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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Hard Other => Topic started by: John@PC on February 07, 2014, 08:30:35 PM

Title: 2nd Caerphilly Chived
Post by: John@PC on February 07, 2014, 08:30:35 PM
This is the Caerphilly approx. that I had ready to post only to have my cat Cotton delete it so I went on to other things.  However the cheese turned out great so I thought I'd go back and document it.

2nd Caerphilly Chived (Mary Karlin’s recipe with toasted chives added to curd before pressing)
Ingredients
  2 gal. whole cow’s milk
  ¼ tsp. MA 4001
  ¼ tsp. TA 061 (substituted for Aroma B)
  ½ tsp. CaCl diluted in ¼ cup cool non-chlorinated water
  ½ tsp. single-strength calf rennet (diluted as above)
  1 Tbs. fresh chives, toasted
  2 qts. Med. Heavy brine
Making
  Sprinkled DVI starters, re-hydrated 5 min. and stirred in
  Let ripen 1 hr. holding 90 deg.
  Added CaCl, gently stirring for 1 min.
  Added rennet, gently stirring for 1 min.
  Covered and maintained 90 deg.
  Clean-break @ 55 min.
  Cut curds in ½” pieces; let sit for 5 min.
  Stirring, increased heat to 95 deg. over 20 min.
  Turned off heat and let curds rest 45 min.
Draining / Pressing / Aging
  Drained whey
  Transferred curds to cloth-lined 6” polycarbonate mold; let drain 5 min
  Added top cloth and follower; pressed at 8 lbs. for 30 min.
  Flipped and redressed cheese and pressed at 10 lbs. for 12 hr.
  Placed in birne for 8 hrs., flipping once
  Removed cheese from brine, dried with paper towel
  Air-dried for 2 hr. (recipe calls for 24 hrs. but I prefer a softer rind).
  Ripened at 55F and 85%RH
  Washed every other day with b Linens in salt solution for 2 weeks*
  *recipe calls for allowing a natural “dry” rind but I wanted to try the wash
  Aged for 7 weeks

I would have aged it another month but I had a friend come by on his 70th birthday so decided to cut it.  The b. Linens wash kept almost all other molds at bay (I was out of town for over a week) and definitely provided it's aroma effect.  As you can see in the last picture it had a very soft paste and (aside from the color and taste) an almost undetectable rind, perhaps due in part with the short air drying period.  Mary Karlin likens Caerphilly to cheescake and this one came closest to that consistancy and look than the first ones.
Title: Re: 2nd Caerphilly Chived
Post by: graysalchemy on February 07, 2014, 08:47:16 PM
I like the look of that. It will be the wild garlic season here in a month or so, so I plan on doing a couple of Caerphilly's with wild garlic.  :)
Title: Re: 2nd Caerphilly Chived
Post by: Digitalsmgital on February 08, 2014, 03:54:46 AM
Wow, that is a beautiful wheel! I think your B linens wash finished it perfectly!

Several things strike me in your photos, the uniformity of your curds, how they retain their shape, your press...I see you used CaCl but is it P&H milk or raw? I have yet to achieve anything near uniformity, now I see the benchmark!

AC4U!
Title: Re: 2nd Caerphilly Chived
Post by: John@PC on February 08, 2014, 03:06:50 PM
Thanks Dave.  I don't make a lot of cheese but this is my 4th (2nd with chives) and never had a fail (now mozerella is another story  >:().  Milk is a low-temp pasteurized / non homogenized I get locally for a good price ($4.75 per gal.) and it always gives a nice firm curd.  We make and sell all SS square curd cutters (harps) and they do provide very consistently sized curd cubes and cut very fast (this video (http://s.vid.ly/embeded.html?link=s7a5j0&autoplay=false&fullscreen=yes&currentTime=2.995435&volume=0.6&mute=false&state=play) was shot when I made this Caerphilly; took about 1 min. to cut)).  They're designed  for square pans up to 6" deep, but we have had some "influential" people suggest we design one for larger (up to 15 gal) pots.  Can't help but to think there are already good ones out there for small-to-medium sized vats, just don't know about $$$.  Maybe terry@DairyFab (http://www.curdknives.com/commercial.html) or others would have some suggestions? 

