samssimonsays
Almost Self-Reliant
This will be the thread that I share all of the compiled CHEESE recipes that I use for "Ditzy Goat" and maybe I will share a fudge or caramel recipe here and there! 
"Ditzy Goat CHEESE Recipes" Samssimonsays/Blazing Acres
- Thread starter samssimonsays
- Start date
Mini Horses
Sustainability Master
Correct on lye safety -- precautions and not an issue. I always use food grade lye. The soaps have such great lather -- great cleaning, & skin condition, also.
SO -- when you first try soap, be SURE you have your molds ready to pour because when it goes to trace you do not have time to stop to get them ready!!
I use frozen goat milk with the lye. I use 1 liter bottles of frozen water in my sink of water, instead of ice cubes, for the cold water to set the container into. Then just dry outside of bottles & back in freezer for next time. It's scary at first but, not a problem if you have everything ready, out & weighed before you start. Then it's ready, set, go time. My daughter & I have done 4-5 batches in a morning. Then it's wait time. We like to do it and have had success at some of the Fairs in our area.
SO -- when you first try soap, be SURE you have your molds ready to pour because when it goes to trace you do not have time to stop to get them ready!!
I use frozen goat milk with the lye. I use 1 liter bottles of frozen water in my sink of water, instead of ice cubes, for the cold water to set the container into. Then just dry outside of bottles & back in freezer for next time. It's scary at first but, not a problem if you have everything ready, out & weighed before you start. Then it's ready, set, go time.
My daughter & I have done 4-5 batches in a morning. Then it's wait time. We like to do it and have had success at some of the Fairs in our area. - Thread starter
- #19
samssimonsays
Almost Self-Reliant
I got a lot of my stuff from New England cheese and then I also got a lot through Amazon.com My husband made me an amazing cheese press though!
frustratedearthmother
Sustainability Master
Quietly marks Gruyere off da list....
- Thread starter
- #14
samssimonsays
Almost Self-Reliant
Belper Knolle
1. Heating and Acidifying the Milk:
If using pasteurized milk, add about 1/8-1/4 tsp of Calcium Chloride at this point. Begin by heating the milk to 86F (30C). You do this by placing the milk in a pot or sink of very warm water. If you do this in a pot on the stove, make sure you heat the milk slowly and stir it well as it heats. You can use a thermometer but this is so close to our body temperature that when the milk feels neither cool nor warm it is close enough.
NOTE: You can try this with Goat milk as well, or even add a bit of cream for a richer base cheese, which might be tasty if you want to make this as an early eating cheese.
Once the milk is at your start temperature the culture can be added. To prevent the powder from caking and sinking in clumps sprinkle the powder over the surface of the milk and then allow about 2 minutes for the powder to re-hydrate before stirring it in.
NOTE: Some people prefer to add culture at room temperature and this works just fine, but this allows time for any unwanted bacteria in the milk to become players in the fermentation game.
We like to start this at 86F (the bacterias optimum working temperature) and then just allow the resting milk to coast to room temperature as it acidifies and forms the curd.
2. Developing the Curd:
Now, allow the milk to sit quietly on the counter at room temperature (68-74F) for 12-14 hours. The milk will drop in temperature during this time to that of the room. During the winter it would be best to keep the pot covered with towels or a blanket to keep from getting cool. The best time to do this is in the evening, because the curds will be ready to drain in the morning and can be draining while you are busy doing other things or at work.
As the bacteria in the culture works, the milk sugar (lactose) is converted into lactic acid which increases the acidity of the milk and eventually causes the milk to form the curd.
The rennet included in the culture pack also helps to coagulate the milk. The milk will thicken into a gel after a few hours but really needs more time to become firm. The finished curd will begin to show whey rising to the surface. When this solidified mass shrinks slightly, visibly pulling away from the edges of the container, the curds are ready to be drained. The curd at this point will look like a big block floating in clear whey and perhaps even developing cracks in its surface.
3. Draining the Curds to Release the Whey:
Our next task will be to separate the solids (curds, soon to become cheese) and liquid whey.
We will begin by lining our sanitized colander with the cheese cloth in preparation for draining. If you would like to save the whey for cooking or other uses simply drain it all into another pot.
