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I decided that I would give this recipe a go on Sunday.  It calls for 250ml of cream for every 1ltr of milk.    Managed to get my usual non-homogenized milk, so hopefully this will work.  One thing I did do that the recipe didn't call for, was I added some geo.  Hoping that will help stop some of the rind slip that I have experienced before.

The curd was very soft, and unfortunately I lost some in a small accident, but finally managed to get it all into the mould.

In my experience the curd usually settles to atleast 1/3 of the original amount.  This one didn't even settle to half the normal expected, so, with what was lost in the accident, I could get two brie's out of this recipe.

The end size was 8in x 3in.  After sitting over night the recipe then said to put in a saturated brine for 50 mins.  As this one was so thick, I brined for 1 1/2hrs.  Unfortunately as it is still very very soft, I put a couple of cracks in it while trying to turn it in the brine.

Then I let it dry for around 4-5 hours, during which time, due to the weight and softness of the cheese the sides started to bulge, and of course the cracks opened up some.  The under side though is beautiful and smooth.

Anyway, I have put it in a humid environment and have just checked, and it doesn't seem to have bulged any further this morning, so hopefully this cheese will make it, as I was a bit worried yesterday.

So to those in the know, is there anything I should look out for while trying to age this cheese.  The thickness of it has me worried in regards to how well it will age.

I wonder if maybe it would have stay together better id left in the ring longer? I haven't made brie yet but if it's that soft and delicate ...

I have to admit that this recipe is much softer than any other recipe that I have tried.  Was talking to another lady that has tried this also, and she said that hers was very soft too.  My usual brie is firm enough to turn second day.

This one called for flipping at the 1hr, twice at 2hr intervals then again at 3hr.  Then is was left over night in the hoop, before being transfered into the brine.  Now that it has been in the cave for 2 days, it has firmed up beautifully, and I turned it yesterday with no problems at all.

No sign of any mould yet, but not really expecting to see any anyway.

As of turning it yesterday, I am feeling a little more confident with the cheese.  So here is hoping.

Day 4 update.  Just turned for the second time, and still no mould growth.
mmm starting to feel a little worried.

On my little crottins one batch took about 7 days (pretty wet) and the other took about 5 days. Once it started it was like wildfire.

Day 6, still no sign of mould. 

Not even fuzzy things?

Nope, nothing, zip!!  I decided to check the expiry date in the mould and it said "best before Jan 2008"    I'm sure I bought it after this date.  So even though it has been kept in the freezer, I am beginning to think that the mould is not working.  Usually I have full coverage by at least day 5.

SO, I was wondering if I could put this cheese in the fridge until some new spores arrive, put some in a brine solution, rebrine the cheese, and restart the humid environment step???

Would this work?

I haven't made brie but I would think it would hold in the cave enviroment better than a fridge. Might as well age while your waiting?

Day 8, and I just turned again, and there is a light covering of almost the top of the cheese.  yeh, so hopefully all should be well now.  Maybe I have the cave colder than usual.

Just sleepy marshmellows is all! 

Well we went away for a week to the beach, and after another couple of days, no further mould had grown.  As I was struggling to keep the cave cool enough, I decided to wrap anyway and put in the fridge.

Strange because I thought that once mould started it would not stop.  I read up of the geo that I added, and the packet said that it was a mixture of white spores, but that it had to be added to the culture.  I remebered it at the last minute and added it to the pot.  But I didn't think that that should have made all the difference.

Anyway, I will watch and wait and see what happens with this one.

Just received my two new brie moulds, so think that I will start this one all over again.

Good luck Tea. At least this time you know when to add the mold spores. It will be easier.

For the record I decided to ditch this one.  Too many things not happening that should have happened.  But I am going to give this another go, now that I have renewed cultures and spores.

Ah well it happens to the best of us. Good luck on the new cheese.