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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Hard Cheddared (Normally Stacked & Milled) => Topic started by: wharris on November 09, 2008, 02:36:19 PM
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I'm a bit confused by a recipe.
from http://www.dairyfoodsconsulting.com/recipes_cheddar.shtml (http://www.dairyfoodsconsulting.com/recipes_cheddar.shtml)
"Check for the curdling time and multiply this times 3 to get the time from adding rennet to cutting the curd, e.g. 12 min. x 3 = 36 min."
I understand "curdling time" to be "the time between adding the enzyme to the commencement of curd preparation. (Cutting of the gel). This is a factor of 2.5 time the coagulation time."
Both being said, why would the recipe call for waiting 3 times the length of time that is defined as the time between adding rennet and cuttting the curd"
I am seriously missing the point here, or i have my definitions of curdling and coagulating time mixed up.
Can someone help?
The bigger question is, does anyone use or measure this? and is this the same for all hard cheese cultures?
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hy Wayne. i believe what she is refering to is called flocculation time. this method was actually perfected in France. they don't wait for a clean break to occur but calculate the cutting time by multiplying the time from which they first noticed the milk had started to curdle (the milk gets thick then starts to get small grains in the liquid.) by a certain factor anywhere from 2-6 depending on the cheese you plan on making.
i have never tried this method myself and always wait for a clean break. to much of a novice at this point. matter of fact i'm waiting for a clean break as we speak. making more alpine style cheese today
hope that helps some
reg
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it's fairly easy to determine the time curdling actually starts... drop a drop of water onto the milk... if it becomes part of the milk, nothing has happened yet. if it sorta beeds and/or rolls, then curdling has begun
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I've been thinking about this, and this method would come in handy where temps can vary through the year. I am finding, now that we are coming back into summer here, that setting times are shorter than what they were in winter. If you were to follow flocculation, then you would be getting a more consistant and even curd formation from batch to batch, rather than leaving it for a set period of time. Thus you would think, a more consistant flavour in the final product.
Is my thinking correct with this, as I have tried doing some research on this, but haven't had much luck or enough time yet to follow through.
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I think that really the recipe is talking about Flocculation Time.
I started to use this method since last year and I think it really works well.
I use a small and tin plastic cup that I twist over the milk surface.
I start to measure the time when I put the rennet. When it stops to twist is the flocculation Time.
I tried to twist every half minute.
This time you multiplied by the factor. In my case that I make Manchego is 3,5.
Wallace