Author Topic: Saffron infused Manchego Curado stage ***update #4 - over two months***  (Read 7346 times)

Dulcelife

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Memorial Day holiday is here; I have a day to myself.  And four gallons of prime Jersey raw milk to play with.  So, time to try something new.  I wanted something I could find plenty of information on.  Manchego fit the bill as there is plenty of information on here.  I felt that the recipe on Ricki Carroll’s website by Jim Wallace was the most complete.  I have refrained from coloring cheese with achiote based coloring since much experience with this coloring in years of Spanish cookery has left a bad tasted for me.  Hence the addition of saffron in the recipe in Artisan Cheese making at Home also appealed to me.  The addition of lipase to simulate sheep’s milk was also something I wanted to try.
Ingredients:
3 Gallons raw Jersey milk
1/8 tsp. MA4001  Recipe called for this quantity  for 2 gallons but my Jersey milk has proven to be pretty rich in natural flora leading to over acidification issues.
1/8 tsp. Mild lipase.  I went light on this first make.
1/8 tsp. crushed saffron threads.  I ground up fine to get more color.
¾  tbs. single strength calf rennet.
The make:
May 26, 2012
1:40pm:  Inoculate 86F pH6.7 milk and let hydrate.
1:45pm:  Stir down and let ripen 30 minutes to pH 6.5
2:15pm:  Added lipase and stirred down.
2:20pm:  PH 6.6 (6.5 target), added rennet, stirred down, started timer, floated cup.
2:31pm:  Milk flocked at 11 min. x 3 = 33 = 2:53pm curd cut.
2:53pm:  Cut curds to 1” squares vertically only and let rest 3 minutes.  Temp 84F
2:56pm:  Placed on heat and started rice grain size cutting with whisk slowly then quickly as time progressed to 10 min.
3:07pm:  Stirred curds for 20 min.  Temperature back up to 88F
3:28pm:  Increased heat 2F every five minutes or so to get to 97F in 30 min.  Hit 99.5F but did not worry since ACMAH recipe for this cheese goes to 104F.   Total cook was 41 min.
4:09pm:   Let curds settle.
4:11pm:  Pitched whey at pH 6.3 and reserved.
4:20pm:  Finished consolidating curds into bare hoops and poured back whey into molds and commenced pressing very light under whey for 30 minutes.
4:50pm:  Drained and started dressing and packing into two molds.
5:00pm:  Started first 30 minute press.
5:35pm:  Redressed and started second 60 min. press
7:00pm:  Redressed and final firm press for 5 hours.
May 27, 2012
12:00am: Released all pressure and let rest in mold to pH 5.3
7:50am: PH 5.20, unmolded with lots of difficulty as curds had swollen in mold.
8:00am:  Set in one gallon saturated brine with 1 tbs. calcium chloride and pH adjusted with 1 ½ tsp. distilled vinegar to pH 5.3  I set cheese in brine still wrapped as there was considerable sticking of CC.  Plyban is on order and arrives next week.
10:00am: Flipped cheeses.
12:00pm:  Flipped cheeses.
6:00pm:  Set wheels out to dry.

The best news of all is that I got the Exstick to behave by constant cleaning and recalibration before each measurement.  There is a replacement in the mail to arrive next week with no return necessary so it will be nice to use two and cross check.
I am really excited about the prospects for this make since it is the most detailed and carefully monitored make I have attempted.

« Last Edit: August 10, 2012, 12:59:58 PM by Dulcelife »

Offline Boofer

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Re: Saffron infused Hispanico / Manchego
« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2012, 12:48:21 AM »
Hey, wait a minute! What happened to the 4th gallon?  :)

Nice knit. Interesting setup with the presses in the whey.

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Dulcelife

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Re: Saffron infused Hispanico / Manchego
« Reply #2 on: May 28, 2012, 01:04:40 AM »
Well Boofer, since you had to ask, here is the fourth gallon (french cream cheese on the right), as well as the ricotta from the Manchego make whey.
It was cheese day at my house yesterday.

linuxboy

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Re: Saffron infused Hispanico / Manchego
« Reply #3 on: May 28, 2012, 01:05:33 AM »
Great make. Why did your curds swell in the mold?

