Author Topic: Raclette Cheese Making Recipe  (Read 14249 times)

Bella

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Re: Raclette Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #15 on: September 11, 2009, 09:31:26 PM »
Hi Susanne
I used a tomme mould and used a lightish weight – I think it was 8 kg, and pressed it overnight. Because of the heat here (I am in Australia), the ageing process is a big challenge. I am using plastic storage boxes and keep the cheeses in a wine fridge set to about 12C.

My neighbour came over after posting yesterday and gave me a few slices of my second raclette (I hadn’t tasted it before as he took the entire cheese!). I had it for dinner over potato and it was lovely. The cheese was quite elastic and there was no hint of oiliness when melted and it browned up nicely.

As a result of this success, I am in the process of making another one now (have just added the starter and the milk is ripening). It will be a whole milk cheese as the milk mostly came straight from the cow with no opportunity to separate the cream. I’ll let you know in a couple of months how it turned out.
B

susanne

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Re: Raclette Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #16 on: September 12, 2009, 04:59:12 AM »
yes, let me know how good it tasted ( how cruel LOL )
i have mine in the wine fridge in plastic box too. just need to wait i guess. i love raclette over potatoes and bacon.
i don't like the smell in the house the next day. 

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Raclette Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #17 on: September 13, 2009, 12:38:51 AM »
I am anxious to see these cheeses I have never had it. I don't think I have ever even seen it before. I really need to try eatting soft cheeses. So far I have only tried brie and Camembert from the store.

Anything with bacon has to be good!

susanne

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Re: Raclette Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #18 on: September 13, 2009, 01:12:59 AM »
debi the typical raclette dinner is with lots of little things, a little bit like fondue.
this is a dinner that can go over hours. every one has a little frying pan where you put in the bacon first. while it is getting nice and crispy, you peel a potato on your plate. put some slices of cheese on top of the crisp bacon and if it is melted, you pour it over your potato.
oh so yummy. served with pickled veggies, mushrooms or what ever you like.
this is very heavy and need a little something after wards ;)

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Raclette Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #19 on: September 13, 2009, 02:32:40 AM »
Ah thanks you so you wouldn't just grab a piece and eat it like say a cheddar?

susanne

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Re: Raclette Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #20 on: September 14, 2009, 01:42:41 AM »
of course you could but it is much better melted over potatoes.
where it originated, they put the whole cheese near a fireplace and scrap of the melted cheese to put it over bread or potatoes. served with white wine ;)

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Raclette Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #21 on: September 14, 2009, 02:51:23 AM »
Ah well it does sound delicious with potatoes and bacon!  ;D

Thank you!

Bella

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Re: Raclette Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #22 on: September 14, 2009, 02:52:33 AM »
Hi Susanne and Debi
Here are a couple of photos from my first raclette party on my deck with neighbours. There are two cheeses: the one on the right is the raclette and the one on the left is my first fontina, which apparently can be used in a way similar to raclette so we tried it as well.

The grill was supplied by my French neighbour, but I purchased one for myself yesterday, so raclette is going to be a standard around here. My French neighbour reckons we will have to put names on the cheeses!!
B

cmharris6002

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Re: Raclette Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #23 on: September 14, 2009, 02:55:00 AM »
Wow, that looks like so much fun!!

Christy

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Raclette Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #24 on: September 14, 2009, 03:01:39 AM »
That is a very interesting cooker you got there too! I love those little cooking cups!

Cheese Head

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Re: Raclette Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #25 on: September 14, 2009, 10:44:22 AM »
Bella, great party and table, whoops I mean great looking cheese ;D.

Glad it went so well, I remember those warming plates/cups, I thought we put cheese on potatoe and then both in the heater but I could be wrong as long time ago and wine was flowing well ::).

Congrats!

susanne

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Re: Raclette Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #26 on: September 14, 2009, 09:00:13 PM »
yep, that is how we do it here too.
now i would love to get the recipe for the fontina please ;)

Bella

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Re: Raclette Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #27 on: September 14, 2009, 09:30:05 PM »
Hi Susanne
I will post my fontina recipe below - I found it on this forum but from memory, I think I tweaked it a bit. Perhaps it was my technique, but it wasn't as nice as the raclette. It seemed to ripen before the time recommended in the recipe and I left it too long before cutting. But it was OK, just not great! The other thing is that it was a lot of work doing either the brushing and brining every day for the ripening period. Needless to say, I haven't made this cheese again!! So FWIW, here's the recipe I used....

FONTINA

1.   Bring milk to setting temperature of 35oC.  Add Type C starter and leave to ripen for 30 minutes.

2.   Add rennet at 2.5mL for each 10L of milk and dilute with at least 10 times its volume of cooled boiled water. Mix in well for no less than one minute and no more than 3 minutes. Maintain setting temperature until Step 7.

3.   Allow milk to set – this should take 45-60 minutes

4.   Cut the curd into 12mm cubes. Allow the curds and whey to stand for 5 minutes, then stir gently for 5 minutes. Then cut into rice-size granules.

5.   Gently stir the curds to prevent matting while heating to 47C, taking 30-35 minutes to reach this temperature.

6.   Let the curd sit on the bottom of the pot for 5 minutes.

7.   Collect the curd mass into a cheesecloth and let hang until no more whey drips out

8.   Place an open ended hoop onto a cheesecloth-lined draining tray and place the curds into the hoop and leave overnight.

9.   Next day, transfer 8-11C room (>80% RH) for ripening.

10.   Turn the cheeses daily.

11.   Every second day, wash the cheese with brine until the rind develops a brown colouring, and on the other day, brush the cheese (to remove mould formation).

12.   The cheese will be ready approximately 90 days.

susanne

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Re: Raclette Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #28 on: September 14, 2009, 09:38:00 PM »
thank you very much. i appreciate it.
i will try it and let you know how it turned out :)

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Raclette Cheese Making Recipe
« Reply #29 on: September 14, 2009, 11:51:22 PM »
Thanks Bella!