I've just opened my latest cheese: a Dunlop
The make:
5/9/21
• 10 L Fleurieu Full Cream unhomogenised milk P=3.4%, F=3.8% (P:F = 0.89), brought to 32C
• 1/7 tsp (2 pinches) MA4001 starter
• 2.0 ml of 200 IMCU rennet in 40 ml of water.
• 3ml CaCl2 in 60ml water
Warmed the milk to 31o C.
Add the starter, rehydrated for 3 minutes and stirred for 2 min.
Left for a total of 60 min.
Stirred in the CaCl2 during this time.
Stirred in the rennet for 2 min, covered and left.
Flocculation time 17 min x 3.5 = 60 min.
Cut the curd vertically to an 18mm grid then rested 5 min. Cut horizontally and stirred gently.
Rested for 5 min. Stirred gently for 10 min.
Heated to 36C over 20 min. Maintained at this temp for 30 min with just occasional light stirring.
Drained whey to the level of the curds.
Transferred to a cloth-lined colander and drained with gentle stirring for 10 min.
Covered and added about 5Kg weight. Left to drain for 2½ hours. Kept warm during this process.
Milled the curds into small pieces (~18mm) and sprinkled with salt in two stages with 10 min between. (2% of the weight of the curds; curd mass 1.331 kg, salt = 27 g).
Put in a cloth-lined mould and pressed as follows, turning each time:
1 hr @ 0.61 PSI
1 hr @ 1.06 PSI
1½ hrs @ 2.1 PSI
3 hr @ 2.1 PSI
10 hrs @ 2.1 PSI
9 hrs @ 2.1 PSI
15 hrs @ 2.6 PSI
10 hrs @ 2.6 PSI, then unwrapped
4 hrs @ 0.34 PSI then moved to 13C and 85% RH. (7/9/21)
11/9/21 Washed with strong brine to prevent rind cracking.
14/9/21 Washed with strong brine to prevent rind cracking.
Rind set well. Brushed as necessary.
15/12/21 Brushed and washed with strong brine.
16 /12/21 Cut.
The result: A very nice, mild cheddar-style cheese. Good taste and texture but would probably have benefited from longer aging. I'm particularly pleased with the natural rind.
