Author Topic: Mozzarella - Increasing Flavor  (Read 1937 times)

akhalpin

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Mozzarella - Increasing Flavor
« on: September 03, 2012, 07:46:16 PM »
I have made a couple of batches of Mozzarella cheese that I am reasonably pleased with in regards to texture but they just don't have the flavor I would like.  Yes, they tasted like Mozzarella but very mild.

I am using a recipe from Fiasco Farms (they have great pictures which helps me since I am brand new to this) but am altering it slightly by using half skim milk and half whole milk (one reason I am making Mozzarella is to use up my skim milk from making butter) instead of all whole milk.

I am using 1/4 tsp of LH (lactoacillus helveticus) and 1/4 tsp. calf lipase for 3 gallons of milk.  I also add citric acid (4 tsp). 

Here are the basic instructions I am following:
-warm milk to 91
-add culture and ripen 1 hour
-add rennet and let set 15 minutes or until clean break
- cut curds, let rest, keep at 91 for an hour or so, stirring occasionally for first half hour (recipe says you can raise temperature to make a dryer cheese but my cheese is dry enough so I don't)
-drain for 3-4 hours
- work the curd or refridgerate and work the next day (I have been working it the next day)

What can I do to increase flavor? 

Allyson H.

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: Mozzarella - Increasing Flavor
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2012, 01:51:57 PM »
Your make needs a TA style culture with Strep. thermophilus. This is the primary thermo acidifier. You should not be adding citric acid to a cultured Mozz. Let the bacteria do their thing.

15 minutes is not enough time for coagulation. Search on flocculation.

soleuy

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Re: Mozzarella - Increasing Flavor
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2012, 12:40:43 PM »


I've made   mozzarella   several times with a  traditional Italian recipe given by friends of an Italian forum (http://www.forumdiagraria.org/industria-lattiero-casearia-f40/procedura-mozzarella-per-neofita-by-tsuna-t33830.html). I don´t know if what I get is more flavor than yours, but here is the recipe.
Warm milk to 38- 42 ° C add starter : manufactured with S. termophilus y L. bulgaricus or starter natural made from whey from the past preparation ot from milk or yogurt (2- 3 % ) wait 30 minutes


Coagulation at 32- 37 ° C total time 35 – 40 minutes.

First cut 8- 10 cm , wait 10 minutes, cut between walnut and hazelnut size

Then you let the curd under drain maintaining it warm. If you want you can drain the   and replace it by water at 40 ° C for using the whey to make ricotta ( I made it only once to probe but I usually don’t make ricotta because isn't worth since I process 4 l of milk each time.
You control by making “prova di filatua" putting water in a cup at 85-90 ° C or you can measure pH too. It can´t  go down 5, 2. You can drain the curd when is a little less than 5,4 and go on  controlling.. Its important to look after it carefully at his point.

When its ready I cut the curd in thin slices (2 – 3mm)

Filatura. For this 4 l of milk I warm more or less 4 l of water to 87- 90 ° c and put  one spoon  of salt for each liter

I put the curd in pan  and put 1 liter of this water trying no to put it over the cud.
I stir it till it melts

I take the water and put the remaining water and do the filatura till it stretches 15- 20 cm and doesn't cut.I take 80 % water and form them. I put them in water at 10 -15 ° C

iratherfly

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Re: Mozzarella - Increasing Flavor
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2012, 06:06:19 PM »
Switch the lipase from calf to kid, lamb or kid/lamb mix! That will give it a SERIOUS KICK! Feel free to use fatter milk when you do that because the lipase turns fatty acids into piquant flavors.