When is the best time to flavor the chevre and / or coat the outside of a log of chevre and store in fridge? Is it best to do these things just prior to serving the cheese?
I had flavored one of my logs with blueberries and coated with chopped pecans and stored in fridge. The pecans were soggy the next day and looked whitish...I was afraid of the pecans molding.
The one that I had rolled in fresh chives were fine, but I would think that rolling a log in dried herbs would produce the same result...soggy herbs.
Anyone?
Sorry, this is one area I have no idea about. :D
Also sorry but I just ran out of message space this hour. :)
I have done very little of chèvre with herbs on the out side but the little I did do it did not get soggy . So I suspect that maybe your curd is still a little wet . You might be able to press it very lightly in some kind of mold while still in the cheese cloth / bag. Maybe half to 3/4 of the weight of the cheese pressed for the last few hrs of draining .
I usually mix my chevre flavoring agents into the cheese, but have occaisionally rolled in nuts. I do that when the draining cheese has reached the texture I'm looking for. If it is too soggy for your taste try experimenting and letting it drain longer. I prefer my chevre a little more on the drier side if I'm going to flavor it.
Susan
Quote from: SOSEATTLE on November 17, 2015, 02:22:01 AM
I usually mix my chevre flavoring agents into the cheese, but have occaisionally rolled in nuts. I do that when the draining cheese has reached the texture I'm looking for. If it is too soggy for your taste try experimenting and letting it drain longer. I prefer my chevre a little more on the drier side if I'm going to flavor it.
Susan
Doesn't hanging it longer cause it to continue fermenting? I wonder...can I use a weight to press out the liquid instead of hanging it?
Chevre is not a very strong cheese. The curds are way more fragile than they would be from a hard cheese. That's kind of the danger with using a weight.
Maybe a light weight...
QuoteDoesn't hanging it longer cause it to continue fermenting?
Not really. I salt the curd as I am putting it in the bag or mold I am using to drain with. The salting slows down the fermentation. Also, I find the salt helps the curd to draing faster.
Susan
I also salt mine, I let mine get pretty dry and I can still form it into little balls or logs, one of my favorite combinations is dried cranberries cinnamon and a swirl of honey. It goes good on a spinach salad if not too sweet and I love it with crackers if on the sweeter side. Don't have to worry about those add ins getting soggy. For savory I like horseradish mixed in with some crispy bacon, yum or fresh garlic diced and mixed, I don't keep them around long though, need to be eaten up which has never been a problem. Sometimes I roll them in dried herbs and ferment in olive oil, always a big hit.
Soseattle and Loving life, this is very interesting!
Are you saying that right after the curd has formed and you scoop it out of the pot, you add salt? How do you mix it in? Put in another pot and mix through the curds? I was under the impression that one had to be very gentle with these curds and barely disturb them as they were being transferred into the bags to drain...
I salt in layers. Scoop some of the curd into whatever I'm using to drain the curd, sprinkle with salt, then another layer of curd, sprinkle with salt, continue until done. I always sprinkle with salt over the top of the last layer.
Susan.
I scoop my curds into the cheese cloth and hang for the day, then open the cloth and mix in the salt, I just stir it in good and let it hang a little longer. By now it is kind of crumbly and you can shape it or put in containers. Sometimes I don't hang as long then mix it up good and add a little milk or cream and use as cottage cheese. It really isn't cottage cheese but it tastes great.
Quote from: SOSEATTLE on November 19, 2015, 02:09:59 AM
I salt in layers. Scoop some of the curd into whatever I'm using to drain the curd, sprinkle with salt, then another layer of curd, sprinkle with salt, continue until done. I always sprinkle with salt over the top of the last layer.
Susan.
About how much salt do you use per gallon of milk? What kind of salt? We have Himalayan salt for all of our cooking and dining so I have been using it. Is it OK to use?
Quote from: lovinglife on November 19, 2015, 02:40:39 PM
I scoop my curds into the cheese cloth and hang for the day, then open the cloth and mix in the salt, I just stir it in good and let it hang a little longer. By now it is kind of crumbly and you can shape it or put in containers. Sometimes I don't hang as long then mix it up good and add a little milk or cream and use as cottage cheese. It really isn't cottage cheese but it tastes great.
How long do you hang it initially? 12 hours? 24? "Then let it hang a little longer"...how do you know when to take it down?
Would it work if I put the curds into a cylindrical chevre mold for the second draining after salting?
I use 1 TBS per gallon of milk used. I like to make my cheese at night after work. Let it sit overnight (if I am making an aged chevre let it sit in the whey and ferment for 2 days), spoon into cheese cloth in the morning and hang until evening so about 12 hours. Then I stir in the salt, no need to be tender with it now, and let it drain several hours or overnight depending on how dry I want it. This will have to be trial and error for you to determine how you like your cheese. This is a great cheese to make and so versatile. And just plain salted chevre does indeed make a mean cheese cake.
Quote from: lovinglife on November 19, 2015, 07:38:55 PM
I use 1 TBS per gallon of milk used.
That's different!! all the videos that I have watched say to add 1 tsp. I will have to try it to see the diff!
I like to make my cheese at night after work. Let it sit overnight (if I am making an aged chevre let it sit in the whey and ferment for 2 days), spoon into cheese cloth in the morning and hang until evening so about 12 hours. Then I stir in the salt, no need to be tender with it now, and let it drain several hours or overnight depending on how dry I want it. This will have to be trial and error for you to determine how you like your cheese. This is a great cheese to make and so versatile. And just plain salted chevre does indeed make a mean cheese cake.
Yes!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D That is want I want to make next!!!! ;D ;D ;D
Care to share a recipe?? ;D
Thanks for explaining!
One adds more salt when one does it earlier in the draining process as more is lost in the whey. Once it's consolidated that salt will stay there, but if you do it when the curd is still really moist you want to add a larger portion as more will exit as well.
Quote from: Stinky on November 19, 2015, 10:45:33 PM
One adds more salt when one does it earlier in the draining process as more is lost in the whey. Once it's consolidated that salt will stay there, but if you do it when the curd is still really moist you want to add a larger portion as more will exit as well.
Ah...! Thx for explaining!
QuoteAbout how much salt do you use per gallon of milk? What kind of salt? We have Himalayan salt for all of our cooking and dining so I have been using it. Is it OK to use?
I'm afraid I don't measure. I have developed a feel for what I like by experimenting. There is no set amount of salt to use, mostly guidelines. I tend to like my chevre a little less salty than some people may prefer. I do sprinkle generously because some of the salt washes out with the draining whey. As far as the type of salt, Himalayan would be fine for fresh cheese. May or may not be OK for aged cheeses depending on the minerals present.
Susan
Thx, Susan!
I usually just look up a recipe for cheese cake, usually a New York style. Something similar to this.
Ingredients
Crust:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 - 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
Filling:
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 lb chevre
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream (I usually use really thick kefir for sour cream, adds a nice twist)
1 tsp vanilla
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease sides of a springform pan or use a 9-inch round pan, ungreased.
Crust Directions:
In a large bowl, combine butter and graham cracker crumbs. Press into bottom of pan and freeze.
Filling Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and cream cheese on medium-high speed for 3 minutes.
Blend in cream. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each egg is added.
Mix in sour cream , flour and vanilla until smooth. Pour the filling batter over the crust.
Put a shallow pan with one inch of water in on lower oven rack. (optional)
Bake for one hour in preheated oven. Turn oven off and let cake cool in oven for about 5 hours.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
I may have to make another myself!
Thanks so much!!! Looks really yummmmmy!!! ^-^