You are now ready to transfer the curds to the draining cloth. Note the firmness of the curd in the photos below. Simply ladle the curds into the cloth and allow the whey to drain off.
Once the curds drain for a short time the cloth can be gathered, tied securely and hung for the final drainage. This can be done for several hours and even overnight, depending on how dry you want the final cheese.
Make just dry enough that the curds will still hold together and form into a ball. If too wet the cheese is too sticky when molding and will tend to slump after molding. If it is too dry it will be a problem staying together.
To make sure the curd has dried uniformly I also find that it is helpful to open the cloth and mix the curds together at least once or twice during the draining.
4. Adding the Salt and Spice:
Now the fun begins! Once the curd has dried sufficiently, it is time to blend the salt and garlic into the curds.
I use 2-3 medium cloves of garlic chopped into small pieces. I add this to my mortar along with 1.5 tsp of the Himalayan Pink Salt, then using the pestle, I reduce this to a uniform paste (The salt helps in smooshing the garlic pieces).
The drained curd will have a moist dough like look to it.
Transfer the curd into a bowl along with the salt/garlic paste, then using the back of a large spoon, begin mashing the curds and paste uniformly. Allow this to sit while you prepare the black pepper coat.
5. Preparing the Coat:
Before you form the cheese, grind the toasted peppercorns to a medium fine size. I find that a coffee mill reserved for spices works best but you could also do this in the mortar and pestle.
Spread this out evenly on a cookie sheet (or onto your counter top if you don't mind the mess).
6. Forming the Cheese:
Now that everything is mashed and blended, the cheese can be formed simply by taking a small hand full of this mix and form it into a ball just as you would a snowball. Yes, it's messy!
The one gallon batch should make about 5-6 of these slightly larger than golf ball sized cheeses. The final coat is simply a matter of rolling the cheese around in the ground pepper surface you have prepared.
The cheese will be quite tender at this point due to high moisture, so handle carefully as you transfer to the drying mats.
Drying the Cheese:
The cheese now needs to be dried down before it is placed in the cave. I do this in a room at about 50-60F and a moisture of 65-70% moisture. I also use a fan set at low/medium speed to increase the rate of moisture release.
The object here is to produce a nice firm and dry crust. This will become a lighter color as it dries. The pepper will also keep this drying surface free of molds.
5. Aging:
Finally the cheese can go to the cave with about 52-56F and 75-80% moisture. This higher moisture will now help in the aging of this cheese as it continues to dry to the center and achieve a uniform moisture that will be perfect for use as thin shavings.
The final cheese should be ready in 4-6 weeks but will continue to improve in flavor for a few months.
This has a rather intense flavor so I suggest serving as small shavings that can be tasted as is, or used as a garnish, much as you would Parma (or Truffle) for pasta, salads, veggies or what ever you think is good.
The flavor of the pepper can be reduced by brushing the surface before shaving.
1. Heating and Acidifying the Milk:
If using pasteurized milk, add about 1/8-1/4 tsp of Calcium Chloride at this point. Begin by heating the milk to 86F (30C). You do this by placing the milk in a pot or sink of very warm water. If you do this in a pot on the stove, make sure you heat the milk slowly and stir it well as it heats. You can use a thermometer but this is so close to our body temperature that when the milk feels neither cool nor warm it is close enough.
NOTE: You can try this with Goat milk as well, or even add a bit of cream for a richer base cheese, which might be tasty if you want to make this as an early eating cheese.
Once the milk is at your start temperature the culture can be added. To prevent the powder from caking and sinking in clumps sprinkle the powder over the surface of the milk and then allow about 2 minutes for the powder to re-hydrate before stirring it in.
NOTE: Some people prefer to add culture at room temperature and this works just fine, but this allows time for any unwanted bacteria in the milk to become players in the fermentation game.
We like to start this at 86F (the bacterias optimum working temperature) and then just allow the resting milk to coast to room temperature as it acidifies and forms the curd.
