Big Brie Reveal

[Lancer99]

This is a two gallon make, and this time I used my 9″ hoop, following the recipe on cheesemaking.com.



This is my fifth or sixth attempt at a Brie/Camembert, and I've had trouble getting a good bloom on most of them.  But I've found that adding a bit of ash to the salt makes it pretty much bulletproof.  I guess that moderates the pH, or something like that.

I used 1/4 tsp. ash.  After a week or so:



Such a healthy coat that I had to pat it down!



Once again, time got away from me . . . here it is after almost two months:



Not 100% happy with the rind.  What looks like holes next to the rind are the result of poor cutting:





After 20 minutes, gooping out perfectly, and no rind slip, yay!



But, you ask, how did it taste?

Well, it tasted like a Brie. I was really worried that after two months, it would have gone ammoniacal, but not a hint, not a whiff. Lovely, buttery, creamy. Very happy with this.

But it's really at its limit, so I have to consume two pounds of Brie posthaste, starting with the most decadent toasted cheese sandwich I've ever had, for dinner. 



-L

Edit: Toasted Wheat Bread and Brie Sandwich with House Dill and Pickled Egg on a Broken Plate:



Yum!

L

[Ventalina]

Hallo,
I am impressed! Great rind and creamy paste. Looks super delicious.
Do you have any problems with the bamboo mat and unwanted mold?

Ventalina

[mikekchar]

Looks awesome :-)  Another Cheese for you.  You certainly are prolific!  I'm super jealous of your mold.  Someday I hope to get one that size.

[MacGruff]

Yet another beautiful cheese which means another C4U!!!  I am so jealous!!!

[Lancer99]

Thanks all for the kind words and cheeses!

Ventalina, the only problem I've had is that sometimes the Penicillium growth is very aggressive, and starts growing onto the mats.  As long as the cheeses are flipped daily, I haven't found this to be a problem.

Mike, here is my highly sophisticated  9" hoop.  I sawed the top off a food-grade plastic bucket and drilled some holes in it (the discoloration is from ash).  Used upside down because my sawing was none too accurate   





Note to self: D'oh! The reason the rind isn't white is because you added ash, dummy.

One lesson learned (I think from Caldwell) is that once these cheeses get a nice bloom, IMMEDIATELY put them into the fridge, not into the cheese cave.  Presumably the lower temps slow down all that calcium/ammonia business, resulting in a cheese that's much more consistent.


Thanks,
-L

[mikekchar]

Looks very nice :-)  I *do* have some buckets hanging around, but I'm a bit loathe to sacrifice them... Maybe someday...

[Lancer99]

This is a bit off-topic, but I found another good use for my excess Brie.







Homegrown Oyster Mushrooms, Brie and Limburger Mac 'n' Cheese with Pickle Plate:



Yum!

-L