Hi guys,
It has been years since I last made cheeses. And I'm picking it up again!
I have been reading and boning up on it all over again. I have a question.
After the maturation in the cave (cheese in lidded container in wine fridge) - the cheeses are wrapped and placed in regular fridge where ripening is slowed. After a few weeks, is it possible to stop the cheese from ripening further?
This way I can keep the cheeses stored longer without over ripening. It has to be possible right? How do store bought Camemberts do it?
Thank you!
I've found you only get about a 7-10 day window before the cheese becomes overripe.
Large scale commercial cheeses use a different recipe - do a search for "stabilized paste" camembert/etc.
Thank you Bantams. Will search for stabilized paste. Can't wait for all my supplies to arrive.
NE Cheesemaking just posted a stabilized paste camembert recipe.https://cheesemaking.com/collections/recipes/products/camembert-recipe-stabilized
Absolutely key point in this recipe: "While draining, keep the draining curds in a space that is between 65-70F. "
I find that the addition of extra cream in my Malemberts is enough to slow the ripening process. You won't stop it altogether. I get about another 3 weeks window of enjoyment.
If you compare the keeping properties of a Double creme like Brilliant Savarin or Creme de Borgogne they will last for several weeks unlike Brie /Camembert which easily overshoot. This very much backs up what Ozziecheese just said. The extra cream seems to stabilise the paste.
Right, adding additional cream and using thermophilic culture both help create a "stabilized paste" cheese.