Addition of Fruit

[nccheesemike]

Hi All,

So I have recently been eating a cheese from Aldi's grocery store that was a Mango Habanero Cheese. You get a sweet flavor up front followed by a Chilli heat from the Habs. The ingredient says natural Mango flavor, there are no Mango pieces in the cheese. Here is my question: Has anyone added fruit or fruit flavor to a cheese? I was thinking of a Pineapple Habanero making a Jack style cheese. I could add 1-2 cups Pineapple juice to the milk 4lb Cheese make or boil crushed Pineapple and add to curds like I would Chili Spice or pieces. Appreciate any ideas or experience you all have!!

Good curds,
Mike

[Thewitt]

I've added fruit to Quest Fresco - just made a nice blueberry the other day. I added the juice to the blueberry. I've also attache a cranberry made with Craisins which did NOT get the juice.

I've added finely diced mango to a Wensleydale with no issues as well.

I bring the fruit to a boil first just covered with water to make sure no nasties get into the cheese, but other than being a little concerned about acid levels, I've no had any problems yet.

[nccheesemike]

I've added fruit to Quest Fresco - just made a nice blueberry the other day. I added the juice to the blueberry. I've also attache a cranberry made with Craisins which did NOT get the juice.

I've added finely diced mango to a Wensleydale with no issues as well.

I bring the fruit to a boil first just covered with water to make sure no nasties get into the cheese, but other than being a little concerned about acid levels, I've no had any problems yet.

Thank you Thewitt!! Good point I could add chopped Mango fruit to the curds when the peppers are added. This will be a Hard Cheese that I'll age 3-4 months. I definitely don't want the fruit to contaminate the inside of the wheel.

Both of your cheeses are looking tasty!! Thanks again!!

[Gregore]

I think sailor con queso talked about it a little here a while back, I seem to recall he does  or did a fruit cheese commercially .

[Boofer]

I've tried a few makes with fruit. They were intended for an aged cheese in each instance and did not fare well.

Blueberries have a fairly high acidity. What I found was that the berries, though moist to start with, became hard and dry with an aged cheese and shrunk away from the paste leaving a blueberry raisin surrounded by a hollow spot. Sailor apparently has had some success with blueberries in cheese but the technique eludes me. ::)

A fresh cheese might stand a better chance of sustaining the presence of blueberries.

-Boofer-