2. Developing the Curd:
Now, allow the milk to sit quietly on the counter at room temperature (68-74F) for 12-14 hours. The milk will drop in temperature during this time to that of the room. During the winter it would be best to keep the pot covered with towels or a blanket to keep from getting cool. The best time to do this is in the evening, because the curds will be ready to drain in the morning and can be draining while you are busy doing other things or at work.
As the bacteria in the culture works, the milk sugar (lactose) is converted into lactic acid which increases the acidity of the milk and eventually causes the milk to form the curd.
The rennet included in the culture pack also helps to coagulate the milk. The milk will thicken into a gel after a few hours but really needs more time to become firm. The finished curd will begin to show whey rising to the surface. When this solidified mass shrinks slightly, visibly pulling away from the edges of the container, the curds are ready to be drained. The curd at this point will look like a big block floating in clear whey and perhaps even developing cracks in its surface.
3. Draining the Curds to Release the Whey:
Our next task will be to separate the solids (curds, soon to become cheese) and liquid whey.
We will begin by lining our sanitized colander with the cheese cloth in preparation for draining. If you would like to save the whey for cooking or other uses simply drain it all into another pot.
You are now ready to transfer the curds to the draining cloth. Note the firmness of the curd in the photos below. Simply ladle the curds into the cloth and allow the whey to drain off.
Once the curds drain for a short time the cloth can be gathered, tied securely and hung for the final drainage. This can be done for several hours and even overnight, depending on how dry you want the final cheese.
Make just dry enough that the curds will still hold together and form into a ball. If too wet the cheese is too sticky when molding and will tend to slump after molding. If it is too dry it will be a problem staying together.
To make sure the curd has dried uniformly I also find that it is helpful to open the cloth and mix the curds together at least once or twice during the draining.
4. Adding the Salt and Spice:
Now the fun begins! Once the curd has dried sufficiently, it is time to blend the salt and garlic into the curds.
I use 2-3 medium cloves of garlic chopped into small pieces. I add this to my mortar along with 1.5 tsp of the Himalayan Pink Salt, then using the pestle, I reduce this to a uniform paste (The salt helps in smooshing the garlic pieces).
The drained curd will have a moist dough like look to it.
Transfer the curd into a bowl along with the salt/garlic paste, then using the back of a large spoon, begin mashing the curds and paste uniformly. Allow this to sit while you prepare the black pepper coat.
5. Preparing the Coat:
Before you form the cheese, grind the toasted peppercorns to a medium fine size. I find that a coffee mill reserved for spices works best but you could also do this in the mortar and pestle.
Spread this out evenly on a cookie sheet (or onto your counter top if you don't mind the mess).
6. Forming the Cheese:
Now that everything is mashed and blended, the cheese can be formed simply by taking a small hand full of this mix and form it into a ball just as you would a snowball. Yes, it's messy!
The one gallon batch should make about 5-6 of these slightly larger than golf ball sized cheeses. The final coat is simply a matter of rolling the cheese around in the ground pepper surface you have prepared.
The cheese will be quite tender at this point due to high moisture, so handle carefully as you transfer to the drying mats.
Drying the Cheese:
The cheese now needs to be dried down before it is placed in the cave. I do this in a room at about 50-60F and a moisture of 65-70% moisture. I also use a fan set at low/medium speed to increase the rate of moisture release.
The object here is to produce a nice firm and dry crust. This will become a lighter color as it dries. The pepper will also keep this drying surface free of molds.
5. Aging:
Finally the cheese can go to the cave with about 52-56F and 75-80% moisture. This higher moisture will now help in the aging of this cheese as it continues to dry to the center and achieve a uniform moisture that will be perfect for use as thin shavings.
The final cheese should be ready in 4-6 weeks but will continue to improve in flavor for a few months.
This has a rather intense flavor so I suggest serving as small shavings that can be tasted as is, or used as a garnish, much as you would Parma (or Truffle) for pasta, salads, veggies or what ever you think is good.
The flavor of the pepper can be reduced by brushing the surface before shaving.
