Kamil Perry
Pizza cheese, or low-moisture mozzarella, is a type of cheese that is designed to have optimal qualities in browning, melting, stretchiness, and fat and
How is pizza cheese made?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of cheese | Mozzarella, Provel, Cheddar, Swiss, Provolone, Colby, Parmesan Reggiano, Fontina, etc. |
| Type of milk | Cow's milk, or a blend of cow and vetch milk |
| Moisture content | 45-52% |
| Fat content | 30-45% |
| Lactose content | 0.0-0.3% |
| Processing | Pasteurized, homogenized, or not |
| Texture | Semi-hard, firm, stretchy, elastic, soft, etc. |
| Flavor | Strong, piquant, neutral, etc. |
| Browning | High or low |
| Melting | High or low |
| Stretchiness | High or low |
| Perishability | Low |
| Manufacturing | Commercial, mass-produced, or homemade |
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What You'll Learn
Pizza cheese is usually low-moisture mozzarella
Low-moisture mozzarella can be formulated specifically for pizza and can be processed into blocks, from which the product can be grated, made into granules, or sliced for use on pizza or other foods. The production process for low-moisture mozzarella involves adding an additional culture to the milk, which metabolizes residual lactose during cold temperature holding at the end of the process. This additional culture is selected from a group of bacteria including Pediococcus cerevisiae, Lactobacillus plantarum, Streptococcus faecalis, Streptococcus durans, and Lactobacillus casei. This additional culture step results in a cheese product with improved properties for the manufacture of pizza, including reduced burning, and improved melt, flavor, and color characteristics.
The process of making low-moisture mozzarella begins with heating milk to 98°F (36.6°C). If using pasteurized milk, add 1/2 teaspoon of calcium chloride as the milk is heating. Once the milk reaches the target temperature, add the culture, let it rehydrate for 2 minutes, and then mix it in for another 2 minutes. After adding the culture, let the milk sit quietly at 98°F for 60 minutes. During this time, the culture establishes itself and begins to work.
The next step is to stretch the curd mass to rearrange the protein structure for a drier pizza-style, grating cheese. This process transforms an unorganized curd structure into an elastic mass that joins together when stretched and squeezed. The cheese can then be shaped further by placing it into a mold submerged in hot water. For a tall square mold, the hot curd mass can be stretched into a longer, sausage-like shape and dropped into the mold. The cheese is then allowed to relax in the mold for about 15 minutes. It is important not to leave the cheese in the hot water for too long, or the surface will soften as calcium is leached from the cheese.
The final steps in the process involve cooling the cheese in very cold water to stabilize its form, and then soaking it in a saturated brine for flavor. The cheese is then removed from the brine and allowed to dry until the exterior has dried slightly, which can take a few hours to a few days. The cheese can then be wrapped or coated in wax for longer storage and stored in the refrigerator to age for 10 to 14 days. During this time, enzymes in the cheese will break down fats and proteins, resulting in a softer texture, stronger flavor, and higher aroma.
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It can be made from whole or part-skim milk
Pizza cheese, or low-moisture mozzarella, can be made from whole or part-skim milk. The process starts by heating the milk to 98°F (36.6°C). If using pasteurized milk, add 1/2 teaspoon of calcium chloride while heating. Once the milk reaches the desired temperature, add the culture and let it rehydrate for about 2 minutes before mixing it in. Let the milk then sit quietly at the same temperature for about an hour. This allows the culture to establish itself and begin working.
The milk can be inoculated with an additional culture to achieve a controlled low final lactose content. This culture provides bacteria that can continue to utilise lactose even after the cheese has been made and is being stored in cold temperatures. The bacteria must be capable of surviving the high-temperature mixing, stretching, and moulding of the cheese, as well as being salt-tolerant and capable of slow growth in cold storage.
After adding the culture, the milk needs to be kept at a constant temperature to allow the culture to establish itself and begin working. This is an important step in the process, as it ensures the cheese will have the desired characteristics. The milk is then mixed with an additional culture, such as Pediococcus cerevisiae, Lactobacillus plantarum, Streptococcus faecalis, Streptococcus durans, or Lactobacillus casei. This additional culture helps to further reduce the lactose sugar content of the cheese, resulting in improved properties for pizza-making, such as reduced burning, and improved melt, flavour, and colour.
The next step is to stretch the curd mass to rearrange the protein structure for a drier pizza-style cheese. This process transforms the curd into an elastic mass that joins together when stretched and squeezed. The cheese can then be shaped by placing it into a mould submerged in hot water. For a tall square shape, the hot curd mass can be stretched into a long, sausage-like form and then dropped into the mould. It is important not to leave the cheese in the hot water for too long, or the surface will soften as calcium is leached from it.
The formed cheese is then cooled in very cold water to stabilise its form and then soaked in a saturated brine for flavour. It is then removed from the brine and allowed to dry slightly before being wrapped and stored in the refrigerator to age for about two weeks. During this time, enzymes in the cheese break down fats and proteins, resulting in a softer texture, stronger flavour, and higher aroma.