As for the press it's the result of a whole lot of testing different designs.  My first press was a home-made dutch-style but I wanted something smaller and easier to store.  This one is technically a "spring" press (using rubber bands) but the toggle design keeps the pressure constant as the rubber band relaxes, and the arms have dowel pins that when pulled lets it fold down flat for storage.  The capacity is in the 40 to 50 lb. range but like many other's on the board I don't go above 20-25 any more.  We call it the "M-Press" but just haven't had time to get some more made and do some "cheese-consumer testing"  ::). 
Title: Re: 2nd Caerphilly Chived
Post by: Boofer on February 08, 2014, 03:27:48 PM
Still fascinated with your press. :)

Looks like the "2nd Caerphilly ready for cave" pic is a zero length file. You can modify that original post after you resolve the file.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: 2nd Caerphilly Chived
Post by: John@PC on February 08, 2014, 08:54:53 PM
Thanks Boofer.  I reloaded the pics and the "ready for cave" one is there now.
Title: Re: 2nd Caerphilly Chived
Post by: Rizzo on April 13, 2014, 09:48:12 PM
Wow..that looks great. I just made this one, out of the mould yesterday. Recipe from 200 East Cheese recipes, but with 1/2 volumes...Looks very good, but the proof will be in the eating of course!
Title: Re: 2nd Caerphilly Chived
Post by: Rizzo on May 03, 2014, 06:54:02 AM
I'm not sure whats gone wrong with my cheese, this is what it looks like now, after 3 weeks. yellow spost on top and bottom...presumebly whey, but not sure...:(
Title: Re: 2nd Caerphilly Chived
Post by: JeffHamm on May 03, 2014, 11:55:54 PM
Hi Rizzo,

Looks fine.  Rinds to odd things, the yellow spots could be butterfat, or perhaps a yellow mould, etc.  The photo is a bit blurry, but it looks fine to me.  Have you tasted it?

- Jeff
Title: Re: 2nd Caerphilly Chived
Post by: John@PC on May 04, 2014, 12:24:11 AM
I agree with Jeff that it's probably nothing to fret about.   You can do a simple check to see if it's surface mold (vs. something coming from inside-out) by seeing if you can easily scrape it off with a knife edge.   If not you may want to do a taste test as Jeff suggested. 
Title: Re: 2nd Caerphilly Chived
Post by: Rizzo on May 04, 2014, 04:18:56 AM
Whey-hey!! just cut into it, and its fine..and whats more, had a taste...delicious...I was reluctant to cut it as it's just 3 weeks old. I will continue to age two halves now (if it doesn't ge nibbled away !!). Thanks for the help, guys....photo attached... :D
Title: Re: 2nd Caerphilly Chived
Post by: Rizzo on May 04, 2014, 04:33:36 AM
Looking at your pix again John, your initial pressed photo and the yellowy rind photo are not too dissimilar..maybe a characteristic of this cheese? My first Caerphilly I waxed, this is my second.
Title: Re: 2nd Caerphilly Chived
Post by: JeffHamm on May 04, 2014, 06:39:48 AM
Very nice looking caerphilly once opened!  A cheese to you!  This is a great cheese to learn from.  The quick turn around lets you improve very quickly.  It's also a tasty cheese even when very young.  It's one of my personal favorites, and also one I encourage everyone to start with when they want to get into hard cheeses.  Well done.

- Jeff
Title: Re: 2nd Caerphilly Chived
Post by: Rizzo on May 06, 2014, 01:43:02 AM
Yes, I am pleased you recommended the Caerphilly to me, Jeff.  This kind of cheese is exactly what I had in my minds eye when I started out making cheese.
Btw, now the cheese is cut into two halves, do I continue aging it by just allowing a rind to grow over the cut surfaces? thanks
Title: Re: 2nd Caerphilly Chived
Post by: JeffHamm on May 06, 2014, 02:51:26 AM
I usually keep the cheese in a ripening box and just eat it over time which usually helps deal with any mould issues on the cut edge (I usually just cut a wedge myself, and eat by taking left then right side cuts).  If you want to age it out, you could wax it or vac. seal it.  Otherwise, mould might get into the paste if left on its own for a long time. 

- Jeff
Title: Re: 2nd Caerphilly Chived
Post by: Rizzo on May 06, 2014, 07:38:46 PM
Thanks Jeff. I would like to try to keep one half, and eat the other (as has already started lol). The Lancashire, by the way, which was made a week later, appears to be doing fine.
Title: Re: 2nd Caerphilly Chived
Post by: JeffHamm on May 06, 2014, 08:22:27 PM
You should be able to keep it.  Hmm, maybe try warming the cut surface and smoothing it with a knife?  Just something to keep mould from getting inside.

I think you'll like the Lancashire when it's ready.  It usually peaks around 3 months, so anytime after 2 months is good for cutting it (as you can save some for the 3 month mark, etc).

- Jeff