• Ladle the salted curd into a cheesecloth-lined cheese form, press it smooth with a spoon, and top with a layer of cheesecloth. Insert the wooden follower and apply pressure (six bricks). The length of time required to press the cheese into a cake suitable for slicing varies according to the temperature, the amount of moisture, and the weight applied, but it is usually from 45 minutes to 1½ hours. When the cheese is firm enough to cut, it is ready to eat. It is best fresh but will keep a week or more in the refrigerator.
Rolling Cheese
Soft cheeses may be rolled in finely chopped herbs, cracked peppercorns, chopped nuts, or toasted sunflower or sesame seeds. Wrap in plastic wrap after rolling, and use within a day or two.
Soft Goat Cheese
This is a delicious, soft goat milk cheese. The milk is ripened for a lengthy period with goat cheese starter culture.
A very small amount of rennet is also added to the milk. After 18 hours, the milk coagulates. It is placed in small goat cheese molds to drain and in two days small and delicious 1½- to 2-ounce cheeses are ready for eating. These are firm yet spreadable cheeses that will keep under refrigeration for up to two weeks.
½ gallon whole goat milk
1 ounce mesophilic goat cheese starter culture
4 tablespoons cool water Liquid rennet
Garlic-Herb Cheese
Make a sensational spiced cheese for bagels, sandwiches, and hors d’oeuvres. Into 8 ounces of fresh cream cheese, mash 3 cloves garlic; 1 tablespoon each dried basil, chives, caraway seeds, and dillweed; 2 teaspoons dried parsley; and freshly ground black pepper to taste. If you use minced fresh herbs, triple the quantities.
1. Ripening and renneting. Warm goat milk to 72°F (22°C). Stir in 1 ounce of mesophilic goat cheese starter culture. Put the water in a measuring cup. Add 1 drop of rennet and stir. Add 1 tablespoon of this diluted rennet to the milk. Stir thoroughly. Cover and allow the milk to sit at 72°F (22°C) for 18 hours, until it coagulates.
2. Molding and draining. Scoop the curd into individual goat cheese molds. These molds are made of food-grade plastic and measure 3¼ inches in height. When the molds are full, they should be placed to drain in a convenient spot at 72°F (22°C).
3. Finishing. After two days of draining, the cheese will have sunk to about 1 inch in height and will maintain a firm shape. The cheese can now be eaten fresh or can be wrapped in cellophane (better) or plastic wrap and stored for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. If desired, the cheese may be lightly salted on its surface, immediately after being taken from the mold.
Yield: Almost 1 pound
Drain the whey from soft cheese by hanging the curds in a cloth bag.
30-Minute Mozzarella
Mozzarella was first made by the monks of San Lorenzo di Capua, Italy, from sheep milk. In the sixteenth century, when water buffalo were introduced to Naples, the rich milk of those animals started to be used. The following recipe from Ricki Carroll, author of Home Cheesemaking, is a quick and easy way to make fresh mozzarella at home in less than 30 minutes! (Make sure the milk you use for this cheese is not ultrapasteurized. The protein is damaged in the process and will leave you with ricotta rather than mozzarella.)
For a party treat, slice the mozzarella and arrange it alternately with ripe tomato slices. Then drizzle with fresh pesto, scatter with sun-dried tomatoes, and top with a smattering of pine nuts. Serve with crusty bread and wine.
1½ level teaspoons citric acid dissolved in 1 cup cool water
1 gallon pasteurized whole milk (see Note in step 1)
1/8–¼ teaspoon lipase powder (optional) (see Note in step 1) dissolved in ¼ cup cool water and allowed to sit for 20 minutes (for a stronger flavor
¼ teaspoon liquid rennet (or ¼ rennet tablet) diluted in ¼ cup cool, unchlorinated water
1 teaspoon cheese salt (optional)
1. Pour the milk into your pot and stir vigorously while adding the citric acid solution. (If using lipase, add it now.)
Note: You may use skim milk, but the yield will be lower and the cheese drier. If you add lipase, you may have to use a bit more rennet, as lipase makes the cheese softer. Try the recipe without it first and experiment later.
