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GENERAL CHEESE MAKING BOARDS (Specific Cheese Making in Boards above) => Problems - Questions - Problems - Questions? => Topic started by: cheesequeen on September 17, 2011, 08:43:21 PM
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Hello Happy Cheesemakers,
I have the Ricki Carroll Cheesemaking book and in her recipes it mostly calls for 1 packet of direct set mesophilic starter. Does anybody know how much is this in terms of a dash, smidgen, pinch measuring spoons? I can not find any equivalent in her book at all which is very strange. I have the multipack mesophilic starter MM100-101 Series by Choozit. For every 2 gallons milk in her recipes it calls for one packet of direct set mesophilic starter.
Thanks.
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Just ignore all that and use normal industry standards. Meaning for MM100, use 6.5 DCU per 100 liters milk.
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Thanks. I read the forum explaining what dcu x amount of milk. I referred back to the packaging and cheesemaking web by Steve Shapson which tells how much to use per gallon of milk. Do you think I can use this mesophilic started above to make another cheddar? or tomme?
Thanks again
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yes.
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Hi cheese queen try a better book for learning 200 easy cheese recipes i found it to be easy to use for the beginner
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I'll second Opalcab on that. 200 Easy Homemade Cheese Recipes by Debra Amrein-Boyes has been very helpful for me. If it had pH targets, it would be even better. I pencil in notes about pH targets that I've gotten from this forum.
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I making the stirred curd cheddar recipe right now. I added one cup of heavy cream as Dr.Jillian farmhouse cheddar #4 in this forum. I added annatto food coloring diluted in 1/4 bottled water and stirred slowly up and down motion with 1/4 of meso starter , temp 90 degrees.Added one tsp CaCl. 1/4 tsp doube strength chymosin rennet.
Waiting to ripen given time 45 mins.
I wrapped the pot with my padded apron around it and tied the string of apron together ( clever? hmm perhaps?? ) to keep temp at 90 degrees.
Question: can I add lipase to cheddar making or not? if so how much? if not why? any input is appreciated. thanks
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Not quite clean break at 45 mins a bit wobbly in the other side of pot. Temp now 89 degress.
I let it set for another 10 mins pot uncovered. Linuxbox suggestion to set a bit longer and cut curds larger when ready. I have timers on.
Clean break at 55 mins
Cut curds a bit bigger size some light yellow whey showing
Rested for 25 mins after cutting. Timers on.
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More whey on top a little bit more yellow after 10 mins resting after curds were cut.
Temp increase to 91 degress without me warming the pot. I wonder why? maybe when whey is cut, release more butterfat and butterfat is warm? seems logical. Any comments?
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Ready to stir. Stirring gently for 5 mins and off 5 mins. I have two timers on: one for the stirring and resting timing and the other for the total time goal is 45 mins
Started heating it up slow temp now is 93 after two stirring periods. More whey
Stir 5 mins rest 5 mins. I have to adjust my burner to very very low simmer temp is claiming too fast. Curds looks firmer and more define. More yellowish why. Temp at 99 degrees 27 more mins to go total for stirring time.
This time curds are sinking in the bottom and more yellowish clear whey. Temp 98 degrees 22 mins more to go.
Burner off temp 102. Stirred 5 mins and off 5 mins. 16 mins to go
In the meantime now I have my colander lined with cheesecloth and soak them in warm water and later will be warm whey when I start removing whey. Some say this will prevent curds from sticking. I will do the same on my mold with the cheesecloth before I ladle the curds.
Stirred 5 and 5 rest. The curds are looking very different, soft firm, more more whey. Although my temp is staying at 102 degrees even burner is off. Should I get worried? Let 's just wait and see.
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stirred 5 and rest 5 . temp down to 100 degrees. I tasted curds it is sweet. I squeezed sample with my hand , it does not mat. Only three minutes to go. Temp 100. Heat turned off .
Ready to ladle off the whey till you see curds. I ladled off maybe one half and then realized I need to rest and hold the whole curds and pot for 30 to forty mins. 'So I just stopped. Still has whey covering curds. I covered and rest maintaining temp at 100 degrees. There were few curds clumping together so I just separated them with the scooper for the whey and let it go. Had a cup of tea and wait.
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Rested curds and whey for 35 mins and removed whey till curds are showing.
Stirred total of 25 mins, same scenario before stir, rest , stir till time is up. Curds cling together somewhat when squeezed with my hand.
