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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Hard Other => Topic started by: JeffHamm on February 01, 2014, 11:55:07 PM
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Hi,
It's been awhile since I've had a caerphilly, so it was time to make another. This is following a recipe I found in an old newspaper (from 1907). I've had good luck with it, except the first time I tried it when I used too much culture. This time, I've tried putting some creme fraiche in some UHT skim milk and letting it sit over night. The milk didn't thicken like when I add a few grains of culture, but it did have a slight tangy taste, so I'm assuming the culture was active. My intention was to use the creme fraiche ice cubes as the starter, but as I'm not entirely convinced it's working just yet, I added it as an additional. Of course, I now seem to think that creme fraiche and buttermilk are made with very similar cultures, so it could just be silly to bother with doing this.
Anyway, the make has gone well. Things are now stacked up for the over night press. Will add photos and final dimensions and weights in the morning.
- Jeff
Why oh why is my y not working?
Traditional Caerphilly (Modified for Home Cheese maker) Feb 2, 2014.
11 Litres Homebrand Standard (3.3g fat/100ml 3.1 protein)
100 ml Cream (35 g fat/100 ml; 2.2 protein) final p:f 0.89:1
2 ice cubes meso (buttermilk)
2 ice cubes crème fraiche (not sure if this is active)
¼ tsp CalCl (50%)
7.2 ml Renco Rennet (65 IMCU)
2.5 tbls salt + extra for rind rubbing during flipping.
1) Add starter and CaCl2 and warm milk to 30 C and remove from heat and wrap in towels (30.1 C)
2) Ripen 30 minutes (time 7:20 – 7:54 ; temp 30.1 – 29.6)
3) Add rennet (time 7:54:30 – Floc Time : 8:06:00 = 11m 30sec 4x mult = 46m 00sec Cut time = 8:40:30)
4) Cut into 2.5 cm cubes (8:40:30 – 8:47)
5) Stir and slowly raise temp back to 30 C (start temp 29.2 C - 30.6 C; time 8:47 - 8:54)
6) Maintain temp and stir 1 hour (8:54 - 9:54; until curd is slightly firm; note, longer stirring at this stage can reduce the time to drain later; temp at end : 30.5 C)
7) Let settle for 10 minutes (9:54 - 10:04)
8) Remove whey (10:04 - 10:17)
9) Put curd in cloth in pot and drain. Twist 5 times (count the 1st one at the start) over an hour to tighten it (every 12 minutes), but not too tight – whatever that means. Prop up one side of the pot and put curds on the high side (so the whey drains away from the curds). Remove whey when you tighten the cloth. (??:?? – ??:?? – ??:?? – ??:?? – ??:??)
or (as done this time) wrap in cloth bag, place a board/follower on top with a 2 litre jug of water as a weight. Flip every 20 minutes (at 10:37 and 10:57)
10) Mill to small bits (squeezed between the fingers like a potato masher; 11:?? - ??:??)17
11) Add salt (2.5 tbls)
12) Place in cloth bound moulds, press in with hands
13) place under light pressure (~1 PSI; 15 kg on 6.25” mould) 10 minutes (11:25 - 11:35)
14) Flip, rub with salt, redress and press ~1.5 PSI (20 kg on 6.25” mould) 20 minutes (11:35 - 12:00 – didn’t salt this flip, too open)
15) Flip, rub with salt, redress and press ~1.8 psi (25 kg on 6.25” mould) 20 minutes (12:05 - 12:25 : Just realized I forgot to add the 5kg, so that was at 20 kg)
16) Flip, rub with salt, redress and press ~2.15 psi (30 kg on 6.25” mould) overnight (12:32 - 6:15 am – didn’t salt this flip as the salt from 15 was still there as I used 1 tsp)
17) Out of the press it was 1414g, and 15.7 x 6.2 = 1200 cm3 for 1.18 g/cm3. Knit was excellent.
Made ricotta (raised to 93 C, add ¼ cup cider vinegar, waited 30 minutes or so, scooped and drained. Got 350 g, added 4g salt, 1-2% by weight).
Air dry 3-5 days and move to cave and age 3 weeks, flipping twice daily (80-85% humidity, 10-12 C).
Thursday, Feb 5, 2014 (evening): Moved to cave. 1312g, 15.7 x 6.1 = 1.11 g/cm3
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My 2 year old son, Gregor, came into the room while I was measuring the cheese, took one look at it and says "I don't like that cheese," and then he started to list off all the cheeses he like "I like blue cheese, green cheese, red cheese, orange cheese, white cheese, pink cheese ..." you get the idea. Perhaps I need to start adding annato to my makes?