2. Heat the milk to 90°F (32°C) over medium-low heat, while stirring gently.
3. Remove the pot from the burner and gently stir in the diluted rennet solution with an up-and-down motion for approximately 30 seconds.
4. Cover the pot and leave it undisturbed for 5 minutes.
5. Check the curd. It will look like custard and will have a bit of shine, with a clear separation between the curds and whey. If the curd is too soft or the whey is milky white, wait a few more minutes.
6. Cut the curd with a knife that reaches to the bottom of your pot. (See page 310.)
7. Place the pot back on the stove and heat to 105°F while slowly moving the curds around with your spoon. (Note: If you will be stretching the curds with the water bath method instead of the microwave (see box at right), heat the curds to 110°F in this step.)
8. Take the pot off the burner and continue stirring slowly for 2–5 minutes. (More time will make a firmer cheese.)
9. Pour off the floating whey and ladle the curds into a large microwavable bowl. Drain off as much whey as you can without pressing the curds too much.
10. Microwave the curds on high for 1 minute (see box at right). Drain off all excess whey. Gently fold the curds over and over (as in kneading bread) with your hand or a spoon. This distributes the heat evenly throughout the cheese, which will not stretch until it is almost too hot to touch (135°F [63°C] inside the curd).
11. Microwave for another 30 seconds. Drain again and stretch the curd. If it is not hot enough, microwave for another 30 seconds.
12. Add salt to taste after the second time (optional). Knead and stretch the cheese quickly until it is smooth and elastic. When it stretches like taffy, it is done. If the curds break instead of stretching, they are too cool and need to be reheated.
Stretch the cheese until it is the consistency of taffy.
13. When the cheese is smooth and shiny, roll it into small balls and eat while warm. Or place them in a bowl of ice water for ½ hour to bring the inside temperature down rapidly; this will produce a consistent, smooth texture throughout the cheese. Although itís best eaten fresh, if you must wait, cover and store in the refrigerator.
Yield: ¾ to 1 pound
No Microwave?
If you don’t have a microwave, you may want to put on heavy rubber gloves at this point. Heat the reserved whey to at least 175°F (79°C). Add ¼ cup of cheese salt to the whey. Shape the curd into one or more balls, put them in a ladle or strainer, and dip them into the hot whey for several seconds. Knead the curd with spoons between each dip and repeat this process several times, until the curd is smooth and pliable.
Troubleshooting: If the curds turn into the consistency of ricotta cheese and will not come together, change the brand of milk: It may have been pasteurized at the factory to too high a temperature (over 172°F).
Alternative: If all the store has is ultrapasteurized milk, a very delicious option is to use dry milk powder and cream. Reconstitute enough nonfat instant milk powder overnight to make 1 gallon of milk. When making mozzarella, use 7 pints of this mixture with 1 pint of light cream or half and half. (Because of the ratio, the cream may be ultrapasteurized.)
Making Hard Cheese
Here are general directions for making hard cheeses. You will find many variations in specific recipes, particularly for processing temperatures and pressing times.
2–3 gallons milk
2 cups cheese starter
½ teaspoon liquid rennet or
1 tablet rennet dissolved in
½ cup cool water (optional)
1–2 tablespoons flake salt
½ pound USDA-approved cheese coating
1. Ripen the milk. Warm the milk to 86°F (30°C) and add starter. Stir thoroughly for 2 minutes. Cover and let sit in a warm place overn
ight. In the morning, taste the milk. If it has a slightly acidic taste, it is ready for the next step. If you are not using rennet, skip the next step and let the milk sit 18 to 24 hours longer, until the curd has formed and the whey is separating.
2. Add the rennet. With the milk at room temperature, add the rennet; stir for 2 minutes to mix it in thoroughly. Cover the container and let it remain undisturbed until the milk has coagulated, 30 to 45 minutes.
3. Cut the curd. When the curd is firm and a small amount of whey appears on the surface, it is ready to cut. With a clean knife, slice the curd into ½-inch cubes. Stir the curd carefully with a wooden spoon; cut any cubes that do not conform to size.
