Author Topic: My third and final Batch for the Week 3.5 lbs Havartis -Update  (Read 3085 times)

Offline DeejayDebi

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I have a game Basketball game tonight so I will elaborate later. Just got this in the press and cleaned up with enough time for a quick post. I used Margaret Morris's recipe this time for Havarti to see what the difference was between hers and Peter Dickson's. Here they are after the 15 minute flip:

This is one of my favorite cheeses. I think this is my fourth batch this year. Maybe these bigger ones will last longer?
« Last Edit: November 19, 2009, 03:05:52 AM by DeejayDebi »

Cheese Head

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Re: My third and final Batch for the Week 3.5 lbs Havartis
« Reply #1 on: August 22, 2009, 09:31:20 PM »
Debra, they do look nice, I assume 3.5 lb each, few questions:
  • What is you flavouring, how and when did you add it and how much per US gallon milk?
  • What was your pressing weight for each cheese and how long?

I found here that Peter Dixon's recipe's pressing weight was vague and Debra's was I thought heavy & long for this normally softer washed curd cheese.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: My third and final Batch for the Week 3.5 lbs Havartis
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2009, 03:48:36 AM »
Sorry I had to rush off. This is another havarti with dill. I love dill and it grows in my garden like a weed. Wait it is a weed isn't it?

I usually add it right after cutting if it's dried to give it time to soak into the whey. Makes great flavorful bread that way. This time I wasn't going to save the whey so I added it when I drained the curds an poured some of the dill filled whey over the curds just before pressing. That's why there's so much around the edges of the cheese. Hmm how much - good question I'd say about 3 tablespoons in this batch. I normally use at least 1 teaspoon per gallon. I really love dill I use it instead of salt on veggies.

Pressing weight was initally one can of tomatoes or about 6.5 pounds + the weight and cheese from the other mold maybe another 5 pounds? You know me and my #10 can weights. After flipping twice I added a can of pineapple and wedged it under my kitchen cabinet so it would fall while I was gone.

I don't know if you can see it but one thing about these molds is if you don't flip them alot while they are warm (aboutevery 30 minute for a few hours) they leave a little ridge around the top. This was being pressed for 7 hours and only flipped once so I will flip it a few more times before bed.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: My third and final Batch for the Week 3.5 lbs Havartis
« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2009, 03:51:20 AM »
Oh BTW to give you an idea how big hese molds are they are sitting in a 12 quart dutch oven. I can' wait to see what Waynes new molds will look like.

wharris

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Re: My third and final Batch for the Week 3.5 lbs Havartis
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2009, 02:44:23 PM »
Wow, those look cool.

My cheese block appears a bit underwhelming... 



(still holding out for the 10kg kadova moulds....)

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: My third and final Batch for the Week 3.5 lbs Havartis
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2009, 05:04:51 PM »
I'd love to do a 10 kg cheese but I'd need to buy a new house first. I barely have room for what I have now! To many hobbies to little room!

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: My third and final Batch for the Week 3.5 lbs Havartis -Update
« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2009, 03:12:24 AM »
OKay I cut a bunch of my cheeses tonight for a potluck tomorrow ...

Here are the Havartis I did in August - a bit long for Havarti but I wanted to see it they'd hold until Thanksgiving. Ver little dill flavor by putting it in the whey. I think I will stick to putting it in the curds. Very creamy but a tad dry at amost 4 months.

Cheese Head

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Re: My third and final Batch for the Week 3.5 lbs Havartis -Update
« Reply #7 on: November 21, 2009, 02:39:26 PM »
Debi, still look great, and no mold from in vac bags all that time . . . great job!

Tea

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Re: My third and final Batch for the Week 3.5 lbs Havartis -Update
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2009, 08:02:03 PM »
Yep another excellent looking cheese.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: My third and final Batch for the Week 3.5 lbs Havartis -Update
« Reply #9 on: November 22, 2009, 01:12:58 AM »
Once you vac pac them they don't usually moolds for years. I do have a 5 year old asiago that is almost completely covered in white powdery mold.