So I decided to have a go at Boofer's smooth rind taleggio. Can't think why as I have the box mold and two followers I have used in the past but, it looks really cool so why not. I used the cultures he used that can be found here (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,16591.0.html) and are somewhat different from those listed in the book. I used 2 1/2 gallons of whole milk and 1 quart of heavy cream. The remaining recipe, i.e. times, temps, etc. I used from the 200 Easy Homemade Cheeses, First Edition pg. 170 as Boofer neglected to share the ones he used. So this morning, after repeated flipping, I removed it from the tomme mold and found what looked like the surface texture of a sponge. Well into the 18% brine solution for 8 hours it goes. Instead of flipping cheeses in brine or salting the tops I choose to place a mesh screen on them with a plastic weight. This holds the top of the cheese below the surface of the brine. The container is an old Tupperware cake cover the wife no longer used. Works a charm for brining. I'll take another shot when it comes out of the brine so you can see the surface.
Awesome. Following this with much interest.
I have never eaten one of these what is it supposed to taste like?
Enlighten me Al.
I think I will find out where I can get some and try it out.
Taleggio is a stinky cheese. My first one came out very gooey like a brie but Boofer's seem to hold their consistency to a point that you can slice them. That's why I'm trying his recipe. I'll see which one I like best. Here's a shot of mine and a shot of his. Mine is the square one.
All the "professional" Taleggios I've had were somewhere between the two--soft like Boofer's but with a bit of early "goo" close to the rind like yours.
Probably my favorite stinky cheese.
Here's what the surface turned out to look like. It actually may work to my benefit as the Geo and Brandy will have more area to work on.
Quote from: Al Lewis on November 08, 2017, 06:33:14 PM
The remaining recipe, i.e. times, temps, etc. I used from the 200 Easy Homemade Cheeses, First Edition pg. 170 as Boofer neglected to share the ones he used.
Sorry for the inconvenience.:(
I like to post here as somewhat of an historical record for me personally. Fortunately for all the folks here I don't post all of my makes. If I'm trying an experiment, I like to show a progression from the beginning to my palate. :P
Somewhere along the line I decided posting the details for every make was redundant, so now I try to capture the spirit and high points of the make. Here's where I devoted a little more detail (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,15871.msg121389.html#msg121389).
You get to a certain point where:
- Heat milk to 90F/32C
- Add cultures, allow to rehydrate, stir in
- Add CACL2 if not RAW milk
- Depending on recipe, immediately add rennet after .1 delta (like Maasdam (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9402.msg67720.html#msg67720)), or wait for pH drop to 6.4-6.5
- From rennet add, wait for floc time depending on floc factor; confirm floc with spinning bowl
- Cut/whisk curd to desired initial size, rest to heal curd; cut/whisk to smaller size if desired, rest to heal
- Gently stir curds, maintaining temp
- If washed curd, drain 1/3 of whey and wash lactose with equal measure of added 130F/54C water
- Continue gentle stirring while raising temp to 100F/37C or higher for alpines
- Test curds for mat-ability to gauge readiness to drain, pH at whey drain s/b around 6.35
- Drain curds in lined colander
- Transfer curds to lined mould, hand-pressing into the bottom corners of the mould to ensure a tight knit
- Depending on cheese style, no press, press with weight of cheese, or heavy press for a semi-hard or hard cheese
- When pH drops to 5.3-5.4, salt cheese or brine for 3-4 hrs/lb (1.5-2 hrs/kg?)
- Airdry cheese for period of time
- Move cheese to cave
- Flip, wash/wipe, age as appropriate
- Continue to preserve cheese with cream-coat, wax, oil, natural rind, cheese paper, or vacuum-seal
- Enjoy
This rather simplistic outline doesn't take into account all the nuances for each specific cheese style, but covers a lot of the cheeses that I make: Tomme, Taleggio, Tilsit, Hispanico, Esrom, Maasdam, Beaufort. The lactics, cams, and blues are not in this group.
-Boofer-
I totally agree. As you know I use to posted extensive makes with pictures and every detail and, as you, felt it was all becoming very redundant. I only post details of new makes I do now in case someone new wants to try it, and it actually works. Not sure anyone bothered to try the old ones I did anyway but there you go. Anyway, I can get times and weights for just about any make from my books.
Here's a shot of my very "sticky" taleggio this morning. Been misting with a brine/cognac/geo mixture. Hoping for a little color soon.
That is looking good.
I'm following closely, as Taleggio is on my short list for upcoming cheese to make.
Kind of doing a schmier on this one. That stops the "sticky" stage a bit but the stinky stage is up and running!!! ;D
Looking good, Al. :)
-Boofer-