I decided to make a Saffron infused Manchego, I have never tried one but I like cheese and I like Saffron, so why not!
There are four types of Manchego and these are: (From Wikipedia)
Fresco – the fresh cheese is aged for only 2 weeks, with a rich but mild flavour. Produced in small quantities, it is rarely found outside Spain.
Semicurado is a semi-firm cheese aged for three weeks to three months, somewhat milder than curado.
Curado is a semi-firm cheese aged for three to six months with a sweet and nutty flavor.
Viejo, aged for one to two years is firm with a sharper flavour the longer it is aged and a rich deep pepperiness to it.
I made mine about 18 months ago and I am down to my last 1/8th of the wheel. It was about 1.1 kg when I made it and I was disappointed by the flavours when it was young.
Today is a totally different story - it has a flavour reminiscent of a soft blue with the bite of a sharp cheddar accentuated by the lipase and Saffron. (I used a mix of Goat and Cow milk since I couldn't find any Ewe's milk and I used Spanish Saffron which I found at my local Indian Deli)
The make.
8 liters/2 US gallon 2% Cow's Milk.
4 litres/1 US gallon Goats Milk.
Calcium Chloride as per packet instructions.
Meso/thermo culture (I used MA4001) as per packet instructions.
Lipase Powder 2/3 amount of packet instructions. (Since I am using 1/3 Goats Milk)
1/4 tsp Saffron threads dissolved in 50 ml (1/4 cup) warm milk
Rennet diluted in 50 ml (1/4 cup) water, as per packet instructions.
Salt for brine.
Olive oil, Coconut oil, wax or vacuum bag for aging.
Directions
8:00 Warm milk to 30 C (86 F).
Dissolve the saffron in ~50ml (1/4 cup) warm milk and let sit for ten minutes to infuse then stir in.
Dissolve the calcium chloride in ~50 ml (1/4 cup) water, stir in.
Dissolve the culture in ~50 ml (1/4 cup) water and stir in.
Cover and set aside to ripen for 45 minutes.
Dissolve the lipase powder in ~50 ml (1/4 cup) water, let stand for 20 minutes, then add to milk and stir gently for 1 minute.
8:45 Mix the rennet in ~50 ml (1/4 cup) water, add to milk and stir gently for 1 minute, cover and let rest at 30 C (86 F).
9:27 Floc time 15 minutes so cut curds to 1 cm (1/2 inch) cubes after ~45 min and let it sit to heal for 5 minutes.
9:32 Cut the curds into rice-size pieces by stirring with a whisk.
10:12 Gently heat the curds to 40 C (104 F) at a rate of ~1 C (2 F) every five minutes, this will take ~45 minutes, stir occasionally & gently with ladle while heating to keep curds from matting.
Let the curds settle for 5 minutes, then pour off excess whey.
Moisten cheesecloth large enough to double line your mold/hoop. Hand wring dryish then double line the mold/hoop.
10:27 Ladle curds into the mold/hoop, and press at light ~8 kg (17.5 lb) pressure for 15 minutes.
10:42 Remove the cheese from the press, flip and replace and press at ~8 kg (17.5 lb) pressure again for 15 minutes
10:57 Flip and press for 15 minutes a 3rd time.
11:13 Press with ~17 kg (37.5 lbs) for 6 hours.
16:57 Unwrap and brine the cheese in a saturated brine solution for 6 hours at 10-12 C (50-55 F), turn every 1-2 hours to ensure even rind development.
22:57 Remove cheese, pat dry, place on mat and age at 10-12 C (50-55 F) and ~80-85% humidity cave for ~1 week, turning daily.
When surface is dry you can rub with oil, coat with wax or seal in vacuum bag and place in cave to age.
I coated mine with olive oil and vacuum bagged after six months.
After eighteen months the finished product is slightly crumbly but can also be sliced thinly very easily:
Looks great!!! good job.
Looks great Bill. I wanted to make one of these but apparently the container containing the Manchego molds for the Cheese Connection went mysteriously missing during the dock workers strike. According to the owner about $45,000.00 in molds. May have to bite the bullet and just use a regular mold. I noticed the recipe you used doesn't call for rind development outside of the cave. Did you get a rind to develop in the cave?
There is a rind but not very thick and it softened after vac packing, I think it sucked the moisture back to the outside of the cheese.
Looking at a commercial Manchego the rind is at least three times as thick. I may have to look around at some other recipes to compare what they do.
A cheese for your patience Bill! Your description of progressions of flavor when vacuum bagging is something I'm coming to appreciate more and more. It amazes me that the cheese in such an environment would "mature with grace" but I'm a believer now. Good job :).