Whey drain in cheesecloth lined colander. Curds not too firm but they mat when you squeeze them.
Back to pot and rest for 5 mins separated medium clumps otherwise they look like cottage cheese a bit bigger bits.
Salted with1 and three fourths salt , I did not put whole two tablespoon. Mixed by hand till blended. Tasted good for me just right.
Mold lined with butter muslin cloth and curds in, cover with the rest of cheesecloth and lid put in
On to my cheese press, Nut turned to about 4 and half cm from the top of nut equally both side light pressure and some whey come out. Will keep this pressure for one hour.
I will make ricotta with leftover whey. Gave some to my black lab she gobbled it so fast.
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I pressed the curd for one hour. Removed the cheesecloth and the bottom of cheese looks more together , did not disintegrate when I remove the cheesecloth
Redress and inverted cheese , pressure is more at 7 cm mark from the top of nut. Opinion on forum recommends hard pressing. More whey coming out but not as much as first press.
So I will leave this overnite.
Phew! this took almost five hours from start to finish.
Goodnight cheese! I will see you tomorrow. We both hope for the best ;)
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Whew! That was fun. I'm worn out for you!
Susan
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Thanks for the post, Susan. Yah, I was beat but all is well for the love of cheese :D
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Good Morning Happy Cheesemakers,
Okay, today is the reveal day. I woke up late.:(
I took my farmhouse cheddar out of the press. It has been pressed for 12.5 hours instead of 12 oh well.
I was holding my breath when I was removing the cheese cloth and wala!!!! it actually looks good for me.
Here are some pictures. What do you think?
I will airdry it on my counter for 1-2 days or till dry to touch as per recommendation.
Weight is 1029 grams 9/25/11
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I have some areas that does not look even on the bottom of the cheese. I will pay attention to smoothing out the cheesecloth next time especially the top when you fold the cheesecloth. It was quite crinkly. I did not take picture of it because I inverted the cheese for nicer shot. These pictures are the bottom of the cheese when it was pressed. I placed it on my cake stand with doily for nicer photoshoot of my farmhouse cheddar. It think the annato coloring helped in giving my farmhouse cheddar a soft yellowish hue all around.
I think I will make another one again today. I am totally inspired! or make French Macaroons. Let's see.
Thanks for the guidance of Linuxboy. I really appreciate all your input and recommendations in cheese journey.
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weight today 9/26/2011 down to 1004 grams
color getting darker yellow and with few areas that are light yellow. I tried to enhance photo to show the patchy areas.
I smell a little hit of cheesy smell , acid smell ?
Still a bit moist, not completely dry. It is somewhat cloudy in the morning here and sunny in the afternoon the last two days. Temp is around low70 in the morning. Usually it is in the mid 80 to 90 degrees so it is taking a while to dry.
I plan to make cheese#2 today so by the holidays maybe I could showcase my cheeses if everything turns out okay. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Thanks for viewing. Follow my blogs and I appreciate your comments please Happy Cheesemakers 8)
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9/26/2011 cheese is just right cold very slight damp. Air dry time is two days now.
weigh 1003
I made a brine. I did not have white vinegar so I used white rice vinegar maruchan brand 4.3% acidity and mix little kosher coarse vinegar , nuked it for 45 sec , mixed it and let it cool.
I used my little silicone brush( heated up to sterilized ) and brush my cheese all over.
Surface took about 30 mins to dry sort of on the surface
I used lard ( I read suggestion from rind management forum). I melted it for 2 mins. Let it cool.
Brushed the cheese all over.
Off the cheese goes to my cheese cave (mini fridge) temp inside is 51- 53 degrees range.
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Hello Happy Cheesemakers,
Today is about 7 days since I made my Farmhouse Cheddar #1
Weight 985 grams
rind is yellow still somewhat soft firm
I rubbed coarse salt today all around
then I rub little olive oil all around
Back to cheese cave ( mini fridge ) temp 52-54 degrees
I did make Cheddar #2 same way
Something different in pressing/ drying within 24 period
After pressing overnight and airdrying, there were still some liquid coming out. It cracked a little bit on one side when I was pulling it out of the cheese mould. I put the cheese back to the cheese press, hard press overnight.
Took it out the next day crack is gone and cheese is firmer and dry. I hope pressing it again second time and leaving it overnight did not do anything to the texture orgo anything wrong in the end? Okay, I have to be very optimistic. Any comments?
Both cheeses seems doing well in cave for now. ^-^