Chaource

Gavin Webber

Ingredients

  • 4L full cream pasteuirzed milk
  • 1/8 t of aromatic mesophilic culture
  • 1/32 t of penicilium candidum
  • 1/32 t of geotrichum candidum 15
  • 1.25ml (1/4 t) calcium chloride in 1/4 cup non-chlorinated water
  • 2 drops single strength linquid rennet in 1 T of non-chlorinated water (standard dose?)
  • non-iodised salt
  • cheese box with draining mat

Heat milk (25C)

  • mix:
    • 1.25ml (1/4 t) calcium chloride in 1/4 cup non-chlorinated water
    • 2 drops single strength linquid rennet in 1 T of non-chlorinated water (standard dose?)

Add 1/8 t of aromatic mesophilic culture

Add molds

  • 1/32 t of penicilium candidum
  • 1/32 t of geotrichum candidum 15

Allow to rehydrate for 5 mins

Stir and add calcium chloride

Add rennet and stir for 1 min

Allow to set for 12 hours

  • At the end there should be 1cm or half an inch of whey on the surface
  • curds should also have pulled away from the edge of the pot

Place 4 small baskets on a mat, on a board

ladel off the whey

Scoop the curds into the baskets with a slotted spoon

  • keep going until all the curds have been used. May take around an hour for the curds to settle enough to fit everything in.

Allow to drain overnight

  • for this step and all following the cheese is always rested in the cheese cave

flip the cheeses and put them back into their baskets

drain for 24 more hours

flip the cheeses again and put them back into their baskets

salt the top of the cheese with 1/4 t of salt per cheese

flip the cheeses and put them back into their baskets

salt the top of the cheese again with 1/4 t of salt per cheese

Allow to rest for 1 hour

clean the mat, place it into a ripening box

remove the cheese from the basekts and put into the ripening box

  • Also add some moisutre absorbents
    • I have added this step because Gav doesn’t cover the box and agest on the counter, but I suspect it is too hot here to do that.

the next day, drain the whey and flip the cheese

Age at 10-13C for 2 weeks.

  • turn at least daily (to stop mold sticking to the mat) and drain any whey

Store in micro perforated wrap and store in the frige

  • It will keep for about 2 more weeks.