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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Pasta Filata (Pulled Curd) => Topic started by: JustPeachy on June 24, 2012, 08:50:40 PM

Title: It Worked! It Worked! First Mozzarella
Post by: JustPeachy on June 24, 2012, 08:50:40 PM: I know it's not a big deal to the seasoned cheese vets here but my 1st mozzarella turned out all nice and well, mozzarella-y! *happy dance*

Mozzarella...it's what's for dinner! ;D
(http://i847.photobucket.com/albums/ab36/BeachPeach_2010/Mozzarella.jpg)

I followed this recipe's instructions http://hoeggerfarmyard.com/make-mozzarella/?utm_source=Hoegger+Supply+Subscribers&utm_campaign=bee5766978-Cheesemakers_journey_sale_6_19_2012&utm_medium=email (http://hoeggerfarmyard.com/make-mozzarella/?utm_source=Hoegger+Supply+Subscribers&utm_campaign=bee5766978-Cheesemakers_journey_sale_6_19_2012&utm_medium=email) but cut it in half and only used 1/2 gallon of milk, etc. It yielded one nice ball.
Title: Re: It Worked! It Worked! First Mozzarella
Post by: Nellie on June 25, 2012, 12:00:01 PM: JustPeachy, congratulations on a lovely looking cheese. The presentation is great too!

Nellie
Title: Re: It Worked! It Worked! First Mozzarella
Post by: Vina on June 25, 2012, 12:48:38 PM: knowing that rolling mozzarella into perfect ball is not an easy job, I would say - great cheese! congrats!
Title: Re: It Worked! It Worked! First Mozzarella
Post by: Boofer on June 25, 2012, 01:35:10 PM: JustPeachy...you're an artiste!

Beautiful.

I'm so envious...I've never properly completed a mozzarella make yet, but tried once.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: It Worked! It Worked! First Mozzarella
Post by: JustPeachy on June 25, 2012, 08:55:34 PM: Thanks so much for all the kind comments! I'm seriously tickled "peach". ;D
Title: Re: It Worked! It Worked! First Mozzarella
Post by: MrsKK on June 28, 2012, 08:12:55 PM: Success on your first attempt at mozz is huge! A cheese to you!
Title: Re: It Worked! It Worked! First Mozzarella
Post by: lehner on July 05, 2012, 07:23:42 PM: Thank you for the post photo and link. Congrats! Going to making my first cheese (mozzarella), tomorrow.
Title: Re: It Worked! It Worked! First Mozzarella
Post by: lehner on July 10, 2012, 12:23:48 AM: Thank you for your help. Here's how mine turned out. Looking forward to the next batch.
Title: Re: It Worked! It Worked! First Mozzarella
Post by: JustPeachy on July 10, 2012, 12:38:18 AM: Awesome! Yours looks yummy. How did it taste???
Title: Re: It Worked! It Worked! First Mozzarella
Post by: lehner on July 10, 2012, 02:01:55 AM: It was tasty and a bit sweet & salty. Took some for a taste test to some Italian friends; it received a thumbs up. The one thing I found with the recipe that didn't seem right was rennet sit for 10 minutes. That was not long enough. I seem way to soft and soupy. I let it go for 20-25 minutes. It was fun. Will give it a go, again, this weekend. Have you made again?
Title: Re: It Worked! It Worked! First Mozzarella
Post by: JustPeachy on July 11, 2012, 01:30:44 AM: Quote from: lehner on July 10, 2012, 02:01:55 AM
It was tasty and a bit sweet & salty. Took some for a taste test to some Italian friends; it received a thumbs up. The one thing I found with the recipe that didn't seem right was rennet sit for 10 minutes. That was not long enough. I seem way to soft and soupy. I let it go for 20-25 minutes. It was fun. Will give it a go, again, this weekend. Have you made again?

I've not made any again but have been working on cream cheese and topfin these last few weeks. I think the quality of your milk/rennet/etc. greatly depends on your coagulation and wait time. If your Italian friends gave a thumbs up then that's good enough for a cheese for you! Congrats! :D
Title: Re: It Worked! It Worked! First Mozzarella
Post by: Vina on July 11, 2012, 12:11:26 PM: Quote from: lehner on July 10, 2012, 02:01:55 AM
It was tasty and a bit sweet & salty. ....

and it really DOES look tasty! great cheese!

how you, guys, do the rolling? after stretching my mozzarella is not easy to roll into perfect ball, there are always some seams underneath.
Title: Re: It Worked! It Worked! First Mozzarella
Post by: lehner on July 11, 2012, 01:23:46 PM: Vina, My cheese did have seams on the bottom. I pulled the cheese into a tight ball by hand, as if I were preparing bread, but the bottom still had seams. I couldn't figure a way to make a perfect ball and concluded that seams were something to live with. When I sliced the cheese I, nor did anyone else, seem to notice.

See these videos on a few ways to "package" the cheese. I suspect these do away with seams (both of these videos helped me see the process of forming the cheese. I used the saltwater technique as described by Rahm Fama in the second video for my "melting" bath.):

How to make Homemade Mozzarella Cheese | Anthony Agostino Makes Fresh Mozzarella Cheese (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r7p25YJQk0#ws)

How to Make Mozzarella - Mozzarella Cheese Making Demo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vymXC0Cnxw#)
Title: Re: It Worked! It Worked! First Mozzarella
Post by: Vina on July 11, 2012, 02:31:57 PM: lehner,
wow, thanks! I really liked that first video!
Title: Re: It Worked! It Worked! First Mozzarella
Post by: MrsKK on July 12, 2012, 09:21:08 PM: After I've formed the mozz into a ball, I put it back in the hot whey or water for about 20 seconds, then let it sit on a plate for a minute or two. That seems to flatten out the seam on the bottom of the mozz ball.