Thanks for the cheese John.
I still prefer to see a wheel covered in wax, it looks like a "real" cheese! However I cannot deny the ease of vacuum bagging, especially for a cut cheese.
Bill, the ones I have looked at on the web all had a very dark rind. Is that normal for these or is it something they added to pretect it? It looked too thin to be wax.
Quote from: Al Lewis on March 11, 2015, 04:21:44 PM
Bill, the ones I have looked at on the web all had a very dark rind. Is that normal for these or is it something they added to pretect it? It looked too thin to be wax.
It looks like they rubbed something on.
They might rub it with olive oil and paprika, I don't know if this would add flavour or just accentuate the markings on the mold.
I guess the only way to tell would be to make two and coat one with paprika. O0
Edit: I found this, no mention of paprika.
During the maturation process, manchego cheese develops a natural rind. The regulations permit this to be washed, coated in paraffin, dipped in olive oil, or treated with certain approved transparent substances, but require that it must not be removed if the cheese is to be marketed as PDO.
Quote from: Al Lewis on March 11, 2015, 04:21:44 PM
Bill, the ones I have looked at on the web all had a very dark rind. Is that normal for these or is it something they added to pretect it? It looked too thin to be wax.
Most likely olive oil with cocoa and/or black pepper? In fact if you have Caldwell's book it shows one on the cover. She discusses it in Chapter 4 with a whole lot of other good stuff on "The Art of Affinage".
I recently bought a Manchego and I really felt like it had been waxed (just a very thin layer),
:-) Danbo
Quote from: John@PC on March 13, 2015, 09:16:51 PM
Quote from: Al Lewis on March 11, 2015, 04:21:44 PM
Bill, the ones I have looked at on the web all had a very dark rind. Is that normal for these or is it something they added to pretect it? It looked too thin to be wax.
Most likely olive oil with cocoa and/or black pepper? In fact if you have Caldwell's book it shows one on the cover. She discusses it in Chapter 4 with a whole lot of other good stuff on "The Art of Affinage".
I do have it on my Kindle and saw that but she doesn't go into what it was. >:(
Bill, do you think this would work with 100% goats milk?
Quote from: Al Lewis on January 27, 2016, 04:20:12 PM
Bill, do you think this would work with 100% goats milk?
You'd want to modify the recipe a bit, I'm sure, but you definitely can make more or less the same cheese.
Quote from: Al Lewis on January 27, 2016, 04:20:12 PM
Bill, do you think this would work with 100% goats milk?
You're a mind reader AL, I was thinking of doing that this weekend.
I started thinking about it after I purchased a small piece of Manchego, about 30 grams, and it cost me $15.00! :o
Also, I was going to leave out the lipase as I am not sure how much difference there is between goat and sheep milk, I only added it last time as I used half cows milk to cut down the cost.
Goat milk here is $5.00 per Litre compared to quality cows milk of $5.00 per 3 litres.
Did you get your mold eventually after the mix-up with the docker's strike?
I actually had a co-worker give me one for Christmas. I have access to goats milk from Trader Joes here and was thinking about using 3 gallons of that with a pint or two of heavy whipping cream. I figured that would make it rich. Haven't decided about the lipase. I have both mild and strong in the freezer but don't think I really need it. Also thought I might paint it with olive oil and cocoa. They say that will protect the rind and I have a very large blue in the cave right now.
Al, any information on sizes and costs of the goat's milk from Trader Joes?
Kern
One of my favorite breakfasts .... Wheat toast with a slice of tomato and El Trigal Manchego on top melted with a toaster oven then topped with a fried egg. Delicious. Now you've got me thinking how the saffron would add to that flavor profile...
Quote from: Kern on January 27, 2016, 08:19:40 PM
Al, any information on sizes and costs of the goat's milk from Trader Joes?
Kern
I bought it once before and I believe it was about $7.00 a gallon. I'll let you know what I pay for it tomorrow though.
I don't think you'd necessarily really need cream... it'd negate some of the flavor from the goat's milk, and the milk should be just fine for the cheese anyway.
re:lipase it's generally mostly useful or applicable in Asiago or the very Italian cheeses. However, since the powdered stuff is way stronger than that naturally found in milk, it'll tear into the fat globules too much. Besides, again with the goat milk naturally having more flavor I'd suggest doing your first make without and then deciding if you want to add lipase based off that.
I think my local TJ's only has UP goat's milk.