- Jeff
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Good looking cheese wheel, Jeff.
What color is it that doesn't appeal to your son? Beige...ivory...alabaster? :-\
-Boofer-
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Thanks Boofer. That's a good question. I'm not sure what colour the cheese is in his world. We are separated by the problems associated with a common language.
- Jeff
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If that taste's as good as it looks who cares about the colour. In fact, keep making it that colour - more for you!
I have just opened my second. I've been using the recipe from Tim Smith's book but I reduced the salt this time and I like the result. He seems a bit overboard on the salt except for his Cotswold recipe which has none.
At least you don't have long to try the result.
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Thanks Raw Prawn.
Although I usually cut into caerphilly in 3 weeks, it can be aged up to a year or so. This one expelled more whey than usual, and I didn't lose much solids (it weighs less than many often do out of the press, the final density is a bit higher than typical, and there wasn't a huge amount of ricotta). I'm thinking this might be a good one to age out a bit so I may take to to the 4 - 6 month range. Not sure just yet.
- Jeff
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Hi,
Moved this to the cave today. It's lost a bit of moisture, down to 1312 g, but doesn't appear to have shrunk much (15.7 x 6.1 cm), so the density is down to 1.11 g/cm3, which is more typical. It's looking good. I put it in the box that has my recent cheshire make (no cheese should be alone), which is only two weeks old, and the smell in that box is fantastic. Very rich dairy smell. But, one must be brave and strong in the face of temptation.
- Jeff
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Just a progress report on this one. Normally this would be ancient history by now, but I had a bunch of cheeses ready and this make expelled a good amount of whey so I thought it might be worth aging this caerphilly a bit. It's now 3 months old and developing a nice rustic rind. The black spots usually indicate the humidity in the ripening box got a bit high (the cheshire that is it's bunk mate is also spotted cheese). Anyway, it has shed moisture and is now down to 1078g. It's shrunk a bit too, now measuring 14.9 x 5.6 = 1.10g/cm3. That's only a drop of 0.01 g/cm3, so within measurement error, meaning the densisty probably hasn't changed much since moving to the cave. Not sure when I'll cut into this though. The Bitto will be reaching 70 days this month, and as it's got a large "puncture wound", which is starting to show blue mould again, I'll probably cut into that at it's minimum age of 70. I'm pretty sure that will be way too young, but I'll make a replacement. This one is just a test run.
- Jeff
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Nice Freckled Philly! I really like that rind development! That bitto of yours I'm real curious about.
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Thanks Spoons.
The bitto is 8 weeks now, so 2 more to go to reach 70 days, which is the minimum apparently. I've been getting decent wild rinds lately, though I don't care for the look of the "spots", they fortunately do not seem to influence the flavour in any negative way. Still, they aren't appealing to the eye.
- Jeff
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I think the rind looks great, you give me incentive to try a natural rind :)
A cheese for your great lookin rind (and cheese)
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That looks excellent Jeff. Sadly I had to vacuum pack my Caerphilly so it hasn't achieved the surface wildlife that yours is supporting. A cheese to you for services to mould proliferation :)
Cheers, GD.
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I love the look of this cheese and the idea that it's ready in a few weeks.
Since I've just had a great success making Boofer's Maasdam and it's looking like rain for the weekend so I won't be at the allotment, I'm going to try making this. Amazing what one success can do for a person's confidence lol.
The mould I have is quite large and so far I've only used around 20ltrs of milk for my cheeses so I'll double the quantity of cream. How many buttermilk cubes would you suggest I use? I don't have creme fraiche but I could go and buy some I suppose, have you tried it with just buttermilk?
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Hi Ananke,
Yes, just buttermilk should be fine; creme freche uses similar cultures to buttermilk. Go with 6 or 7 cubes worth if you're going to make a 20 litre make. I've made it with just buttermilk in the past and it is good; I think this is my first one using creme freche actually!
- Jeff
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Thanks Jeff :)
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Jeff, sorry to be a pain with the questions. I'm just about to start this cheese and have read through the recipe a few times.
When the curds are placed in a cloth, in the tilted pot with a 2lt jug of water on top, is there any reason why this is done in the pot and could this be done in the press?
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I suppose you could do it in the press. If it's in the pot, you can put the pot in a sink with some warm water to keep the curds a bit warmer. That will help when you later press them. Other than that, no reason you can't use the press.