- Thread starter
- #24
samssimonsays
Almost Self-Reliant
MANCHEGO CHEESE
EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
- Large pot
- Thermometer
- Long knife (does not need to be sharp)
- Wire whisk
- 2 pieces cheesecloth
- Cheese press
- 2 gallons fresh cow milk, goat milk, or both
- 1/4 tsp. lipase powder, dissolved in 1/4 cup cool water and allowed to set for 20 minutes (optional)
- Mesophilic culture (choose one):
- 1 packet direct-set mesophilic culture
- 1/8 tsp. bulk mesophilic culture
- Thermophilic culture (choose one):
- 1 packet direct-set thermophilic culture
- 1/8 tsp. bulk thermophilic culture
- Rennet (choose one):
- 1/2 tsp. liquid animal rennet
- 1/4 tsp. double-strength liquid vegetable rennet, dissolved in 1/2 cup cool water
- 1/4 tablet vegetable rennet, dissolved in 1/2 cup cool water
- 2 Lbs. sea salt
- Heat the milk to 86°F. Add both the mesophilic and the thermophilic cultures and stir well using up-and-down motions. Cover and allow to ferment for 1 hour.Add the lipase and stir well. Then stir to homogenize the milk, and slowly fold in the diluted rennet, using an up-and-down motion.Allow the cheese to set for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the whey begins to separate from the curd. You should see a layer of mostly clear whey floating on top of the curd, and the curd should be pulling away from the sides of your pot. If you use lipase, this may take a little longer.Using a long knife, cut the curds into 1/2-inch cubes and allow to set for 5 minutes. Do not stir.Stir the curd with the whisk for 30 minutes, slicing it into small pieces. The curds should all be roughly the same size.Over the next 30 minutes, slowly heat the curds to100°F, stirring frequently. As you stir, the curds will shrink. Once the curds are at 100°F, turn off the heat and allow to set for 5 minutes.Pour the curds into a press lined with cheesecloth, andpress at 15 pounds of pressure for 15 minutes.Using a fresh piece of cheesecloth, flip the cheese and press again, at 15 pounds of pressure for 15 minutes.Repeat this process twice more, rinsing the cheesecloth in clean, cool water each time and hanging to dry.Finally, press at 30 pounds of pressure for 8 hours, or overnight.Mix 2 Lbs. of sea salt with 1 gallon of cold water to make a brine. Place the cheese in the brine and let itsoak for 6 hours, flipping every 2 hours.Take the cheese out of the brine and age at 55° to 60°Ffor as long as you like. Coat the cheese daily with olive or coconut oil, and if mold appears wipe it off with a clean cloth dipped in salt water or vinegar.
freemotion
Food Guru
I've made hundreds of pounds of cheese over the years, many different types. I have three or four recipes that I find that I really liked and fall back on now though. I started out using New England Cheese Supply and Ricki Carol's book but I have to admit that my real success came when I got away from both of those and went to a more natural way of making cheese. Her book and her company is a miniature of the commercial model. The cheeses I make now are much simpler and my success rate is pretty close to 100% now.
Although it is not ideal, I do use a fridge for aging. I used my cellar, which has a perfect temperature, but mice do love cheese! For best results in using a fridge, you must disable the moisture control system. I found a used fridge with no freezer on top that was used by a florist who worked out of her home. So the moisture control was already disabled otherwise the flowers would dry out. It is perfect, and there's probably a couple hundred pounds in there now that has been aging for a year or two or three.
I had to make that much in order to have enough to age! It is so good.
Although it is not ideal, I do use a fridge for aging. I used my cellar, which has a perfect temperature, but mice do love cheese! For best results in using a fridge, you must disable the moisture control system. I found a used fridge with no freezer on top that was used by a florist who worked out of her home. So the moisture control was already disabled otherwise the flowers would dry out. It is perfect, and there's probably a couple hundred pounds in there now that has been aging for a year or two or three.
I had to make that much in order to have enough to age! It is so good.
freemotion
Food Guru
I love The Art of Natural Cheesemaking, new book. I also use that 200 cheese recipes book, can't think of the name right now. I buy my cultures and rennet through getculture.com. I always use raw milk. No calcium chloride needed, no citric acid, nothing that would typically be produced in a lab. I always use veal rennet, which ages better.
