Camembert Moon Rocks

Started by Contest29, September 20, 2011, 03:30:00 AM

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Contest29

Well, it's day 3 of ripening of my 3rd batch of Camembert. The first two batches turned out to be beautiful and I thought I had done nothing different. When they went into the molds all apperared normal, but 3 days later......well......lets just say they wouldn't be out of place in a  pile of rocks from the moon!

They are particularly hard. Any ideas why?

I noticed the first two batches ripened quicker than expected (3-4 weeks) so were they just too soft (by comparison)?

smilingcalico

Has the humidity in the ageing environment changed (more specifically, less humid)?  Do you cut the curd according to a time schedule, or by flocculation time multiplier?  Did you accidentaly add too much rennet?  What is your make schedule like?  There's 1000 variables, and not much information for us to start with. 

Contest29

Thanks for the reply smilingcalico!

The aging environment was exactly the same. Curd was cut by time after having checked for a clean break (I haven't had to extend that time). I'm as certain as I can be that the amount of rennet correct.

What is flocculation time multiplier???

I actually didn't ask what I intended to in my first post, which was, will they ripen ok eventually?

What should they feel like 24 hours after they come out of the mold? ie how much 'give' should the camembert have?

Any other input would be much appreciated.

PS. How do you add a cheese onto your "Number of cheeses" on this site?

smilingcalico

My best descriptor would be that it feels a bit more like a steak.  I am at work, so will cheat and say use the search box to search the forum on floc multiplier, there are many good posts on it.  It's an easy technique.  Thanks for trying to cheese me.  I forget how many posts you have to have before the ability is automatically granted to you.  The phrase thumbs up will appear under each persons information on the post.  You'll see it soon!

smilingcalico

Ok, I'm back.  I forgot to answer to the will they ripen question.  Best answer is, I'm not sure.  Compare it over the next few days with previous makes.  It may even take longer if they will properly ripen at all.  Most importantly though, they should still be edible mistakes, unless of course you come to find an infection (which I'm not suggesting you do, I'm just saying that precautionarily). 

Cheese Head

Hi Contest29, welcome!

Flocculation test is a method for determining when to cut a rennet coagulated curd and for determining if you are using too much or little rennet, see the Wiki: Curds, When To Cut article.

You can only gives thumbs up (cheeses) to other people not to yourself, see the forum's FAQs - Frequently Asked Forum IT Questions Board.

On your current cam make, cheeses when removed from hoops should be reasonably firm for a drained, not pressed cheese, like a fresh cam in store, when free standing they should not sag, hard to describe, see lots of pictures in the cam board.

As smiling says sounds like your cut curds in mold have drained too much whey and hardened too much, could be excessive rennet or too high a pH drop, did you change your starter culture or milk type? Something must have changed.

smilingcalico

Dang, John, and here I thought Contest  was going to give me a cheese for being helpful.  I guess I must think too highly of myself.

Contest29

Thanks for all your help! I'd give you both a cheese if I could!

I thought that a cheese was a record of the number of 'makes' that you had done. Wrong for the second time this year!!

I'm planning to make Stilton this weekend. Can't wait!

Contest29

Cheers for that flocculation link John - I was blindly following a fixed time based recipie book.....I won't and more!

Cheese Head

Hi smilingcalico, I thought your posts were very helpful, did I make you mad somehow, sorry if I did, John.

smilingcalico

Lol, no not at all, John.  Sometimes my dry humor doesn't translate well in written word form.