4. Heat the curd. Place a small container into a larger one filled with warm water, double-boiler style. Heat the curds and whey slowly at the rate of 2 degrees F (1 degrees C) every 5 minutes. Heat to a temperature of 100°F (38°C) over 30 to 40 minutes, then hold this temperature until the curd has developed the desired firmness. Keep stirring gently to prevent the cubes of curd from sticking together and forming lumps. Test the curd for firmness by squeezing a small handful gently, then releasing it quickly. If it shows little tendency to stick together, it is ready. When the curd is firm, remove the container.
5. Remove the whey. Pour the curds and whey into a large container lined with cheesecloth. Lift the cheesecloth with the curd inside and let it drain in a colander or large strainer. Reserve the whey for optional use. When most of the whey has drained off, remove the curd from the cheesecloth, put it into a container, and tilt it several times to remove whey. Stir the curd or work it with your hands to keep the curds separated. When it has cooled to 90°F (32°C) and has a rubbery texture, it is ready to be salted.
6. Salt the curd. Sprinkle the flake salt over the curd and mix well. Once the salt has dissolved and the curd has cooled to 85°F (29°C), spoon the curd into a cheese form whose sides and bottom have been lined with cheesecloth.
7. Press the curd. Place a circle of cheesecloth on top of the curd. Insert the wooden follower and put the cheese form into the cheese press. Start with a weight of three or four bricks for 10 minutes, remove the follower, and drain off any whey that has collected. Replace the follower and add a brick at a time until you have six to eight bricks. After an hour under this much pressure, the cheese should be ready to dress.
8. Dress the cheese. Remove the weights and the follower and turn the cheese form upside down so the cheese will drop out. Remove the cheesecloth and dip the cheese into warm water to remove fat from the surface. Smooth over any small holes with your fingers to make an even surface. Wipe dry. Cut a piece of cheesecloth 2 inches wider than the cheese is thick and long enough to wrap around it with a slight overlap. Roll the cheese tightly, using two circles of cheesecloth to cover the ends. Replace the cheese in the cheese form, insert the follower, and press with six to eight bricks for 18 to 24 hours longer.
9. Dry the cheese. Remove the cheese, take off the cheesecloth, and wipe the cheese with a clean, dry cloth. Check for any openings or cracks. Wash the cheese in hot water or whey for a firm rind. Seal holes by dipping the cheese into warm water and smoothing with your fingers or a table knife. Put the cheese on a shelf in a cool, dry place. Turn and wipe it daily until the surface feels dry and the rind has started to form. This takes three to five days.
Sheep Milk Cheese
You’ve probably eaten sheep cheese, even if you didn’t know it. Many European gourmet cheeses, such as Roquefort, Romano, and pecorino, are most often made from sheep milk. Sheep milk is ideally suited for cheesemaking because it contains almost double the solids of cow milk and is high in proteins and minerals; you can produce more cheese with less milk. It also contains a higher percentage of butterfat than cow milk.
Collecting enough sheep milk to make cheese takes quite some time for one person with just a few sheep. You can collect, chill, and freeze the milk until you have enough to make cheese.
This recipe yields a versatile, low-fat cream cheese that makes a great dip or spread when seasoned with parsley, chopped onion, pressed garlic, pepper, or other herbs. When sweetened, it makes a delicious filling for cake.
1 gallon pasteurized whole sheep milk
¼ cup cold water
½ rennet tablet
½ cup fresh commercial buttermilk
1–1½ teaspoons salt
1. Pasteurize the sheep milk by heating it in a 6-quart, stainless-steel kettle to 155°F (68°C) and keeping it at that temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Cool the milk to 85°F (29°C).
3. Pour the water into a small bowl. Dissolve the rennet tablet in the water.
4. Add the rennet mixture and the buttermilk to the cooled sheep milk. Stir gently for 10 minutes or longer. Stop stirring when you notice a slight thickening or setting. If you stir too long, you will get a mushy product instead of a firm curd.
5. Keep the mixture at 80 to 85°F (27 to 29°C). Don’t let it get any hotter, or the rennet will be destroyed. The best way to hold this temperature is to set the cheese kettle in a large pan of warm water in which you can add hot water from time to time as it cools. Let the mixture stand until whey, the watery-looking liquid, covers the surface and the curd breaks clean from the sides of the kettle (like gelatin) when it is tipped.