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The lactose content is controlled by adding bacteria
Pizza cheese, or low-moisture mozzarella, is prepared using a standard starter culture plus an additional culture. This additional culture is selected from a group of bacteria that can survive the high temperatures of cheese production and are capable of utilising lactose. The bacteria must also be salt-tolerant and capable of growing in cold temperature storage conditions.
The bacteria are added to the milk in the cheese vat, which is then used to make the cheese. The bacteria metabolise residual lactose during cold temperature storage at the end of the cheese-making process. This results in a reduced lactose content in the final product. The lactose content can be determined at the beginning of cold temperature storage, and further tests can be conducted at 1- or 2-day intervals to monitor the progress of lactose reduction. Typically, the lactose content at the beginning of storage is above 0.25% by weight and should be below 0.3% at the end of storage, with an optimum range of 0.0 to 0.25%. This process of holding the cheese in cold temperature storage can be extended up to 30 days if needed to achieve the desired lactose content.
The specific bacteria used in this process are chosen from the following: Pediococcus cerevisiae, Lactobacillus plantarum, Streptococcus faecalis, Streptococcus durans, and Lactobacillus casei. These bacteria are carefully selected to ensure they are compatible with the entire cheese-making process and do not inhibit the growth of the starter culture bacteria.
The addition of these bacteria helps improve the properties of the cheese for pizza manufacture. The resulting cheese is less likely to burn and has improved melt, flavour, and colour characteristics. This process of controlling lactose content through the addition of bacteria is a key step in producing pizza cheese with optimal qualities for browning, melting, stretchiness, and moisture content.
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The cheese is then heated and packaged
Once the cheese has been formed, it is heated and packaged. This heating process is done to remain at a specific temperature for a specific amount of time, causing the proteins in the mix to gelatinize. The exact temperature and time depend on the type of cheese being produced. For example, low-moisture mozzarella is heated to a high degree, whereas other types of moist cheeses are not.
During the heating process, salts in the mix serve to emulsify it and thus improve the meltability of the final product. The cheese is then placed in packaging such as bags-in-boxes while still hot, as it will flow when hot but solidifies as it cools. This process is common for analogue pizza cheeses, which are made with casein, a by-product of milk, and vegetable oil, rather than milk fat.
After heating and packaging, the cheese is stored in the refrigerator to age. For low-moisture mozzarella, this process takes 10-14 days, during which time enzymes in the cheese will break down fats and proteins, resulting in a soft texture, high aroma, and strong, more piquant flavour. For drier cheeses like Cacciocavallo and Provolone, the ageing process can take 2-8 months. In contrast, moister cheeses like Scamorza require little to no ageing, but they should be used within 10 days of production.
The heating and packaging process is an important step in the production of pizza cheese, as it improves the meltability and texture of the cheese. It also helps to solidify the cheese, making it easier to handle and store. Overall, this step plays a crucial role in ensuring the optimal qualities of pizza cheese, including its browning, melting, stretchiness, and fat and moisture content.
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It is then aged for 10-14 days
Once the cheese has been removed from the brine, it is left to dry on a draining mat for a few hours to a few days. When ready, the cheese is then wrapped in plastic wrap or coated in cheese wax for longer storage. It is then aged for 10-14 days in a refrigerator.
During the aging process, enzymes in the mozzarella begin to break down fats and proteins into different chemical components. This results in the cheese developing a softer texture, a stronger aroma, and a more piquant flavor. The cheese will be leaner and drier than fresh mozzarella, resulting in a firmer cheese that is easy to grate. It will also stretch well, not add excess oil to the pizza, produce minimal bubbling, and will not be easily scorched.
The aging process is an important step in the production of pizza cheese, as it helps to improve the functional and organoleptic properties of the cheese. This step also helps to reduce the moisture content of the cheese, which is important for pizza cheese as it needs to have a lower moisture content than regular mozzarella to prevent the pizza from becoming soggy.
The length of the aging process can vary depending on the desired characteristics of the final product. For a softer and more elastic cheese, the aging time may be shorter, while a longer aging time will result in a drier and firmer cheese. The aging time also depends on the type of milk used, with cheese made from whole milk requiring a longer aging time compared to cheese made from part-skim milk.
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Frequently asked questions
Pizza cheese is a soft, spun-curd cheese made from cow's milk. It is similar to mozzarella but contains less water. Pizza cheese is also referred to as low-moisture mozzarella.
Pizza cheese is made by heating milk and adding a starter culture. The milk is then mixed and allowed to sit at a target temperature. The curd mass is then stretched and shaped, and the cheese is cooled in water. It is then soaked in brine for flavour and dried.
There are several types of pizza cheese, including mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, and ricotta. Some pizzas use a blend of two or more cheeses.
