Cambozola for the 4th time!

[anutcanfly]

I am trying this for the fourth time now.  Up until now the curd has been mushy, drained poorly and the roqueforti mold has not developed.  I am going to try one more time but with a different milk/cream ratio, as suggested on this forum, and delayed inoculation of Penicillum candidum & Geotrichum candidum.

14 cups pasteurized homogenized whole cow milk
2 cups pasteurized homogenized heavy cream
¼ teaspoon MM100
¼ teaspoon calcium chloride
¼ teaspoon rennet
1/8 teaspoon Penicillium roqueforti
1/8 teaspoon Penicillium candidum
1/32 teaspoon Geotrichum candidum
2 teaspoons salt

Warmed milk to 86 degrees and sprinkle with MM100.
Rehydrate for 5 minutes, then mix and in and let ripen at 86 degrees for 30 minutes.
Add the rennet and let sit for 1 1/2 hours or until you have a clean break.
Cut curds into ½ inch cubes and let sit for 5 minutes.
Stir for 5 minutes, then let sit another 5 minutes.
Line a colander with cheesecloth and ladle curds into it.
Let curds drain for 20 minutes.
Ladle into 2 Camembert molds on a draining rack until ½ full.
Sprinkle P. roqueforti on cheese and ladle in the remainder of curds.
Drain for 6 hours at room temperature then flip and drain overnight.
Remove from molds  and place on mat in ripening box.
Sprinkle the top of each cheese with ½ teaspoon salt.
Let sit for 5 minutes then flip and salt the other side.
Cover and ripen at 50-55 degrees and 90 percent humidity.
Flip daily and remove excess moisture from box.

This is where I diverge from the standard recipe:

Day 1—see above
Day 2 – unmolded and salted, then place in box in cheese cave
Day 3 – flipped and removed moisture from bottom of box
Day 4 – flipped and poked holes through the sides of the cheese about 3/4 to 1 inch apart.
Day 5 – inoculated top and bottom of cheeses with P & G candidum (I used sterile damp sponge to apply)
Day 6 – flipped cheese…the smell of P. roqueforti is noticeable and lovely!
Day 7 – flipped cheese
Day 8 – flipped cheese…white mold starting to develop
Day 9 –flipped cheese…white and spots of blue mold are clearly visible

Do I dare hope???

More to follow as these cheeses progress...crossing my fingers and toes! 

[Boofer]

You're a busy, persistent little cheesemaker. Good for you.

They look great so far. Fingers crossed. 

-Boofer-

[anutcanfly]

Hi Boofer,

I've been drooling over the blues you've got going, but I can't eat yours!  Sometimes persistence pays off! I tried for blue development and I got it!  These bries have the blues!     

[JeffHamm]

That looks like success to me!  Nicely done.  What did you do different this time?

- Jeff

[anutcanfly]

My prior attempts were with the recipe from 200 Easy Home Made Cheeses, and I thought the problems I was having were due to over pasteurized milk or rennet that had gotten old.  The curd was mushy, the cheese would drain poorly and be way too moist.  They developed off flavors.  Also, I had to poke holes several times as white mold kept filling them and I would end with bloomy rind all through the cheese (there is such a thing as too much bloom) and no blue!  That cheese hit the trash, it was so peppery it burnt my mouth! I wasn't going to try this one again until someone on this site said that the 1/2 milk & 1/2 heavy cream was a the problem and suggested a 7:1 ratio.  So I used that ratio for this attempt.  Also, I noticed another recipe that called for more culture, rennet, and a longer sit time, so I used what made sense of both recipes.  To develop the blue I delayed inoculating the cheeses with the white molds until AFTER I poked holes for the blue on day 4.  That way the white molds would only be on the outside and the blue would have a chance to develop.  I'm not sure it would have made a difference, but to avoid having white mold go into the holes I had poked, rather then spraying it on, I applied it with a damp sponge.  Now the really hard part...waiting for it to ripen!  

[cheesequeen]

Hi, did you add the Calcium Cl? It is in your recipe but not noted in your procedure.
Thanks

[anutcanfly]

Oops! Sorry about that.  Yes, I added calcium chloride just before the rennet.  If you are using homogenized pasteurized milk you can expect a clean break to take a lot longer then then floc multiplier of  x5-6 would suggest. Even after 1 1/2 hours I found the curd to be fragile and I know both my culture and rennet are at full strength.  I'm going to run this recipe again with raw milk, as I should have a supply in a couple weeks.  That should make a huge difference!  Also, I am not sure about the level of salt.  I reduced it as I find most recipes to be too salty for my tastes, but it may need to be reduced further...I won't know for sure until I can sample it.

[cheesequeen]

Can you please tell me how many gallons of milk did you use with this recipe?
What is the size of your cheese mould please?
 How is the cheese coming along now? I am planning to make my cheese soon. I trying to get info as much I can.
I have Camemberts in the cave right now just a week old. I wonder if I wonder if I  can put them both in the same cave with my cheddar, Camembert, caciotta without developing blue mold with the rest of my cheese? I appreciate any comments from the forum/ experts out there.
Which retailer website did you order your blue culture?
Thanks
Happy Cheesemaking

[Tomer1]

May I ask what kind of netting is that? looks good.

[anutcanfly]

Hi Tomer1,

I got the fine netting from New England Cheese Making Supplies.  Haven't had much luck finding local/cheaper sources that don't get stuck to the curd!

Hi Cheesequeen,

I used 1 gallon (16 cups) of milk total.  14 cups whole milk & 2 cups heavy cream.  This makes enough to fill 2 - 4 inch camembert molds.  My cheeses are now wrapped in cheese paper to finish ripening.  I will test them 10/20/11 and post the results; though they shouldn't be fully ripened until 10/25/11.  So far everything seems to be going great!  If you can wait until then I will be able to save you from repeating any mistakes I may have made, i.e.  too salty, or too runny.

I can't speak for others, but I've been mixing different types of cheese since March this year.  I keep mold ripened cheeses separate by putting them in a closed plastic container.  When I need to turn these cheeses I bring the container in where I can wash my hands prior to and after handling to help prevent unwanted molds on my other cheeses.  So far this has worked well, but I haven't left unprotected cheeses in there for more than a week (like gouda..)  They are all waxed or vacuum sealed.  I will be running a few with natural rinds now that I have the humidity under control...knock on wood! I have no basis for comparison regarding suppliers of blue mold, so I wouldn't
mind hearing from others on that as well.

Happy thoughts,
Anut 

[cheesequeen]

Thanks for all the info

[anutcanfly]

I couldn't take it anymore.  I had to undress her!    Isn't she lovely?  I could just eat her up on the spot! 

Tastes very good!  Very creamy, brie is the dominate flavor with just a touch of blue.  Much much better than the store bought one I threw in the trash!

 If anyone tries to follow the recipe I posted you will want to decrease the salt a little to maybe 1/4 or 1/3 tsp per side.  1/2 tsp is just a touch too salty.  With that adjustment I would say this run is a success! 

[anutcanfly]

Oops!  Just realized referring to my cheese as a female might have been offensive.  Me being a girl, you would think I would be more sensitive!    I totally apologize to anyone I may have offended!

[JeffHamm]

Hi anut,

that looks fantastic!  And, well, what two consenting cheeses do in the privacy of their own cave is nobody's business but their own!   Anyway, well done.

- Jeff

[anutcanfly]

LOL