scale its alot cheaper to buy then make compered to other cheeses.

And yes the veg rennet is for kosher,
Unfortunatlly its impossible to get the real deal. :\

Alex

  • Guest
Re: Tzfatit and Cottage Cheese
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2011, 10:13:52 AM »
Hi damaris, are you an israeli because I dont think tzfatit is known outside this place. (or maybe alex posted a recipe for newbies?)

"for example, if i use more mesophillic stater, will it lead to a more sour taste? or if i use more calcium or rennet"
Sourness (acidity) depends on the type of starter,making temp,amount of starter and ripening time and total duration of the make. (the sooner you drain and salt the less acidity is developed)

Using more rennet then required to achive a firm set in the specified time will just make a fresh cheese bitter.
Cottege curds are made in a specific way to achive their texture,moisture level,acidity and size.
Once that is done heavy cream is added to give a creamy mouthfeel.


Hi Damaris,

Here is a thread concerning the make of Tzfatit cheese:
http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,4515.0.html
On page 2 you'll find the recipe. The milk I use in the recipe is raw.

I had the oportunity to meet and talk to the chief of the team who developed the Cottage for Tnuva. The manufacturing method is a secrete like the Coke's formula. Tnuva's cheese is the prefered consistency for Cottage cheeses among the Israelies. As this is an industrial procedure, you'll never be able to duplicate it. Nevertheless, there are cottage recipes on the web. Some recipes you may find in "Cheese and Fermented Milk Foods" by Kosikowski and Mistry.

Tomer1

  • Guest
Re: Tzfatit and Cottage Cheese
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2011, 11:57:48 AM »
Sure she wont reach an exact clone but should can be in the same ballpark.
Essentially cottage is a "natural" cheese invented in the pre heavy industrial age of cheesemaking.
The secret will be cutting size of the curd,cooking and washing to get the right shape,moisture level and Ph which will determine texture and flavour.
One thing I can say is that they use a gas producing culture since you can often see slight gas remimence from the make.

Personally I wouldnt make it since its so time consuming and I can make a tradditional cheddared cheddar in that time.