Added lipase to milk at the start rather than the calcium chloride - problem?

[welly]

Hey all,

Hopefully someone is reading this this afternoon! Just making a batch of feta and I went and put the lipase in at the start accidentally rather than the CC. I've just added the CC now but wondering if adding lipase the lipase before the milk heated up will be a problem?

Thanks all!

[Danbo]

Hi Welly,
I don't think that it would be quite fine... (Correction: It should have said that I think that it would be just fine)

[welly]

I might as well carry on as it's done now. No point in throwing away $10 of milk!

[Danbo]

No no... Just carry on! :-)

[Danbo]

Oh I just realized my typo. It should have said: I think that it would be quite fine!!!!

[welly]

Ah! Thank you :) I guess I probably shouldn't add any more lipase to it at the time I should have done? I'll leave it now. It'll be what it is!

[welly]

While I and (hopefully!) you are here, the temperature of my double boiler went over. I let it go a bit too high so rather than the 32 it's at, it's at 35.5. I'm making cultured feta. Is that going to be a problem?? :) I will get some more milk and have another go tomorrow if this one turns out to be a turd!

[Danbo]

When in the process did this happen? Have you added the rennet yet?

[welly]

No, haven't added the rennet yet - I've added the culture and it's "ripening" for an hour, according to the recipe. I've taken the inner pot out of the bigger pot to let it cool down a bit. It's getting close to 32.

The recipe said to bring the temperature up to 32, then add the culture and leave to ripen for an hour then add the rennet.

[Danbo]

It will still be Feta - don't worry. After the rennet is added you should pay close attention to the temperature. :-)


Until now I don't think that you will experience any problems with your make. I'm not an expert, but I have made Feta a number of times...


I'll try to check the forum if you have any questions for the next couple of hours. Just ask! :-)


:-) Danbo

[welly]

Thanks for the advice and tips Danbo! I shall keep a close eye on it once this bit has finished. Planning on making another couple of feta batches after this to get my processes all in place properly and then I might have to try something else - maybe a camembert. That's my goal!

[Danbo]

I remember the first time that I made Feta - I did NOT think, that it was just piece of cake. Stick to it and you will become the king of cheesemaking.

When you move on to Camembert you will be surprised how much the process is similar to Feta. Just be sure that you have the right equipment and that you have planned where to age the Camembert until the Candidum mold have covered the cheese as this happen at a higher temperature than a normal fridge. It can be done using a thermo box and a cooling element (ice). I guess that it is summer down under - here in Denmark it's winter.

Feel free to ask about anything in the forum. Everybody in here are so extremely helpful and just love to help.

You have just started a very addictive hobby!

:-) Danbo

[welly]

Oh there's no problem with warmth here! I've got a temperature controlled fridge as I make beer and so I was planning on using that to age the camembert - I can set the temperature of the fridge to anything below room temperature and it's pretty much exact. I'll have to check some camembert recipes and see what's involved!

Thanks again for your help!

[Danbo]

No problem! :-) Just ask...

[Stinky]

Nono, the lipase, at least according to my recipe, at least, goes in at the beginning. Like, before you heat it.

The calcium chloride I tend to put in before the rennet. Neither of the things you do will change the cheese at all.

Calcium chloride makes up for some of the loss of calcium that the cheese has sustained during pasteurization. I don't think it matters at all when you add it, as long as it's before the rennet. It's there mostly to help the coagulation process. 

Lipase, on the other hand, is an enzyme present in raw milk that splits apart the fat globules, releasing flavor. It, too, is largely killed off by pasteurization. Also not really concerning when you add it, although it should either be before rennet, at the same time as cultures, or at the beginning. Shouldn't make any difference.

So yes, continue with your cheese, and post pictures and make notes, please!