Mals #5 Camemberts 18th Feb 2012

[DeejayDebi]

The paper held in to much moisture.

[george]

Mal, have you ever considered just using a different recipe?  This one REALLY doesn't seem to be working for you.   

[Oberhasli]

Well, shucks.  I was hoping for better results.  One thing I did notice in your pictures were your cam's are a bit too thick.  It is harder to get thick cam's to age evenly.  I think George has a good suggestion to try a different recipe  .  I have used Margaret Morris' recipe from Glengarry Cheesemaking for years.  But, I think it is going to be tweaking the amount of curd you put into the moulds and cutting back on the Geo a bit as well. 

But, hang in there.  All of us have "been there, done that" with cheesemaking.  Perseverance is the key if you want to nail this one and so far you get an A+++ for that  .  We all have our "white whales" though - mine being mozzarella.  Some day.......
 
Good luck with batch number 7.

Bonnie

[Oberhasli]

Oops.  Sorry.  Here's to batch #6  .

Bonnie

[OzzieCheese]

I've used three recipes. one from the person who taught me, the one in Ricki Carrolls book and the one in Tim Smiths book.  With the same results or there about, smelly round hockey pucks that don't ripen.  So if any one has a recipe from start to finish I can follow that would be appreciated.

-- Mal

[DeejayDebi]

Any one of them should have worked I think you need to give them more air. To much moisture will kill them.

[OzzieCheese]

Ok, then more air it is.  As well as more draining with a little hand massage, not as high (going for 6 out of 8 litres) and salt the outside. I only have an under bench "40 bottle Cave" so it looks like my Caerphilly and Manchago are going to have to share with next weeks camembert #6 and I going to trust my wifes nose and the first sign of a feety smell they will be moved into the normal 4 Degree C Fridge for the remainder of the ripening. I wonder what a PC covered Caephilly will taste like or a fuzzy manchage 

Look for the posts next week and I'll see where #6 gets to.  Thanks to all for your input and encouragement.

-- Mal
 
   

[george]

And don't wrap 'em till they're mostly ripened and ready to eat.  I think those early wraps are killing them too, both from air and moisture perspective.

[anutcanfly]

I let my Gorgonzola, in it's mold, drain overnight in the oven with the light on, only to discover the temperature had gone up to 85 degrees.  This caused my cheese , which was not in a container, to drain too well and it ended up being drier than a blue should be.  Perhaps this might work you?  Drain at a warmer temp. 

Somebody respond to this as I may be in the left field.  Couldn't you put your cheese in the refrigerator for few days, after the initial draining, to slow down Geo and PC so the cheese has more time to lose moisture before the Geo and PC get going?  It would drain slower, but the fridge tends to dry things out so I can't think why this would be a problem?

[JeffHamm]

My concern with drying in the regular fridge would be that the outside would dry quickly, but leave a moist interior, which would then cause the cheese to crack. 

Sorry to see you're having such a hard time with these cam's Mal.  I've not made cam very often, and not for over a year, so I don't yet have any personal insights.  Still, from what others are saying, I think the key is at the point you hoop them.  The curds are remaining too moist and not draining properly.  Perhaps try cutting your curds a bit smaller and stirr just a bit more vigorously to help expell more whey.  Then, when hooping, try scooping the curds into a cheese cloth collander (one scoop), let the whey drain, then move that scoop to the hoop rather than directly ladel into the hoops.  Might be worth a try anyway?

I know you'll crack this though. 

- Jeff

[OzzieCheese]

My wife says I'm a stubborn bugger.  So I'm not giving up.

--Mal

[baltikabear]

HI,

From what i can see the geo has really taken hold but no p candidum growth. Once you had the growth be it geo or P candidum you need to bring temperature down to 5deg otherwise you will just get a runny mess. I think the curds are plenty dry enough in the moulding stage with you infact i would prefer them to be more moist. If they are moister in the curd then they ripen easier but has to be done slowly .  dont hink you are far off . Not sure abou tthe salt in the whey mind !! that will slow the starter down and flora danica is a slow starter anyway ! 

[DeejayDebi]

My wife says I'm a stubborn bugger.  So I'm not giving up.

--Mal

Good man never give up! It can only get better each cheese is a learning experience!