- Jeff
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Thanks so much Jeff :)
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No problem. Don't forget to start a thread on your make and post your notes and photos, etc. Will be useful if you have questions later, and also for those who find the boards in the future (and those of us here now).
- Jeff
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This is probably the oldest caerphilly I've ever made! Normally these are long gone by now. But, this one struck me as a good one to age out during the make, so I thought I would see how it goes. It's now around 5 months, nearing 6. Might age it out to when my parents come to visit in late November. Rind is coming along quite well (primary reason for updates today is just documenting the wild rind progressions of a few cheeses).
- Jeff
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Wow, looks great! I once got some store-bought caerphilly for comparison purposes and it tastes the sames as a typical recipe aged for about 6-7 weeks. Now I'm REALLY curious about a 6+month old caerphilly.
Nice job! keep us posted.
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Boy, Jeff, you've got some color there!
You're targeting a possible 10-month affinage? Have any of your Caerphillys gone out that long?
-Boofer-
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Thanks guys! I've read caerphilly can be aged up to a year, and this make just had a feeling it would be a good one for longer storage. I think the longest I've ever aged a caerphilly was 3 months, so we're already at the "vintage" stage for me with this cheese! 10 months sounds good, though, as it will be close enough to a year to know how it does with a bit of time under its belt before going under mine! (or is that over mine?)
- Jeff
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Hi,
Well, this is now 216 days old and we needed some cheese to take to a friends so cut into this. I was a bit disappointed when I first tasted it, but that was when it was still a bit cold and fresh cut. After it warmed up, the flavour started coming through properly and it seems to be ok. I do think there are better cheeses to age out, and I'm now quite sure that Caerphilly as a young cheese is the way to go. It's not a bad one at this age, but my view is that if you are going to take the time to age a cheese out, go for a Cheshire, Derby, or Cheddar, etc, but use your Caerphilly when young. I'm sure I'll change my tune in a few days. I find most cheeses improve a great deal after they've been cut and had time to breath, but right now, my call is, this is ok, but not the best long aging cheese.
- Jeff
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Jeff, I am curious, do you like the flavor of the rind when it is like that, or do you trim it off when you eat the cheese?
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Kudos again, my friend.
Looks great from this viewpoint, Jeff. Starting to count on my toes now. 11! Wow!
I see the rind has some depth to it. Have another polished cheese! :)
-Boofer-
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Hi scasnerkay,
I cut the rind off. The wild moulds don't taste nice, but they do impart nice flavours to the paste through their activity.
Boofer, the paste looks good, and has good texture, etc, but I think because this tends to be a young tangy cheese, reflecting the acidic whey and moisture, it doesn't really age as well as it could. I thought this one was overly dry when I made it, but it appears not. Has a curious sweetish flavour, slightly sour (but not off tasting) rather than sharp. I know some cheeses go through a period where they aren't that great, and perhaps this improves again at a longer interval. I think I'll reserve my caerphilly for short and quick, and will concentrate on other cheddar types for longer aging as that seems to work for me and my set up. I'm making one of fied's cheshire today. That ages really nicely.
- Jeff
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Had some of this yesterday, and the flavour is improving quite a bit. But, while it is getting better I'm still thinking this is better at a young age. I think my harshness is because I like young caerphilly so much. If I didn't have that expectation, I'm sure I would be much more pleased.
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Has a curious sweetish flavour,
Interesting....
My Beaufort #9 (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,11991.msg92108.html#msg92108) has something similar. Part of the reason may be because it doesn't have the level of salting required. It was brined for 12 hours and probably could have used 16. The pH seemed spot on when it went into the brine. Perhaps when I next attempt this I will brine and dry-salt. It's a year old and does have some appeal so it's not a dump candidate. Its best hope may be in cooking or cheese toast.
So I'm assuming that your Caerphilly hit their pH and salting targets, right? What else could possibly account for that sweetish character? Is this a washed curd Caerphilly? ::)
-Boofer-
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Hi Boofer,
Couldn't tell you about the pH levels (no meter I'm afraid). But, the make went similar to others. Undersalting is usually not a problem with caerphilly, so I'm not quite sure. This is the longest I've aged one out by far, so I've not really go anything to compare to. Might just be the development trajectory. I bet if left for a year it would take on a different set of characteristics. It's improving a lot since I cut it, so I suspect it has something to do with getting air into the bacteria, and now they've entered a different cycle.
That, or it's magic.