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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Hard Other => Topic started by: Flound on February 01, 2014, 09:24:30 PM
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I know. I'm a bit excited.
Third Caerphilly is in the press and Jeff, my ricotta yield is 360g on this one.
Caerphilly 4 14/02/01
5:30 milk brought out to get to room temperature.
7:50 warming milk to 32C. Temp 20.8C
8:17 temp 28.1C
8:28 temp 31.0C
8:32 temp 32.0C transferred insert to sink bath (34.5C)
8:33 added 4 buttermilk culture cubes (14/01/21)
9:06 temp 32.8C added 60ml of distilled water/CaCl2 2.4ml solution, stirred bottom to top
9:11 added rennet solution (2.5ml in 60ml cool distilled water) stirred bottom to top, started floc timer
9:25 floc time 11:00 - cut curd approx. 9:47
9:47 clean break, cut curd.
9:50 curd cut finished, letting set for 5 minutes
9:56 heating to 35C over 30 minutes. Temp 32.4C
10:21 temp 34.6C
10:33 temp 35.1C, transferred to water bath (36.9C) for 45 minutes
11:15 whey off started. Temp 34.9C
11:22 into press 10kg, heating whey for ricotta.
11:53 removed, undressed, flipped
11:57 back into press 10kg
12:28 out of press, undressed, flipped
12:33 back into press 20kg
I'll be trying Geo's suggestion on cloth marks on this one. Thanks Geo...
Jeff, ive got my wine cooler set up for aging. I've got a small ultrasonic humidifier and a small fan rigged and I'm able to regulate temp easily and humidity is a bit looser, but workable.
What I'm wondering is should the cheese still go in containers (seems more likely to me) or left on the racks to age?
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Cool! I would keep them in boxes with the lids ajar. It will isolate moulds, etc, but also, when you open and close the door the environment will change more than in the boxes. But, it's really a matter of finding out what works with your set up.
- Jeff
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So the 3rd Caerphilly came out of the brine bath and is drying quite nicely. I've put it with its two brothers (it's the back left).
I used Geo's tip for avoiding cloth marks and it looks the best of all three. Thanks, Geo!
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Good looking trio there Flound! How much do they weigh? And what's their dimensions? Your makes look pretty consistent in terms of yield, which is good. They will lose a lot of weight as you air dry them (I went through a kick of measuring moisture loss, and I was getting about 40 or 50 g a day when air drying, and down around 4-6g/day in the cave; the rate eventually drops off, but it was pretty constant around 4-6g/day in the cave over the first month anyway) . Ricotta amounts will fluctuate, but if you get a huge amount it is often due to losing solids that should have been in your cheese (usually from stirring too enthusiastically). The amounts you're getting sound good though. Well done.
- Jeff
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So far, I haven't weighed any of the wheels past pressing.
1) 1410g after press.
2) 1550g after press.
3) 1530g after press.
I will weigh all the wheels tonight to see how they're reducing.
For dimensions, they're all between 2.3" and 2.5" in height after pressing. I didn't measure the diameter because I figured the mould would keep it consistent. :)
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Very good consistency. These should turn out nicely I think. My caerphilly was 1414g from 11 litres, so we're in the same game here. I often stir quite gently, so don't expel as much whey, and end up with cheeses over 1500g out of the press. With moisture loss over time, they will eventually come down to around a 10% yeild, so 1.1 kg from 11 Litres is roughly what one expects. Three weeks won't be enough to get these down, which is part of where the tang that caerphilly has comes from.
Nice.
- Jeff
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I think my yield on the first make was low due to the much smaller amount of rennet used and a combination of very light stirring. Mayhap I was a little too deferential to my curdy friends that first time, having stirred it a total of twice.
Even with the 2nd and 3rd, while I stirred gently, but with a greater frequency, perhaps a huge total of 3 or 4 stirs, maybe the curd is a bit whey heavy and I have more moisture inside than had a stirred a bit more often.
It would seem to fit the rather slow air drying time (comparatively), as even after 7 days, I don't think the first cheese is truly ready for the cave. It's pretty much dry to the touch, but it's just the ever so slightest bit damp on the bottom when flipped.
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I'm losing it! I thought those were all 14xxg, I missed the fact that the 2nd and 3rd were 15xx! This is what happens when one tries to read before coffee.
