Well after a hiatus from my Malemberts, mainly due to the Temperature outside where the ripening fridge sit. But now, the cooler months are here I can now get back into the softer cheeses.
Here is my standard Malembert make sheet.
Ah, back to the addiction -- I'm afraid I can't go too long without a batch of these!
I was missing my cheese making. Now I have the BBQ pit done I can return to fromage. During my absence I have had a computer malfunction, Hard drive crash and my Broadband was playing up.. Sometimes I thought that fire and meat was looking good but one has to return to ones first love - Cheese.
Here are the images and I hope they help.
1. You've all see my Kitchen - and those who haven't it gets cleaned but there is no need to be paranoid over it all. it's cheese making not surgery.
2. You have to choose the best you can to start with and this milk has been for a very long time. 4.4% fat pasteurised only and 45% same species cream.
3. Curds as cut..
The stirring part in the make sheet might need a little explaining. I Stir for 15 minutes and then test the pH, and if it hasn't dropped far enough I stir again for another 15 minutes. I have found that getting it to around 6.5 is a point where I can start to transferring to the moulds. 8 Litres and 600mls cream is enough to fill the 6 STD Cam Moulds.
I take my time and get the entire curd mass into 6 moulds. Don't be tempted to add another mould as the end result will be cheeses that are too short. When you let them drain you will see what I mean.
After the flipping (6 times - once an hour for 6 hours) I leave them overnight to drain and they get to a pH of about 4.7 - 4.8. This pH is necessary to set up the outside of the cheese to allow the PC and GC to get established and keep unwanted molds from getting started.
The next important step is to apply salt. There are other methods out there to apply salt but I much prefer salting by hand. I apply 1 tsp cheese salt and use that to rub all over the cheese. I find that this method is better than brining as the salt uptake is a little harder to judge and varing salt concentrations can easily oversalt the cheese. I have found that 1 tsp then rubbed all over produces a nice salt level in the end cheese. You end up with a single layer of salt crystals which when dissolved by the whey will be more than sufficient in the end cheese.
And then the fun begins. Up until no it has been easy but the next phase is where you get to listen to your cheese. No, I'm not nuts and you will have to determine things like moisture (should be about 95% RH). Each of these containers are it's own micro greenhouse. Also, the molds need Oxygen to do their work so they need fresh air. Too hot or too cold. Too hot and they will produce more ammonia than is required - over ripeing too quick. Too cold - well the mold doesn't grow. This is easy to tell as a by-product of the mold doing its thing is water vapour and if there isn't then either there is not enough air or they are too cold.
Two per container - three will fit but not ripen properly - into a 10 -12 DegC fridge. These need to be wiped out every other day until there is a "peach fuzz" like covering all over - about 5-7 days. After this happens you will need to transfer to the cold fridge 4DegC.
I'll post some pics of the next stage.
-- Mal
Very well described as usual Mal. One question, are your molds bottomless hoops or closed in? I wonder if it matters? Closed bottom forms makes a difference to flipping, thats for sure... oh all right, I guess that was two questions...
My latest Mals to your recipe are just getting their peach fuzz now. I forgot to add the PC and Geo to the make, and sprayed them on a few days later. First time I've had to do that...Like you I've had them in the Decor brand 'humidicribs'; unlike you I use a potassium chloride humidity buffer under the rack (3 tablespoons KCl, 1 of water), which saves having to wipe out the container. Whilst in theory the KCl maintains humidity at 85%, in practice the Mals seem to produce enough moisture to keep the humidity in the mid-high 90s early in the ripening, tailing off to the low 90s at the early peach fuzz stage.
Mal, do you wrap these prior to putting them into your fridge for ripening? How long after the make do you move them to the fridge? AC4U for your amazing consistency! 8)
Ahh I so miss your questions.. my Hoops are closed in on the bottom and yes I would assume the draining during the flip and drain process though I always finish with the open end down over night. Never knew about the KCl but I think that opening and wiping out the containers helps refresh the air, it also forces me to look and the cheeses both side. Just me and I'm sure there are many ways these ripen. Also, the adding of the PC and GC after the fact using a spray is also a recognised way to add them.
