Ingredients
- 4L full cream pasteuirzed milk
- 1/8 t of Flora Danica (aromatic mesophilic culture) or Sacco MO36R
- 0.75ml (1/8 t) calcium chloride in 1/4 cup non-chlorinated water
- 6 drops single strength linquid rennet in 1 T of non-chlorinated water (standard dose?)
- 3 T kosher salt
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 T black peppercorns
- cheese box
- colander
- tight weave cheese cloth (for hanging)
- loose weave cheese cloth (for keeping off insects)
- large bowl for whey
- large bowl for mixing in salt
- rope to hang with
if using a tablet rennet, dissolve it in the water
remove starter culture from freezer
whisk / stir the cream through the milk
Sprinkle over freeze dried starter culture
stir in the starter culture
- can use kefir? try a few T
add rennet and stir for 1 mins
cover and let set for 12-18 hours
- it is ready when the curds come away from the edge of the pot and there is a thin layer of whey on top of the curds.
line a colander with cheese cloth and ladel the curds into it
tie the cheese cloth together and hang over a pot
move the cheese to a bowl
add to mortar and pestle:
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 1.5t of salt
mix the paste through the cheese
put in the fridge and set a timer for 30mins
- this is to help it firm up
wash and dry pestle and mortar
toast the peppercorns until they change colour
- should take around 2 mins
add to mortar and pestel and grind to medium fine
after 30 mins, shape the cheese into 5 even balls
- slightly smaller than the size of a tennise ball
get a cheese box and bamboo mat sterilised and ready to go
put the pepper on a dinner plate
- start with half so you can more evenly distribute the pepper
roll the cheese balls in the pepper and place in the cheese box
cover the cheese box with cheese cloth
- put near a fan to help air flow
air dry at room temp for 2 days
- turn every 6 hours
- they will get lighter in colour
- may take less in hot weather
put into cheese cave
- add silica gell to keep the environment drier