Anyway, still, those are weights that I typically get. My latest, at 1414, is on the lighter side, but I was continuously stirring for an hour or so. The curds shrank up quite nicely, though they did break up a fair bit as I started stirring with authority right at the start, rather than jiggle them for the first 5 minutes or so. The jiggling bit helps the curds expel a bit of whey and firm up as store bought milk produces quite fragile curds. Raw milk makes for stronger bonds in the curd, so the cubes can handle a bit more. This makes me think this might be a good candidate for longer aging, which I've not really done with caerphilly yet. I usually use it as my quick to the table cheese, but as I have a few still on the go, I'll take this one out for a while. I also want to try making another montasio, but one for the table rather than for grating (of which I have 3 well over 2 years old now), meaning I'll use less lipase, 1/4 tsp is great for grating, but too strong for table cheese in my opinion. I'll probably go with about 1/16th.
- Jeff
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You're not losing it. (A concept that requires one to 'have it' in the first place, a sketchy proposition where you and I are concerned even under the broadest terms possible...). I edited the post to correct my oopsie whole you were composing your reply.
Seemingly I decided to keep all my cheese in the 1.4kg range...brain fart.
Edit; how much weight does a cheese gain, typically, after they've been brined?
First wheel is currently 1221g, after an 8 hr brine bath and one full week of air drying. 2nd wheel is 1625g after a 10hr brine bath and 2 days of air drying and the third is 1636g after a 12hr brine bath and 1 day of air drying.
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Ah, I feel better now. Ok, deep breath and relax.
I've done a few measurements of the weight before and after brining, and I don't really recall them gaining weight? But it's been awhile, and I tend to salt the curds of most of my cheddar makes rather than brine them. I'll have to check my notes on my gouda makes, as I brine gouda.
- Jeff
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Ok, I've checked my notes and, after looking at about half a dozen makes where I brined post press, and had recorded the pre and post brine weights, none of the cheeses were heavier post brine. All had lost 20-40g by the end of it. Are you sure you didn't put a big sponge in the brine by mistake? Some of them are yellow after all. Could happen.
- Jeff
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You're a ka!
I've discovered the problem. Turns out my new 5kg digital scale with no calibration option likes to add 151g to my measures.
I used a known and confirmed diving weight of 1kg on my old beat up analog scale that I wanted to replace and it gives a reading of 1kg. Being analog, its gradients aren't that finite so anything beyond below .01 of a kg become an approximation so I opted for a new digital scale capable of reading grams.
With that same 1kg weight, I get a 1,151g reading.
That means my corrected readings for yesterday should have been 1,070g, 1474g and 1485g. Which is in keeping with the information you gave, i.e., that they lose a little during brining.
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Ah, that would do it. My digital scale goes up in 2s, so all my cheeses are even cheeses. No odd cheeses here I tell you!
- Jeff
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Love you curd nerds!!! (said with affection!). ^-^
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So here's the 3rd Caerphilly after 35 days...
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That's looking very good Flound.
- Jeff
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Nice looking wheel, Flound! You got the hang of it real quick!
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That's looking very good Flound.
- Jeff
Nice looking wheel, Flound! You got the hang of it real quick!
Gentlemen, never underestimate the motivation of a fat man when it comes to food production.
A process, in my experience, followed immediately by consumption.
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Gentlemen, never underestimate the motivation of a fat man when it comes to food production.
A process, in my experience, followed immediately by consumption.
I want to drive all the way to Nova Scotia just to give you a High Five for that comment! lol! ;D
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So, I cut into it. :)
Me like.
Much more noticeable rind, edible but not the best. The paste had a nice crumble. A shade saltier that the first, but smoother taste, less tang and a hint of cream. Still had good acidity but the part that struck me was a nutty flavour - not strong, just a hint.
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Sounds pretty good. I'm not a big fan of the wild rinds myself. While I like the influence they have on the rest of the cheese, I tend to remove them and toss them. If I had pigs, they would be happy! The "tang" that caerphilly has when young does fade as you age it out, so it will take on new flavours as you wait. While I'm aging my latest one, I generally see caerphilly as my quick cheese since I like the young version, and concentrate on other cheddar types for longer aging. Perhaps that could be a mistake? Anyway, glad to hear it is tasty. A cheese to you!
- Jeff
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A very nice looking Caerphilly Flound 8)
I do like mine aged 8 weeks or more, I have ate them at 3, (as Jeff has) I have made this my mainstay.
My wife loves this, yet alas, our blues, MMMMMmmmmmmmMmmmMMMm
AC2U, nice Caerphilly ;D
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I split the difference on this one. Just a smidge over 5 weeks.
Fyi, I have another in the press as we speak. The aforementioned Caerphilly for Rum deal. Woot! My first order - lol.