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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Semi-Hard "Sweet" Washed Curd => Topic started by: LadyLiberty on February 11, 2009, 11:58:31 PM
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Ok, a kind soul on this board shared a recipe with me for this amazing melting cheese... So i will share. I haven't made this yet, but will sometime in the future and will share my experience with it.
RACLETTE RECIPE
Level: Fairly difficult (requires considerable time)
Start to Finish
1/5 hours for heating and ripening
45-60 minutes for renneting and coagulation
1 hour for cooking the curds
1 hour for draining and setting
3 days for curing
2-4 months for aging
Best Uses
Good table and excellent melting cheese
Storage
Stores well for months when tightly wrapped and refrigerated, but dries out fairly quickly if not properly sealed.
Yield
2 pounds raclette
Ingredients
2 gallons whole cow's milk
¼ cup fresh or 1 teaspoon powdered, mesophillic starter
¾ teaspoon liquid rennet mixed with ¼ cool water
Salt brine: 4 cups salt in 1 gallon water
Bacterial linens
Tip: Works best with raw milk that you pasteurize yourself. You will get a softer cheese from homogenized whole milk.
Note: It's important to refrain from heating either milk or curds too quickly here. The cheese simply won't hold together if you rush.
Warm the milk for about 30 minutes in a double boiler until the temperature reaches 88° F. Slowly stir in the mesophilic starter culture, blending it well throughout the milk. Cover and set aside to ripen for 1 hour.
Blend the rennet into the ripening milk. Allow the rennet to work undisturbed for 1 hour, or until the curds show a clean break when tested with a knife.
Cut the curds into ¼-inch cubes and allow them to settle to the bottom of the pot, as the whey rises to the surface.
FOREWORKING AND COOKING THE CURDS
Before you begin foreworking – stirring the lukewarm curds before cooking – heat about 2 quarts of water to a temperature of 140° F. Maintain the water at this temperature for washing the curds later.
Slowly stir the curds with a large ladle or spoon. (This will dispel more of the moisture and prevent the curds from sticking together.)
Skim why from the surface of the curds with a measuring cup, keeping track of the amount as you go. Replace the drained whey with an equal amount of the water you've preheated to 140° F, and gently stir the curds as you add the water, until the curds reach a temperature of 100° F. Be sure the temperature doesn't rise above 100° F, or your cheese won't solidify properly.
Continue to stir the curds for another 30—45 minutes and 100° F until they firm up. Then set the pot aside and allow the curds to rest for another 30 minutes.
Tilt the pot and carefully ladle or spoon the excess whey from the curds. Then set the curds aside to acidify for 1 more hour.
In the meantime, prepare brine by blending 4 cups of salt into 1 gallon of slightly warm water in a large pot or stainless-steel basin. Gently stir the solution for about 5 minutes before you allow the contents to settle. You should be able to see a layer of salt at the bottom, which means that the water is completely salt saturated and ready for the freshly processed raclette.
Place the raclette in the brine and allow it to float for 12 hours, turning once after 6 hours of soaking. Remove the cheese from the brine and pat dry with a clean cheesecloth or buttercloth.
Transfer the raclette to a rack or cheese mat and allow it to air dry for an hour.
CURING THE CHEESE
Add 1 teaspoon of bacterial linens to 1 quart of water, in an atomizer. Shake well. Spray all surfaced of the raclette and place it on the cheese mat or rack in the refrigerator or a cool room (55° F and 85% humidity). Allow it to rest for 2 days, turning once each day. On day 3, spray the cheese again.
You should now be able to detect a slight reddish-brown mold. Allow the raclette to age for another 2 months, as it steeps with flavor and forms a natural rind. If you prefer a cheese with a stronger flavor, give it an additional 2 months.
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See that's why I sent it to you. I didn't want to type that entire thing out. Thanks for doing that.
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See that's why I sent it to you. I didn't want to type that entire thing out. Thanks for doing that.
It really wasn't much trouble, I speed type.
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How many words per minute. I think I'm between 60-80. My friend who's an exprogrammer goes like 120.
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Carter...
I'm a little confused here.
Lady Liberty said she got this recipe from a "kind soul" and you expect us to believe that you are the one that sent it to her?
Nice try, but I don't think any of us are falling for it. :-)
Btw, I once typed 98 adjusted words per minute (adjusted for mistakes) but I've slowed down considerably since then.
Not only am I older and slower but the wine definately takes it's toll on the accuracy aspect of my typing.
Oh well....
