Need recipe for soft goat Mozzarella

[Tiarella]

I have lots of goat milk and lots of tomatoes and basil and I yearn for some of that soft mozz to eat with slabs of sun-warmed tomatoes garnished with a basil leaf.  I looked at the proper section on the forum but despaired at finding what I wanted since I don't have time to go through all the threads.  The animals are yelling for dinner and I just don't have much time in my day.  Anyone care to share any hints, recipes or links to a place that will lead me through the process of making soft Mozzarella instead of the hard stuff that's more like string cheese?  (or like golf balls as some threads reported)

Thanks in advance!   

[linuxboy]

pretty straightforward. Highlights:
- Wait for decent pH drop before renetting. You want something like 6.3-6.4. If you rennet really high, the calcium structure will be too strong.
- When you cut, cut twice. First cut is into large pieces 2". Let the curds firm up, more than basic healing. Then cut the second cut. this helps with the moisture retention.
- Wait for it to cheddar, begin testing for stretch at 5.4.
- Use 180F whey or salted whey, be gentle with the curds, and then you should be set.

[Boofer]

Kathrin, MrsKK has set somewhat of a standard for mozzarella on the forum. Here's her recipe and more cheesemaking advice.

Good luck.

-Boofer-

[linuxboy]

That looks decent, but look into longer ripening before adding rennet with the ND milk.

[Tiarella]

Pav, your response made it clear to me how much I have to learn because it confused me.      I then checked out MRsKK's recipe (Thank you, Boofer!) but after reading all 6 pages of posts I'm still not sure if this is going to get me the type of Mozzarella I'm looking for.  I don't want cheese that pulls apart in strings.  I already know how to make that.  What I'm after is the softer type that I've bought in a few ways; small or medium sized balls in liquid in a container or a 3X4" ball wrapped in Saran wrap.  These are soft, not shiny, not grainy, not stringy and have a mild flavor.  We cut the large size into slabs atop tomato slices and garnish with cut ribbons of basil or a basil leaf whole.

All the recipes I see seem to be the other kind...or is this just more confusion on my part?

[linuxboy]

All mozz is made about the same way. the textural and other differences are due to acidity management (by altering rennet pH, drain pH, and stretch pH), and moisture management (done by set time, curd cut size, and temp/agitation). Strings are formed when stretching at higher pH (5.4 ish) and creating the strand orientation.

If you have a high moisture mozz, and stretch at the lower end of the ph, it will not be stringy.

[elkato]

Following Linuxboy steps I have managed a very good soft,moist flavorful mozzarella with cow's milk but no matter what I do with sheep's milk it comes out hard and rubbery. for your success I hope that goat milk acts more like cow's than sheep's
I wish success for you!!

[Tiarella]

Thank you Linuxboy and Elkato.  I don't have a pH meter so this will have to be a guessing game.  Any hints for choosing rennetting time?  How long a heal for the first cut?  And the cheddaring part: any hints for that?  Seems like people use various cheddaring techniques, is there something in particular I should make sure I do?   I will give this a try soon.  I gave in and made another tomme yesterday since I didn't have the brain bandwidth to try a new recipe and tommes feel so easy.   

[linuxboy]

Wait 90 minutes or so to add rennet. Maybe even a little more. You want a good base. First large cut, heal 10 mins, second cut, heal another 5-10 mins. You'll see what I mean. the curds have to firm up a little first before you do the second cut.

For cheddaring mozz, you gather into a mass and let it sit. That's it. This isn't cheddar, so no flipping or anything.

[Tiarella]

Thank you!  That was a perfect set of clarifications.   . I feel ready to go forth and Mozz!

[Boofer]

What I'm after is the softer type that I've bought in a few ways; small or medium sized balls in liquid in a container or a 3X4" ball wrapped in Saran wrap.  These are soft, not shiny, not grainy, not stringy and have a mild flavor.  We cut the large size into slabs atop tomato slices and garnish with cut ribbons of basil or a basil leaf whole.

Fresh mozzarella...bocconcini. I too would like to know how to make this form of mozz. My wife and I enjoy it just the way you've described with a little EVOO drizzled over.

The cheese is pretty expensive though so I'd be thrilled to be able to make it and have it available.

-Boofer-

[Tiarella]

Darn!  Now I drooled on my keyboard! 

Yes, let's figure this out.....team work. 

[elkato]

I think that  all you need is water buffalo milk to make that cheese!!

[steffb503]

I think that  all you need is water buffalo milk to make that cheese!!

I think you are right!!

I tried very early on in my cheese efforts. It came out perfect!
I have never been able to duplicate it again. I totally gave up.

Every year I try once more never even comes close!

[Tiarella]

I will report back on my results.  looks like some good ideas.  Jim Wallace also has a page on it.