Dulcelife

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Re: Saffron infused Hispanico / Manchego
« Reply #4 on: May 28, 2012, 01:12:02 AM »
linuxboy: The recipe ( http://www.cheesemaking.com/Hispanico.html ) called for overnight stay in mold at zero pressure.  I figure it was "springing back" after releasing the pressure to zero.

linuxboy

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Re: Saffron infused Hispanico / Manchego
« Reply #5 on: May 28, 2012, 01:46:27 AM »
I see. Didn't understand what you meant at first. I really like all these tomme-derivative cheeses. Hope this comes out really tasty for you :)

Offline Boofer

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Re: Saffron infused Hispanico / Manchego
« Reply #6 on: May 28, 2012, 06:53:40 AM »
Well Boofer, since you had to ask, here is the fourth gallon (french cream cheese on the right), as well as the ricotta from the Manchego make whey.
It was cheese day at my house yesterday.
Whew, thanks!  Now I can sleep tonight.  :)

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Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Saffron infused Hispanico / Manchego
« Reply #7 on: May 29, 2012, 02:52:51 AM »
Very nice looking cheeses Dulcelife!

Dulcelife

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Re: Saffron infused Hispanico / Manchego ***update #1***
« Reply #8 on: June 09, 2012, 01:55:12 AM »

May 28th, 2012
5:00pm:  Moved wheels to non-humidified cave to continue drying at cooler temperature: 54F.
May 30th, 2012
5:00pm:  Placed wheels in ripening box: 54F @ 85% rH; turning every day.
June 8, 2012
6:30pm:  Washed cheeses which barely had snowy white mold in areas with saturated salted vinegar wash in preparation for E.V.O.O. rub down.
   Yield thus far:   1lb 12.8oz and 1lb 8.4oz = 3lb 5.2 oz
9:48pm:  Rubbed down cheese wheels with E.V.O.O.

Dulcelife

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Re: Saffron infused Hispanico / Manchego ***update #1***
« Reply #9 on: June 17, 2012, 09:46:11 PM »
Manchego is looking real good.

June 15, 2012
5:30pm:  Rubbed rind with E. V. O. O.  Looking really nice.

Smells divine.

Dulcelife

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Re: Saffron infused Manchego - CURADO ***update #3***
« Reply #10 on: June 21, 2012, 01:31:59 AM »
Cut into one wheel for a taste at the Manchego Curado stage.  And, a chance for more cheese porn.

Pretty firm Edam-like curd.  Nice rind.  Paste is nice, dry, sweet and chewable like an aged washed curd cheese should be.  Taste is very mild as can expected for its youth with hints of nuts and a nice very light gamey taste not yet fully developed.  I think I got the right amount of mild lipase which will age nicely.  No complaints yet at this young stage.

« Last Edit: June 21, 2012, 03:43:59 PM by Dulcelife »

Offline Boofer

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Re: Saffron infused Manchego - CURADO ***update #3***
« Reply #11 on: June 21, 2012, 01:28:19 PM »
And, a chance of more cheese porn.
Oh...yeah...and so early in the morning. Very nice.  :D

Congrats on this cheese at this stage. Looks and sounds very enjoyable. I think you've captured that elusive description of the lipase character: "gamey".

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

Dulcelife

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Re: Saffron infused Manchego Curado stage ***update #4 - over two months***
« Reply #12 on: August 10, 2012, 01:13:07 PM »
Manchego has improved considerable as can be expected at 70 plus days. Here is Manchego one on the right and No. two at 45 days on the left.  Both are good.  The fresco at 45 has softer paste with a more cheddary texture in the center.  After aging with an oiled rind, this cheese gets "curado": chewy and nutty with a more mature gamey taste and perfect for snacking with sweet fruit.

The second photo is this last Monday's Manchego No. three; no saffron this time and much less culture.  I'll post this make in the future when its ready for tasting. 

Offline H-K-J

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Re: Saffron infused Manchego Curado stage ***update #4 - over two months***
« Reply #13 on: August 10, 2012, 01:29:11 PM »
I have got to get off my Stilton kick and venture out into the pressed cheese world again :)
these cheese look excelent ;D
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Offline Boofer

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Re: Saffron infused Manchego Curado stage ***update #4 - over two months***
« Reply #14 on: August 10, 2012, 01:51:35 PM »
I have got to get off my Stilton kick and venture out into the pressed cheese world again :)
these cheese look excelent ;D
There you go! Expand your horizons. So many cheeses, so little room (in the cave)!  ;D

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.