I made one of these last year and was very pleased with the ease of the make and the outcome. That one was a 6L make divided between two small cheeses. This time I decided to do a single cheese from 10L.
The recipe is from cheesemaking.com.
10 litres Fleurieu whole milk. P = 3.3%, F = 3.8%
1/3 tsp (1.6 ml, 2 tads) thermophilic starter
2.5 ml rennet in 50ml water
2.5ml CaCl2 in 50ml water
Warmed the milk to 37o C.
Added the starter, rehydrated for 2 minutes, stirred and left for 40 min.
Stirred in the CaCl2 and rest for 5 min.
Stirred in the rennet for 2 min, covered and left. Flocculation time was indistinct but about 14½ min. (Multiplier = 2.5 x ) Coagulation time = 36 min.
Cut the curd vertically to 20mm . Rested 5 min and cut horizontally.
Stirred very slowly for 5 min. Raised the temp. to 39C over 10 min and continued to stir at that temperature for another 10 min.
Removed whey to the level of the curds and stirred gently. Transferred the curd to a cloth lined mould.
Moved to a warm environment (33-38C)
Turned the cheese in the mould at 15 min and turned in the cloth after another 15 min.
Turned at 20 min intervals for a further 1 hour. Removed the cloth for the last 20min.
Removed to room temp, in the mould until evening. Transferred to 13C overnight.
Brined for 6 hours. (The recipe called for 2 hours bining but I think that should have been 2 hours/lb.)
The cheese is now in an aging container. So far, so good.
This looks good, Andrew.
Last time I made cacciota, the stufatura was way too hot and my cacciota became quite hard cheese with bland taste.
Looking at your make, I think I will give this cheese another try.
I've just enjoyed a toasted cheese sandwich with the first of this caciotta, nearly 5 weeks from the start.
The result is a nice semi-soft, mild cheese with the distinctive thermophilic character. It melts well too and I'm wondering if it would be a good pizza cheese.
That is a nice looking cheese you have made Raw Prawn. AC4U
Quote from: Raw Prawn on March 26, 2016, 04:19:15 AM
I've just enjoyed a toasted cheese sandwich with the first of this caciotta, nearly 5 weeks from the start.
The result is a nice semi-soft, mild cheese with the distinctive thermophilic character. It melts well too and I'm wondering if it would be a good pizza cheese.
I'll bring the pepperoni and olives and we'll try it. Until I get there have a cheese on me. ;)
Thanks for the cheeses gentlemen.
Kern, don't be too long or we'll have pepperoni and olives but no caciotta.