I'm not willing to give up my Pinot Noir or Cab for a few extra words per minute. I have nothing but time.
Dave
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Okay, I know Carter knows that my previous comment (the kind soul thing) was a joke but I think this needs to be said.....
I don't know that I've ever "met" anyone on a message board that is any more helpful than what Carter is.
He is always quick to offer advice. Always quick to help and always quick to share his expertise with anyone that asks.
I'm not one to hand out compliments on a whim but when they are warranted I have no problem in doing so.
Also, that goes for this board, as a whole.
John has mentioned several times that it's the members that make this board great and I have to agree with him.
You are all a very helpful bunch.
Dave
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Okay, I know Carter knows that my previous comment (the kind soul thing) was a joke but I think this needs to be said.....
I don't know that I've ever "met" anyone on a message board that is any more helpful than what Carter is.
He is always quick to offer advice. Always quick to help and always quick to share his expertise with anyone that asks.
I'm not one to hand out compliments on a whim but when they are warranted I have no problem in doing so.
Also, that goes for this board, as a whole.
John has mentioned several times that it's the members that make this board great and I have to agree with him.
You are all a very helpful bunch.
Dave
It was Carter. He's a very sweet helpful guy, really. I've been very enlightened on this board, it's really good to have found it.
Carter I don't know how fast I type per minute. I type slower when I'm thinking about what to write.
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Well thank you for the compliments, they are appreciate.
As far as typing fast I have a switch in my head when I turn it to the right a little to look at a page to type what's on it I can't ever type as well, it's weird. I have to look at the words as I'm typing. All I can say is I never really learned anything in school, not the shcools fault I just don't do well in those environments, but I did learn typing. I don't know where I'd be if I couldn't type fast. My GF pecks at the keyboard with 2 fingers on each side. It's actually entertaining to watch.
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Well thank you for the compliments, they are appreciate.
As far as typing fast I have a switch in my head when I turn it to the right a little to look at a page to type what's on it I can't ever type as well, it's weird. I have to look at the words as I'm typing. All I can say is I never really learned anything in school, not the shcools fault I just don't do well in those environments, but I did learn typing. I don't know where I'd be if I couldn't type fast. My GF pecks at the keyboard with 2 fingers on each side. It's actually entertaining to watch.
Well to really go far afield here.... here we go again?
I took typing in high school but I had one of the prissiest teachers I could have ever nightmared so I flunked it. I learned from a software typing program, and then got temp jobs and for awhile my speed really accelerated when I was a legal secretary. Got good typing from the old dictaphone. Hated the lawyers though.
I type really terribly if I look at my hands at this point.
So has anyone ever tried making raclette?
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LL, yep had a very nice Raclette meal with another family after skiing in Faraya Ski Resort in Lebanon (http://www.skileb.com/ski-resort/FarayaMzaar/) about 5-6 winters ago.
We shaved it off heated cheese and reheated on small cut in half potatoes befor eating if I remember correctly, was very expensive meal as 10 of us but then wine did flow!
Oh, you probably mean has anyone made it . . .
My picture below of main resort town in evening, OK off topic, sorry.
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Very cool picture..no pun intended.
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I have a question about a minor detail in the recipe above as I intend to attempt to make this cheese tomorrow.
Before the cheese is placed in the brine, I presume it is hooped? Is it then pressed? If so, for how long? Overnight?
TIA
B
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bella that is an excellent question and i asked it myself too.
the recipe above is from barbara ciletti's book "Making great cheese at home" and originated from the wishy corporation's guidlines for raclette.
since nobody answered, i assume nobody tried to make it?????
i did. i might have done it a little bit difficult but wanted to adapt as close as possible. cooking the curds for one hour at 100F make them fairly firm and the cheese would not make a close rind if not put on light pressure.
after cooking the curds, i ladled them in a mold, lined with cheese cloth, that was sitting in a stock pot deep enough so the 100F whey would cover the curds for the final 30 min. resting time.
after that i took the mold with the curds out, follower on and put light pressure for about 30 min. got it out, redressed and pressed under light pressure for another 45 min. after that it went in the salt brine.
now we have to wait for the end result :)
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Hi Suzanne
I have made four Raclettes to date using that recipe, and two have been eaten with two more still ripening.
For the first one, my French neighbour was really excited to have a raclette being made next door and we arranged a party with people from the street and he demonstrated to us all how to use a raclette machine. He loved the cheese, but felt it was a little oilier than the ones he was used to. (I used whole jersey raw milk). For the second one, he took the entire cheese and reported back that it was the best raclette he had ever had, even though that cheese was also made with whole raw milk. He commented that it wasn’t ‘oily’. The two cheeses that are ripening had some of the cream removed, so it remains to be seen whether the level of fat in the cheese is acceptable – he’ll probably want them as well!!!!!
