Took the plunge!!

[Fallow Buck]

Well guys I have finally stopped talking about it and gone ahead and tried to make a Stilton. Alas I think I will have something that doesn't even vaguely resemble a Stilton but hey.... I'm trying!!


I used the Colander method, and made a batch with about 7 litres of milk, and a pint of double cream. The problem was that I couldn't get any buttermilk, so I sused a live yogurt starter.... ( I assumed it would do the job, but you know what they say about assumption beint the mother of all.... etc)

Sainsbury's had Vegeren so I used that.

My Curds formed fine and seemed to make a big lump falling away from the sides of the pan. I gave them nearly 2hours and then cut them but they were still a bit like scrambled eggs in consistency, but firm. I "cooked" for another hour then drained them.

They went into the cloth to drain and were pressed for 90mins, then salted and put in the colander.

The whey that came out of them during the pressing part seemed a little slimy but I kept turning and pressing

It's now in the colander after 3 days and seems fine. I started to get a vague hint of smell from it yesterday and this morning was its final turning before it gets covered. I expect to do needling next weekend.

I would like to get some DVI cultures or start using some raw milk that I have access to. I'm assuming that raw milk doesn't need the starter?

Anyway I took some photo's thinking of everyone here and I'll post them when I get a chance.

I want to try and make some Camembert types but smaller and taller so I feel some experimentation coming on.

Anyway, even with this my inability to just follow a recipe has come to the fore again and I've winged it a bit.... fingers crossed it works!!

Thanks,
FB

[saucisson]

Both Sainsbury's and Tescos around here do Buttermilk now, so it's worth a look/ask. You will certainly have cheese, it will be interesting to see what it turns out like using yoghurt. I'm not sure about the raw milk question, maybe Jen will know when she gets in.

Dave

[jenny_haddow]

Hi FB
I believe you can leave milk out to produce a wild starter culture from airborn bacterior. This must have been how it was done originally, and the milk would have been raw. As the acidity level in the milk increased, it coagulated, and curds were formed. Then, some must have been kept back to act as a starter culture to speed up the next batch, and so cheese making has developed. Rennet speeds up the process even further, and helps form stronger curds. Before you try producing wild cultures I would read up on food safety and raw milk just in case.
Using yoghurt is fine, it may make for a sharper flavour in the final cheese, but it will certainly do the job. Did you use a piece of blue cheese as well as the yoghurt?
Well done though on taking the plunge and making a cheese.

Cheers

Jen

[Fallow Buck]

Hi Jenny,

Thanks for the Reply. I thought the Yogurt would probably do the job but didn't actually think about the effect it would have on the taste to be honest. Valid point!!

I did use a peice of blue cheese, (stilton), in this one. Personally I'm ot a big fan of Blue cheese but after al the eforts Rik put into helping us all get started in this it just seemed like it would have been wrong to make something different first time.

I'm already planning to make thos camembert types though with the raw milk. I have done a lot of reading on it and I'm happy with the safety side of things. It looks like it is safe to use if you mature the cheeses for more than 60days, and I'm comfortable with the provenance of the milk. I'm assuming that if it is straight out of the cow then there will be non need for the starter culture as the milk is still live.

The other thing I was going to ask is if anyone has any thoughts on cheap alternatives for cylinder moulds. I thought of tins but I think I'd prefer something non corrosive. Could sections of any plastic pipe work or are some plastics not usable with food? I'd like to make a number of these in one batch if possible so that's why I'm trying to cut the costs a bit.

Best regards

FB

[jenny_haddow]

Plastic pipe is not food grade plastic, however large milk containers are. My first mold was the middle section of a large Tesco's milk carton, I still use it for Brie. You can find round containers, but this was square and I forced it round a plate and put it through the dishwasher, the heat re-modelled it into a circle, works a treat as you dont need to press camembert and brie, so you don't need a follower.
There are lots of food containers made of plastic that could be modified, Tuppa ware type cake containers etc. They just need a bit of whittling or drilling. I would use food grade plastics though, just to be sure.
There are probably some very suitable catering size containers available too.

Hope this helps


Jen

[Fallow Buck]

Hi Jenny,

Thanks for the milk idea, I'll give that a go. Or even make square chese!!!

I'll let you know how it goes,

Rgds,
FB

[jenny_haddow]

No problem with square, just make sure there are no ridges on the sides to stop the curds from sliding down when the mold is inverted.

Jen

[saucisson]

Square is probably a very good idea for those of us with limited storage, more cheese to the square inch! I'll give it a go.

Dave

[jenny_haddow]

It also makes for cutting even portions. Not so aesthetically pleasing as a wheel I suppose, but how practical!
If you use the large milk cartons they have rounded corners so nothing would get trapped.

Jen

[BlueCheese]

Cant wait to see your pictures
2 L pop bottles may make good molds by cutting off the bottom. your first batch was store milk? did u use calcium chloride?

[jenny_haddow]

Yes I do use calcium chloride. Not for first cheeses though. I bought some when I did goats cheese to encourage firmer curds, which it did. I now put a bit in most cheese I make, as it makes the curds much easier to handle. Also, yes, I use store bought milk. I don't have any other source as yet, so all my cheese is made from pasteurised milk and cream. However, it still tastes a heck of a lot better than the stuff I used to buy.

Jen

Sorry, I think I've replied to a question for FB

[saucisson]

Jen, where do you get the calcium chloride from?

Dave

[jenny_haddow]

Ascott. When I bought my cheese press I ordered a few extras because the P&P is a bit hefty for one item. I ordered some molds as well, which are good, but smaller than I was expecting. I'm going to make some ceramic ones to the size I want and which will fit the press perfectly.

[Fallow Buck]

I was very excited this mng when I came down and the cheese was covered in mould!!

My other half thinks I have slightly lost the plot bbut hey....

I used your idea Jen to make round moulds from plastic milk bottles and it seems to have worked a treat. I'm going to make a batch of camembert up hopefully on sunday with some fresh raw milk.

Given that I am low on Venison then It looks like I wont be making many sausages for the next couple of weeks so Cheese experimenting it will be!!

Rgds,
FB

[saucisson]

Any photos FB?