@Al long time no chat - hope you are well.. As for wrapping I don't really wrap them during the ripening and even then after, I wrap only either if I'm going to give them to some one or my wonderful wife wants the fridge space back. I move them - still in their containers - into the cold fridge just after the 'Peach Fuzz' covering.
For the other reading this. The first 5-7 days is important for me to flip and drain them daily as it helps shape the cheeses.
1. the first is the moisture I typically get for the first few days.
2. flipping them, shapes them evenly.
3. same.
-- Mal
Really nice how-to, Mal. Have a cheese. :D
One teaspoon of salt...it sits and melts...or...you rub it all over? Seems like your words said the former, but I'm accustomed to the latter. :-\
Looks like there's Malemberts in my future...this week. Never done that style, but with your guidance I'm filled with confidence. ;)
-Boofer-
Sorry, I wasn't clear :( 1 teaspoon of salt is then rubbed all over the cheese. My photos were trying to be 'Artistic' - failed there sorry. The ripening period is somewhere between 7-9 weeks although I will warn you here that because of that they do have a good strong taste after 8 weeks. The 8 litres and 600mls of cream - not thickened cream - stabilizes the Curd and so don't tend to run as much as other ripened for that amount of time but they are certainly creamy.
-- Mal
Always a pleasure reading your postings, especially malembert making.
I used your recipe but with uht cream and it still turned out delish.
Quote from: OzzieCheese on May 03, 2016, 02:50:39 AM
Sorry, I wasn't clear :(
You were pretty clear...I just thought I'd get it clarified for new folks who might be wondering. :)
-Boofer-
Thanks for posting the make sheet like that , I've saved it , and may try one next week when I get my next milk delivery.
I wonder if it's okay to use raw milk , it's very fresh and well looked after when I get it , comes from a commercial dairy , and is that days milk from the refrigerated vat , and brought home in a well sterilized container.
Or should I pasteurize it first ?
A cheese from me !
Oh no... if you trust your milk source - use raw.. I have yet to experience that pleasure but all here will say the same thing. Now as Raw milk has a wide range of native bacteria already in in the milk that can help there are several modifications to the method.
1. You don't have to use Calcium Chloride as the structure of the milk is pristine and needs no more calcium than it already has; and
2. I would reduce the amount of rennet by 20-25% to 2.3 - 2.9 mls of the 200 IMCU rennet.
but those here who use raw milk might have better instructions regarding this than I.
-- Mal
I'd also cut the amount of culture back by about 30-50% versus pasteurized whole milk. Otherwise it will acidify faster than one can make the cheese.
A cheese for you... How did the cheeses develop?
Mal, Danbo, and Kern all back today? Seems like the old gang is making cheese again! ;D
It is really nice with a warm welcome back. ;D
I am going to make some more cheese in the near future after a longer break from cheese making (still have around 30 kgs of cheese in a cave).
I am so glad to see familiar faces in here...
:)
Quote from: Al Lewis on October 16, 2016, 04:58:10 PM
Mal, Danbo, and Kern all back today? Seems like the old gang is making cheese again! ;D
The season is upon us. ^-^
Quote from: john H on October 16, 2016, 05:55:56 PM
Quote from: Al Lewis on October 16, 2016, 04:58:10 PM
Mal, Danbo, and Kern all back today? Seems like the old gang is making cheese again! ;D
The season is upon us. ^-^
Summers over. Firing up the kettle.
Kern
Been really busy every weekend with other stuff but have take some time to fill the cave again. Have to do the blues last I guess and wax everything else. LOL
Greetings Mal, Those mats you have under the rings during draining, how do you clean them, boiling water or? How long do they last before the string comes apart?
Richard
Quote from: valley ranch on October 18, 2016, 10:48:40 PM
Greetings Mal, Those mats you have under the rings during draining, how do you clean them, boiling water or? How long do they last before the string comes apart?
Richard
I used those same mats. They are bamboo place mats. I put mine in the dishwasher. They last about 10 washes. I only use those when I have to. The rest of the time I use plastic mats.