I want to make some chevre next week. I'm jumping into the whole cheese making thing. I plan on using a mesophillic starter and some organic vegetable rennet. From everything I've read, chevre is quite bland. I would like a little bit more aged flavor to the cheese. Would a small sprinkle of lipase help devliver a more "cheesy" flavor?
Your thoughts?
I don't think fresh goat cheese is bland at all. Just make sure you salt it and you should be good for flavor. I have never heard of using lipase for fresh goat cheese.
I'm assuming that you have never had goat cheese?
If not, perhaps you should go out and buy some before going to the trouble to make it.
It isn't bland, but as a fresh cheese, it doesn't have the developed flavor of something aged or with molds, of course. It has a very distinct flavor (and texture) that not everyone likes.
Yes, I have had goat cheese many times before, although I've never made it. I do like for my cheese to have a flavor that's on the stronger side. I think I'll try a batch both ways, one with lipase and one without and then decide which I like better.
I have never used goats milk but I would be interested to see what your finding are with and without lipase. I am still searching for goats milk in my area.
Lipase is sharp tasting, if you want a sharp flavor. That's an interesting idea; a sharp soft cheese. You might want to try adding herbs or other flavorings to the finished product for more flavor.
In my Parmesan recipe, you add the lipase powder to a Tb. of water and set aside for 30 minutes to let it ripen. There is a noticeable difference in 30 minutes - the water is like mucilage. Then you are supposed to stir the Parmesan curds for an hour, as the lipase needs agitation to develop its flavor fully. I don't know how it would work with a soft cheese, but you might want to try putting it in water first, before adding it to the cheese.
Lipase requires time for lipolysis so adding it to fresh cheese is pointless. If you want a tangier taste just wait longer than the recipe states between culture and rennet steps. If your recipe has them at the same time just wait longer before draining the curd.
Excellent Idea!
Quote from: FRANCOIS on July 27, 2009, 04:15:05 AM
Lipase requires time for lipolysis so adding it to fresh cheese is pointless. If you want a tangier taste just wait longer than the recipe states between culture and rennet steps. If your recipe has them at the same time just wait longer before draining the curd.