My favorites are feta and Gouda. I also make chevre, doesn't everyone with goats? Haha! The feta I age as long as I can in the brine, usually about a month, to get a nice strong flavor. Then I freeze it in chunks and use it as a grating cheese. It is salty and delicious. Gouda is my aged cheese of choice and since it comes out different every time I figured, why do all these different recipes? I have many different cheeses in my aging fridge and use one recipe that I don't need to even think about while making it. There are many factors that affect taste, room temperature, stage of lactation, diet of the animal, cultures used, Etc.
I make mozzarella if I can get raw cow's milk from the farm. I have a farmer friend that will offer me cheap or free milk if it's at the sell-by date or if he has an excess for whatever reason. Then I make butter and mozzarella cheese and store it in the freezer. I will also occasionally by a gallon or two and make cheddar with my goat's milk. I always make 4.5 gallon batches of cheese and the texture of cheddar is so much better if one or two gallons is raw cow's milk. Preferably Jersey milk with a high cream content. Goat's milk cheese does not melt well in cooking and does not brown easily. The addition of the cow's milk makes all the difference.
I buy my wax from Field and Forest, which is a mushroom supply company. The wax is clear so you have to have a sharp eye when waxing the cheese. But it is so much cheaper than anything you can buy from a cheese making source. I usually buy a 10 lb block and cut chunks of it. I bought a stainless steel bowl just to keep my cheese wax in. I melted over a pot of simmering water. When I'm done waxing a cheese I set the bowl aside to cool and cover it with plastic wrap and store it this way.
My favorites are feta and Gouda. I also make chevre, doesn't everyone with goats? Haha! The feta I age as long as I can in the brine, usually about a month, to get a nice strong flavor. Then I freeze it in chunks and use it as a grating cheese. It is salty and delicious. Gouda is my aged cheese of choice and since it comes out different every time I figured, why do all these different recipes? I have many different cheeses in my aging fridge and use one recipe that I don't need to even think about while making it. There are many factors that affect taste, room temperature, stage of lactation, diet of the animal, cultures used, Etc.
I make mozzarella if I can get raw cow's milk from the farm. I have a farmer friend that will offer me cheap or free milk if it's at the sell-by date or if he has an excess for whatever reason. Then I make butter and mozzarella cheese and store it in the freezer. I will also occasionally by a gallon or two and make cheddar with my goat's milk. I always make 4.5 gallon batches of cheese and the texture of cheddar is so much better if one or two gallons is raw cow's milk. Preferably Jersey milk with a high cream content. Goat's milk cheese does not melt well in cooking and does not brown easily. The addition of the cow's milk makes all the difference.
I buy my wax from Field and Forest, which is a mushroom supply company. The wax is clear so you have to have a sharp eye when waxing the cheese. But it is so much cheaper than anything you can buy from a cheese making source. I usually buy a 10 lb block and cut chunks of it. I bought a stainless steel bowl just to keep my cheese wax in. I melted over a pot of simmering water. When I'm done waxing a cheese I set the bowl aside to cool and cover it with plastic wrap and store it this way.
- Thread starter
- #40
samssimonsays
Almost Self-Reliant
@sumi Here is your Blue Cheese Recipe! I knew I had one....
TASTING NOTES FOR BUTTERMILK BLUE HOMEMADE CHEESE:
BUTTERMILK BLUE HOMEMADE CHEESE RECIPE
Ingredients:
TASTING NOTES FOR BUTTERMILK BLUE HOMEMADE CHEESE:
- Appearance: textured rind mottled with blue, grey, gold and white; firm cream coloured interior with blue veining
- Nose (aroma): umami inducing blue
- Overall Taste: a buttery tang on the tongue that rolls into a rich velvet full bodied mild to medium blue with no bitter aftertaste: addictive
- Sweet to Salty: a medium salty savoury blue
- Mild (mellow) to Robust to Pungent (stinky): a mild to medium blue
- Mouth Feel: (gritty, sandy, chewy, greasy, gummy, etc.): smooth and creamy paste, somewhat butter like in texture as it melts immediately on the tongue, but not easy to spread; creamy crumbles
BUTTERMILK BLUE HOMEMADE CHEESE RECIPE
Ingredients:
- 2 litres whole Cow’s Milk
- 1 litre cultured Buttermilk
- 500mL heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon MM100 mesophilic starter culture
- 1/8 teaspoon and a pinch of Penicillium Roqueforti mould powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Calcium Chloride diluted in 1/4 cup cool distilled water
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid calf rennet diluted in 1/4 cup cool distilled water
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cheese salt
- 4 inch Camembert mould, cheese cloth, thermometer, etc.