6. Cut the curd into 1-inch cubes by running a long, thin knife through it in both directions, right to the bottom of the pot. Cut the strips horizontally by inserting the cheese knife and drawing it across the kettle.
7. Place a bowl underneath a clean muslin bag or fine colander lined with cheesecloth. Pour or ladle the mixture into the bag or colander. Allow it to drain until nearly all of the whey has been caught in the bowl. Use a cheese press to squeeze out the rest of the whey. If you don’t have a cheese press, place a dish on top of the bag and weight it down with a jar filled with water.
8. Keep the whey in the refrigerator until the cream rises and becomes firm enough to skim off. The cream will have a butterlike consistency. Work it back into the cheese, mixing thoroughly. (Save the thin whey to use as the liquid in bread baking, or feed it back to the sheep.)
9. Once the cheese feels firm, work in the salt.
10. Coat the cheese. Follow the package directions on the USDA-approved coating; coatings are available from catalogs that offer cheesemaking supplies.
11. Cure the cheese. Put the cheese back onto the shelf to cure. Turn it daily. Wash the shelf once a week and dry it in the sun. After about six weeks of curing at a temperature between 40 and 60°F (4 and 16°C), the cheese will have a firm body and a mild flavor. Cheese with a sharp flavor requires at least three months of curing. Curing time depends on individual taste.
Cheddar Cheese
With a little effort in the spring, you can have perfectly ripened cheddar in time for fall apple pies.
To make cheddar cheese, follow the basic directions for hard cheese through step 5, removing the whey. Then place the cubes of heated curd in a colander and heat to 100°F (38°C) in a double-boiler arrangement or in the oven. After 20 to 30 minutes, the curd will form a solid mass. Slice it into 1-inch strips, which must be turned with a wooden spoon every 15 minutes for even drying. Bake or cook these strips at 100°F (38°C) for 1 hour. Remove from heat and continue with the basic directions, beginning at step 6. Cure the cheese for six months.
Variations
To make flavored cheddars, you can use 1 to 3 tablespoons of fresh chopped or dried sage, ½ to 2 tablespoons of caraway seeds, or ½ to 4 tablespoons of chopped jalapeño peppers to flavor 2 pounds of cheese. The amount depends on the degree of flavor you want in the final cheese. Place the desired seasoning in ½ cup water and boil for 15 minutes, adding water as needed, so that it does not all boil away. Strain the flavored water into the milk to be used for cheesemaking. Follow directions for cheddar cheese. Add the sage, seeds, or peppers during the salting process.
Colby Cheese
Colby is similar to cheddar but is softer and milder, and it’s re
ady to eat without a long curing time.
To make a small Colby cheese, add 3 tablespoons of starter to 1 gallon of lukewarm milk. Let it stand overnight to clabber, and then proceed with the basic directions for hard cheese through step 4, heating the curd.
When the curd is heated to the point where it no longer shows a tendency to stick together, remove the container from the heat and let it stand 1 hour; stir every 5 minutes.
Now continue with step 5, removing the whey. After pressing the curd for 18 hours, the cheese can be dried for a day or so and used as a soft cheese spread or ripened for 30 days.
Romano Cheese
Romano is a hard, granular Italian cheese often used for grating. In this recipe, skim milk can be used.
Follow the basic directions to step 4, heating the curd. At this point, heat the cut curd slowly to 118°F (48°C) and hold it at that temperature, stirring occasionally until the curd is quite firm (you can tell by touch or by tasting).
Then proceed with the basic directions to step 7, pressing the curd. Follow the directions, pressing the cheese for 18 hours. Then remove the cheese from the form and immerse the cheese in salt brine (¼ cup salt dissolved in 1 quart warm water). Let it stand 2 to 3 hours. During the first stages of the curing process, salt is rubbed onto the surface.
For a real Italian Romano appearance, color the coating black and rub the surface of the cheese with olive oil at the end of the curing period. Romano is cured for five to eight months for slicing and one to two years for grating.
The Backyard Homestead Page 32