Quote from: Kern on January 27, 2016, 08:19:40 PM
Al, any information on sizes and costs of the goat's milk from Trader Joes?
Kern
Around Seattle the last time I bought it was around $3.50 per quart.
I have made a couple Manchego style with Nigerian Dwarf goat's milk, one with saffron. Both were really delicious. One I aged for 5 months, the one with saffron was 4 months. I did 2 gal. makes. For the saffron one I used 1/8 tsp and was perfect for my taste.
Susan
Susan
Thanks for the info Susan. I'll give you guys an update on want I have to pay for it tomorrow. Should be an interesting make. This will be the second one I did using saffron. Did you guys use the whole threads or crush them with a mortar and pestle?
I soaked the whole threads in 3 Tbsp very warm milk when the culture was added and then poured them in just before adding the rennet.
Quote from: Schnecken Slayer on January 28, 2016, 06:31:10 PM
I soaked the whole threads in 3 Tbsp very warm milk when the culture was added and then poured them in just before adding the rennet.
Thanks for the info. I would like to get the most out of them as far as color and flavor. The color doesn't seem to do much apart from right around the threads. Don't think there's anything I can do about that though.
I crushed 1/8 tsp saffron and boiled in 1/4 cup water, then cooled and added to milk.
Susan
Quote from: SOSEATTLE on January 29, 2016, 02:05:18 AM
I crushed 1/8 tsp saffron and boiled in 1/4 cup water, then cooled and added to milk.
Susan
Did you find it gave you more color or flavor? :)
Quote from: Al Lewis on January 28, 2016, 06:41:59 PM
Quote from: Schnecken Slayer on January 28, 2016, 06:31:10 PM
I soaked the whole threads in 3 Tbsp very warm milk when the culture was added and then poured them in just before adding the rennet.
Thanks for the info. I would like to get the most out of them as far as color and flavor. The color doesn't seem to do much apart from right around the threads. Don't think there's anything I can do about that though.
I actually liked the way the colour bleeds around the thread into the cheese. But hey, that's just me. O0
If you wanted to you could put the saffron in the hot milk or water and, when it starts to cool, whack it in the fridge overnight.
Okay, I just put a small amount of PH 2% milk in a glass bowl and microwaved it for 30 seconds. It got hot. I then stirred in 1/8 tsp of whole threads and 1/8 tsp of grounds threads. It looks to be getting pretty yellow. I seriously doubt it will color three gallons of milk but we'll see how it looks when I put it into the milk later today. :o
Quote from: Al Lewis on January 29, 2016, 03:09:05 AM
Did you find it gave you more color or flavor? :)
My goal was to disperse the color more evenly as opposed to having it just bleed around the threads and also have just a hint of the saffron flavor since saffron can be overpowering. In general was successful with my goals. When I get home will post a picture of the saffron infused one. As far as flavor the saffron gave just a little bit of kind of a complex/floral note to the cheese which I really liked.
Susan
Quote from: SOSEATTLE on January 30, 2016, 02:20:27 AM
Quote from: Al Lewis on January 29, 2016, 03:09:05 AM
Did you find it gave you more color or flavor? :)
My goal was to disperse the color more evenly as opposed to having it just bleed around the threads and also have just a hint of the saffron flavor since saffron can be overpowering. In general was successful with my goals. When I get home will post a picture of the saffron infused one. As far as flavor the saffron gave just a little bit of kind of a complex/floral note to the cheese which I really liked.
Susan
It is definitely hard to fully describe the flavour of the saffron infused cheese.
It's there but melds with the other cheese and lipase aromas to make a very complex experience.
Well this stuff colored my cheese very nicely. Surprised me. I''l do a thread on it tomorrow or sunday. It's in the press right now. 30 pounds overnight. 8)
Quote from: Al Lewis on January 30, 2016, 05:05:31 AM
Well this stuff colored my cheese very nicely. Surprised me. I''l do a thread on it tomorrow or sunday. It's in the press right now. 30 pounds overnight. 8)
Feel free to add a link to your make here for others to follow Al.
Also, leave some to mature for 12 to 18 months... The difference is outstanding!
Here's (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,15181.0.html) the link to the thread I did this morning. Hope it helps someone. Bills make is also very informative and was, in fact, the inspiration for me to do mine. AC4U for inspiring me!! ;D
Here is a photo of the saffron infused goat's milk Manchego style cheese:
(http://i63.tinypic.com/1z6xh7t.jpg)
Susan
That is a really nice looking cheese Susan! ac4u as well.
Very nice indeed!!
Thank you :)
Susan