Hi all,
Can anyone tell me what causes the curd mass to fracture/develop large fissures during renneting? I've had 2 instances now, both time making Danbo's butterkase, of taking the lid off to cut the curd at the time flocculation point/multiplier indicated and the curd mass has large fissures in it. The mass is harder to cut than say when I make feta and as I cut the curd I can see milky particles coming out into the whey (although maybe that's just a function of the higher cream content).
I have made his recipe twice before without this particular happening.
background: raw milk, my own Jersey cow, later in lactation. - last time she was mid lactation
recipe: 16L whole milk (lots of cream in her milk right now)
heat to 39C
1/4 rounded tsp TA60 - last make that it did this I'd used Thermo B
1/8 scant tsp LH100
ripen 50 mins
rennet 3 mls 200 IMCU flocc a little short at 10.75 mins, flocculation multiplier 3.5 - Ive also used 2.5mls (flocc was 11 mins) and same fractures appeared
renneting total time 37 mins
I had to bail on my last batch because the pH never dropped (assumed bad culture) so I dont know what would have happened had I proceeded.
I decided Id better take a picture after I started cutting so to the right are cuts through a fracture and then more fissures more center and below.
Thanks for any science as to why this happens.
Teresa