Catal #3 - rind develpment

Both rinds have started to develop on the Blue Cantals. There isn't much sign of blue mold as the smaller dome shaped one below was pressed at 40lb prohibiting air circulation that is vital in blue vein development. This is more of an experiment on the roquefort culture affects the flavour without blue vein development.

As you can see on the lighter pressed cheese below, there seems to be greater penicillin development with a touch of roquefort. There also seems to be a greater roquefort smell compared to the hard pressed version above. Ill be very surprised if there is any development within the cheese

Catal #3 - Blue pressing

The
following morning the curd acidity had dropped to about PH 5.2. They
are now ready for milling and pressing with my new milling machine. This
will mill them move evenly and take half the time. The first half was
pressed at 20lb for 30 minutes, 30lb for 1 hour, 4olb for 2 hours and
then 40 lb over night. As this is hard pressed the curds are well
knitted with no air holes, this may prevent the Penecilin rochfortii to
develop. The second cheese will be pressed very lightly causing larger
air pockets inside which should promote the blue mould.

The following day the curd was ready to mill and press. As it was lef unsalted overnight the PH had dropped to around PH 5.2

Preparing the curds for milling

Curds being milled

Action shot of curds being milled

The first batch was scooped into a small mould and pressed at 20lb, then 30lb and over night at 40lb

This is what happens when you forget to pressing with cheesecloth. Make sure the cloth has been soaked in a solution with a similar PH as the cheese so it prevents it from sticking

Cheese number to was scooped and pressed at a lighter weight

Cantal blue pressed at 40lb

Cantal blue pressed at 10lb

As part of this experiment I decided to develop the curd in half and see
how a different pressing will affect teh cheese. I'm going to let one
press under its own weight with maybe a little weight to help it knit.
The other I will press at 40 lb. As the Penicillium Roquefortii needs
air to help promote growth so I have a feeling the natural precessed
cheese may have more blue development. Stiltons are usually helped along
by push holes through the cheese to help the Roquefortii develop so
with this in mind the heavy pressed cheese may not get any development
what so ever.

Catal #3 - Blue!

I decided to experiment a little with my Cantal recipe by inoculating it with roquefort mold. This means it will no longer be a Cantal but I'm going to label it as Cantal #3 Blue.

• Added 6 liters of pasturised semi-skimmed milk + 600ml double + 300ml single cream and warmed it to 32c
• Added 1/8 tsp Lipase (mild), M400 starter and 1/8 rockfort mold and left for 45 minutes
• After 45 minutes I added 1/8tsp Calcium Chloride and 1/2tsp liquid animal rennet and left for another 45 minutes for a clean break
• cut curds into 1/4" cubes, as its hard to cut the curds at the bottom of the pan I spend about 10 minutes spooning to surface and cutting. I then left it for a further 10 minutes to heel the curds.
• pour curds into cheesecloth and let it drain into a pot allowing them to be submerged a little. Leave them for 30 minutes.
  
• Drain for 10 minutes and return to pot and add 2 tbs of Malden salt. The curds were slightly sloppy and reduced in size.
  
• Re-wrap the salted curds and press gently overnight
• In the morning I took the lump of curd and milled it into 3mm - 5mm pieces.
• Place the milled curds in a cloth lined press and press lightly for 30 minutes. Turn and press on medium weight for an hour. Turn and repress at heavy weight for 12 hours and then turn once more and repress at same weight for another 12 hours
• Return to cave and wash every few days for the first few weeks. Then once a week over the next few months. The humidity is usually around 80% and 12c

As much as I like to try to use raw milk its not always easy to get hold of in London. As its homogenised milk I usually buy semi skimmed milk and add double/single cream

Once heated to 32c the Lipase is added first, followed by the starter and rockfort mold

After adding rennet, it took 45 minutes to get a clean break

Curds cut into 1/4" cubes

Curds left in whey to acidify

At salting the cures were quite sloppy, maybe a little too sloppy

A light pressing overnight to acidify