So that recipe obviously will do the job!!!
B
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oh that is great.
how did you do it? did you put it in a mold? pressed it? how long?
right now imine needs to age but it feels dry and does not has the elasticity i would expect.
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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
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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.
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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!
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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 ;)
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Ah thanks you so you wouldn't just grab a piece and eat it like say a cheddar?
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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 ;)
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Ah well it does sound delicious with potatoes and bacon! ;D
Thank you!
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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
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Wow, that looks like so much fun!!
Christy
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That is a very interesting cooker you got there too! I love those little cooking cups!
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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!
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yep, that is how we do it here too.
now i would love to get the recipe for the fontina please ;)
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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.
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thank you very much. i appreciate it.
i will try it and let you know how it turned out :)
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Thanks Bella!
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Wow Bella, that's looks great. Wonderful cheese, made all the better when you have someone to share it with.
Congrats
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Just a few words of background on raclette. I come from the Valais in the Swiss Alps, the homeland of the raclette and am very impressed that you can make your own raclette cheese on the other side of the world. Congratulations!
About the cheese, the best raclette you can ever have comes from high pastures, during those 100 days when the cows graze mountain sides at 2000m and sometimes higher. The milk acquires unique flavors depending on what the cows graze on a given day. The cheese is made in tiny huts next to the cows (see my article http://fxcuisine.com/default.asp?Display=201 (http://fxcuisine.com/default.asp?Display=201)) on an open wood fire, because often you can't even reach those places with a car, so there is no way of bringing the milk down. Very fortunate for true loves of cheese, as each day's production (a dozen cheeses or so in most chalets I have visited) has a unique taste quite different from one made a week later by the same guy from the same cows. This becomes very apparent when having a raclette in a place like the Villa Castle in Sierre (see my article here http://fxcuisine.com/default.asp?Display=184 (http://fxcuisine.com/default.asp?Display=184). They serve you raclette from 4 several cheeses in turn, each from a different high pasture. The difference in taste is incredible. This brings me to an important point. The way you melt the cheese makes a big difference in the taste. Traditionally raclette is melted on a flat stone placed next to a wood fire. I guess you can go that everywhere in the world. Most often, though, we use a high powered electric oven (see preceding article). In both cases the heat is high enough to transform the crust into an extremely crispy and tasty treat. This is really like the crust on a roasted leg of lamb or the crispy skin on a duck or chicken. This brings me to an important point which I hope you will forgive me. The type of tabletop device often used in families (and also in Switzerland I'm afraid) where each guest places a slice of industrial raclette on a little tray and melts it, is, unfortunately, very far from what it could be. It sure makes for a conforting and fun family dish, but in terms of taste, it is like watching Jurassic Park on youtube compared to watching it in an Imax theater. So, if you have access to raw milk from cows that graze actual grass with many wild herbs, use this to make your raclette and you'll see immense improvement in your product. Gift your little tabletop raclette machine and just use a thick, wet, wooden board or flat stone and do your raclette in a fireplace. You'll see the difference for yourself.
I hope you will forgive me for pointing out these two things (high pasture milk and type of oven) but since you seem to pursue your passion very far, this will bring you much fun.
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Thanks Fxcuisine
I loved the articles on your website and can only dream of visiting wonderful places like that and tasting raclette as it is supposed to be eaten. And the story of making cheese up in the mountains was great, particularly the photos showing how it all comes about. What a hard life!
Where I live we have had temperatures between 32 and 41 degrees C for the last 2 weeks, and very little rain for the last 4 months! The thought of a fire is quite crazy, though some people do have them for the 2 or 3 days that we have winter!!! I certainly take your point about the small machines with trays for heating raclette - it has become very obvious to me in using them a few times that the cheese doesn't heat to the point that I would like it.
But it DOES make for a very congenial way to spend a few hours with friends, even though it is not perfectly traditional.
B
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Thanks Bella, indeed raclette and fondue always make for conviviality, if only because we wouldn't eat those dishes with strangers in the first place!
Fire to heat the house is certainly not needed in Australia, but you must have tons of barbecues. If you can get your hands on a half head of raclette, you could make a fire outside like a campfire, and place the cheese on the side. If nights are not too hot for people to stand around the fire, that should provide added conviviality, and much better taste.