- In a 6 litre heavy, non-reactive stock pot, over low heat, bring the buttermilk, milk, and cream to 90°F (should take about 20 minutes)
- Turn off the heat and sprinkle the mesophilic starter, and a pinch of the Penicillium Roqueforti mould powder over the milk; rehydrate for 5 minutes
- Using a whisk in an up and down motion, mix the starter and the mould into the milk mixture
- Add the calcium chloride; gently whisk in
- Add the rennet; gently whisk in
- Cover and maintain 90°F for 90 minutes, or until the curds give a clean break (my Le Creuset pots maintain the heat well)
- Line a colander with a damp butter muslin over a bowl to catch the whey
- Cut the curds into one inch cubes, maintaining 90°F; let rest for 10 minutes
- Stir gently for 10 minutes, to shrink the curd and firm them
- Rest the curd for 15 minutes, or until the curds sink to the bottom of the pot
- Ladle off as much whey as possible to expose the curds; gently ladle the curds into the lined colander
- Drain for 10 minutes; tie the corners of the cloth together to form a sac and hang for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the whey stops draining
- Line a 4 inch Camembert mould with a damp butter muslin; place on a rack over a tray (I place this on the rack in my kitchen sink)
- Open the sac of curds, and divide it into fourths with your eye; gently ladling 1/4 of the curd into the mould, pressing down gently to cover the bottom
- Measure out the 1/8th of a teaspoon of the Penicillium Roqueforti; sprinkle 1/3 of it evenly over the top of the curd layer (Gently shake the spoon over the curds)
- Add another 1/4 of the curds to the mould, gently pressing to fill all the gaps; sprinkle 1/3 of the mould over it, again
- Repeat with another 1/4 of the curds; sprinkling the last 1/3 of the mould over it
- Cover with the final 1/4 of the curds; the cheese should come up to about 1 inch to the top of the mould
- Pull the cloth up tight; smoothing to cover the curd
- Let the cheese drain for 4 hours at room temperature; then unwrap, flip, redress and drain for 4 more hours
- Remove the cheese from the mould; unwrap and sprinkle the top with 3/4 teaspoon of cheese salt
- Place the cheese mould over the cheese, and flip it, unsalted side up; place in a mat in a ripening box, and salt the other side with the remaining 3/4 teaspoon of cheese salt
- Drain 5 hours; remove the mould and place back on the mat in the ripening box, covered loosely with the lid
- Age for up to one week, or until the whey stops draining at 54°F and 75% humidity; flip the cheese daily, draining off whey and wiping the inside of the box and lid dry with a paper towel
- Use a sterilized knitting needle or skewer to pierce the cheese once the whey has stopped draining: all the way through to the other side, four times horizontally (from one side to the other) and four times from the top through to the bottom (These air passages will encourage mould growth)
- Close the lid of the ripening box’ ripen at 50°F and 80-90% humidity; blue mould should appear on the exterior after 10 days
- Monitor the cheese carefully: flip daily, adjust lid if humidity increases too much…
- Over the next 2 weeks, pierce the cheese two more times in the same locations to ensure proper aeration and blue vein development
- If excessive, or undesirable mould appears on the surface of the cheese, rub it off with a small piece of cheese cloth dipped in a vinegar-salt solution
- Ripen for 6 weeks; rub off any excess mould with dry cheesecloth
- Wrap in foil and store in the fridge for up to 3 months: the longer stored, the more pronounced the flavour
- Thread starter
- #42
samssimonsays
Almost Self-Reliant
Best of luck to you! I cannot stomach that one yet but maybe one day I will be able to... Funny enough I can not handle the texture of cheese.... It has always been an issue of mine. That and hamburger along with other things. Just weird LOL. But I do love making me some cheese and I torture myself by trying them all. Love the taste, gag on the texture... 
Maybe one day!
Maybe one day!
