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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => ADJUNCT - Rennet Surface White Mold (Penicillium candidum) Ripened => Topic started by: Tiarella on August 12, 2012, 02:49:19 AM

Title: Different mold options for Brie style cheese???
Post by: Tiarella on August 12, 2012, 02:49:19 AM
Hi All,  I need to make anotherr batch of Brie and will use a 4 gallon pot this time.  I don't have enough Brie molds to handle that but I do have a number of basket-like molds and wonder wether I could use those?  Anyone else try that?  reasons not to?
Title: Re: Different mold options for Brie style cheese???
Post by: bbracken677 on August 12, 2012, 03:03:40 AM
As far as I know, you should be able to use those, if they are what I am thinking about. You may want to line them with cheesecloth if the "basket weave" of the molds are too large to keep the curds from escaping.

I am assuming they are about the same size and are not bottomless?  The "not bottomless" part may make whey draining a bit slower...
Title: Re: Different mold options for Brie style cheese???
Post by: Tiarella on August 12, 2012, 04:05:26 PM
Thanks, BBracken!  You're correct that they aren't bottomless and I'm hoping if I use the ones with the tightest design the curds might stay in place.  I'll be trying it today and will post back.  I'll do a regular Brie mold too for comparison.
Title: Re: Different mold options for Brie style cheese???
Post by: linuxboy on August 13, 2012, 01:40:27 PM
Pay attention to height because bries ripen outside in. If too thick, the center will not be fully ripe while the outer edges will be. You can always cut in half if too thick.
Title: Re: Different mold options for Brie style cheese???
Post by: Tiarella on August 13, 2012, 03:28:28 PM
Thanks LB.  I made the opposite mistake and have Brie pancakes!  Thick pancakes to be sure but definitely flatter than I intended.  I guessed the shrinkage incorrectly.  Ah well, should ripen fast!

Somewhere on this forum someone talked about pressing down the bloom during ripening.  What does that do and why haven't I found a recipe that offers that helpful hint?  (or am I reading the wrong books?)
Thanks for the head's up on Brie height.  I certainly avoided that!!!