minutes at room temperature. You will notice that the curds become dry and firm. Pour the curds back into the pot, and mill them into ¼" (6 mm) pieces by hand. Blend in the salt.
Pour the curds into a 2-pound (900 g) cheese cloth–lined mold. Cover the curds with one corner of the cheese cloth, and press at twenty pounds for thirty minutes. Remove the cheese from the press, and slowly unwrap the cheese cloth. Turn the cheese, rewrap it in cloth, and press at twenty pounds for thirty minutes. Repeat this procedure, and press at forty pounds for one hour. Repeat again, and press at fifty pounds for twelve hours.
Take the cheese out of the mold, and unwrap the cheese cloth. Allow the cheese to air-dry on a wooden board for several days, turning every four hours. When the cheese is dry to the touch, it is ready for waxing and ripening. Completely cover the cheese in clear wax (see instructions for waxing on page 81 ).
Age in your refrigerator at 50°F (10°C) at 80–85 percent humidity for two to three months.
Yield: 2 pounds (900 g)
Artisan Advice
Certain cheeses, such as the cheeses on pages 107–113 fall into a subcategory of style known as washed curd. At the end of the scalding and stirring steps, whey is removed from the pot and is placed in very hot water, generally between 120°F and 140°F (50°C–60°C). This washing removes the lactose from the curds, which slows down the acidification process and allows the curds to absorb some of the water, giving the cheese a smooth texture.
Gouda
Gouda derives its name from a town just outside Rotterdam. Gouda is a washed-curd cheese made with whole milk, and is molded into the familiar rounded wheels.
Gouda is a washed-curd cheese made with whole milk that has a rich creamy flavor and consistency.
INGREDIENTS
2 gallons (7.6 L) whole milk
8 ounces (225 grams) mesophilic mother culture, or ¼ teaspoon mesophilic direct-set culture
teaspoon calcium chloride diluted in ¼ cup (60 ml) cool water (see page 72 )
1 teaspoon (5 ml) liquid rennet, or ¼ rennet tablet diluted in ¼ cup (60 ml) cool, unchlorinated water
6 cups (1.4 L) water at 175°F (79°C)
Brine
Cheese wax
TECHNIQUES
For illustrated steps and tools, see Intermediate Cheese-Making Techniques, page 82 .
PROCEDURE
Heat the milk to 90°F (32°C), then gently stir in the starter culture and cover. Let the milk ripen for ten minutes. If using homogenized milk, add the diluted calcium chloride and stir.
Maintaining the target temperature of 90°F (32°C), add the diluted rennet, and stir for one minute. Cover and let sit at the target temperature for one hour. Check for a clean break (see page 83 ) with a curd knife (or your finger) and making one cut through the curds. Once you have a clean break, cut curds into ½" (about 1 cm) cubes. Stir and let the curds rest for five minutes at target temperature.
With a sanitized measuring cup, draw off one-third of the whey. Gradually add the heated water and stir. Bring the temperature to 92°F (33°C). This will take about 2½ cups (570 ml) of water. Continually stir to keep the curds from matting at the bottom of the pot. Once you reach the target temperature, let the curds rest for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain off the whey to the level of the curds. Stir continuously as you add more of the 175°F (79°C) water until the temperature of the mixture arrives at 100°F (38°C). Maintain this temperature for fifteen minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the curds from matting. Let the curds sit in the pot for thirty minutes, maintaining the target temperature. Strain off the whey using a colander.
Cumin Gouda
This is a nice twist on the traditional Gouda. The addition of zesty spice makes the cheese a good choice to accompany dark breads and robust beers.
Follow the recipe for Gouda, with the following modifications.
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon (7 g) cumin seed 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
PROCEDURE Cover the cumin seeds with water and boil, covered, for
Pour the curds into a 2-pound (900 g) cheese cloth–lined mold. Cover the curds with one corner of the cheese cloth, and press at twenty pounds for thirty minutes. Remove the cheese from the press, and slowly unwrap the cheese cloth. Turn the cheese, rewrap it in cloth, and press at twenty pounds for thirty minutes. Repeat this procedure, and press at forty pounds for one hour. Repeat again, and press at fifty pounds for twelve hours.
Take the cheese out of the mold, and unwrap the cheese cloth. Allow the cheese to air-dry on a wooden board for several days, turning every four hours. When the cheese is dry to the touch, it is ready for waxing and ripening. Completely cover the cheese in clear wax (see instructions for waxing on page 81 ).
Age in your refrigerator at 50°F (10°C) at 80–85 percent humidity for two to three months.
Yield: 2 pounds (900 g)
Artisan Advice
Certain cheeses, such as the cheeses on pages 107–113 fall into a subcategory of style known as washed curd. At the end of the scalding and stirring steps, whey is removed from the pot and is placed in very hot water, generally between 120°F and 140°F (50°C–60°C). This washing removes the lactose from the curds, which slows down the acidification process and allows the curds to absorb some of the water, giving the cheese a smooth texture.
Gouda
Gouda derives its name from a town just outside Rotterdam. Gouda is a washed-curd cheese made with whole milk, and is molded into the familiar rounded wheels.
Gouda is a washed-curd cheese made with whole milk that has a rich creamy flavor and consistency.
INGREDIENTS
2 gallons (7.6 L) whole milk
8 ounces (225 grams) mesophilic mother culture, or ¼ teaspoon mesophilic direct-set culture
teaspoon calcium chloride diluted in ¼ cup (60 ml) cool water (see page 72 )
1 teaspoon (5 ml) liquid rennet, or ¼ rennet tablet diluted in ¼ cup (60 ml) cool, unchlorinated water
6 cups (1.4 L) water at 175°F (79°C)
Brine
Cheese wax
TECHNIQUES
For illustrated steps and tools, see Intermediate Cheese-Making Techniques, page 82 .
PROCEDURE
Heat the milk to 90°F (32°C), then gently stir in the starter culture and cover. Let the milk ripen for ten minutes. If using homogenized milk, add the diluted calcium chloride and stir.
Maintaining the target temperature of 90°F (32°C), add the diluted rennet, and stir for one minute. Cover and let sit at the target temperature for one hour. Check for a clean break (see page 83 ) with a curd knife (or your finger) and making one cut through the curds. Once you have a clean break, cut curds into ½" (about 1 cm) cubes. Stir and let the curds rest for five minutes at target temperature.
With a sanitized measuring cup, draw off one-third of the whey. Gradually add the heated water and stir. Bring the temperature to 92°F (33°C). This will take about 2½ cups (570 ml) of water. Continually stir to keep the curds from matting at the bottom of the pot. Once you reach the target temperature, let the curds rest for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain off the whey to the level of the curds. Stir continuously as you add more of the 175°F (79°C) water until the temperature of the mixture arrives at 100°F (38°C). Maintain this temperature for fifteen minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the curds from matting. Let the curds sit in the pot for thirty minutes, maintaining the target temperature. Strain off the whey using a colander.
Cumin Gouda
This is a nice twist on the traditional Gouda. The addition of zesty spice makes the cheese a good choice to accompany dark breads and robust beers.
Follow the recipe for Gouda, with the following modifications.
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon (7 g) cumin seed 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
PROCEDURE Cover the cumin seeds with water and boil, covered, for
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