Bushra Griffith
Getting into cheese can mean different things. If you want to get into the world of cheese-making, you can start by taking virtual classes, which can teach you how to make simple soft cheeses and eventually move on to harder cheeses. You can also refer to online guides and recipe books to learn the basics of cheese-making, such as how to acidify milk, cut curds, and age your cheese. On the other hand, if you're looking to get into cheese appreciation and selection, you might want to explore different types of cheese, such as ricotta, mascarpone, or queso fresco, and consider joining online communities dedicated to cheese enthusiasts.
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What You'll Learn
- Milk: use fresh, lactose-free, or UHT milk, heated to 90°C
- Acidification: add vinegar or citric acid, or use bacterial cultures
- Curds: cut curds into small pieces, then stir or cook to dry them out
- Salting: add salt to taste, before or after pressing into a wheel
- Aging: control acidity, moisture, and salt content to age into complex cheese
Milk: use fresh, lactose-free, or UHT milk, heated to 90°C
Milk is the primary ingredient in cheese, and the type of milk you use will impact the flavour and texture of your final product. Fresh milk, straight from the farm, will make the most delicious cheese. However, you can also use lactose-free or UHT milk.
Fresh milk is best when it's as fresh as possible. Ideally, you want to use it the same day you buy it. If you're not on a dairy farm, you can slowly warm the milk in a large pot on the stove.
Lactose-free milk can also be used to make cheese. Lactaid, for example, can be heated in a Dutch oven with salt and cumin seed until it boils. After simmering for five minutes, remove it from the heat and stir in lemon juice. Let it stand for 15 minutes, then strain the milk mixture and discard the liquid. Squeeze the cheesecloth to remove as much liquid from the curds as possible, then wrap the cloth around the curds and place them in a bowl with a weight on top to press out any additional liquid. The cheese can then be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
UHT milk, or ultra-high-temperature milk, has been heated to 275°F or higher for about one second. This process destabilizes the proteins in the milk, which makes it difficult to form curds. Therefore, UHT milk is not recommended for cheesemaking.
To make cheese with fresh milk, you'll need to heat the milk to 90°C, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. You can then add an acid, such as vinegar or citric acid, to the milk to achieve the correct acidity. This process is called direct acidification and results in cheeses such as ricotta and mascarpone. Alternatively, you can add cultures or living bacteria to the milk, which will turn the lactose into lactic acid. Once the milk has been acidified, you can cut the curds into smaller cubes or chunks and stir them for several minutes or up to an hour, depending on the recipe. The more you cook and stir, the drier your cheese will be.
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Acidification: add vinegar or citric acid, or use bacterial cultures
Acidification is one of the first steps in making cheese. There are two ways to acidify milk: direct acidification and adding bacterial cultures. Direct acidification involves adding an acid, such as vinegar or citric acid, directly to the milk to achieve the correct acidity. This process leads to cheeses such as ricotta and mascarpone. The amount of vinegar used can vary, with some recipes calling for 1/4 + 1/8 cup of vinegar for a slightly hotter temperature. Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar can be used, depending on your preference.
When using direct acidification, milk is heated in a large pot to a temperature of around 195 degrees F (90 degrees C). It is important to stir constantly to prevent scorching. Once the desired temperature is reached, the milk is removed from the heat, and the vinegar is added. The mixture is then allowed to stand for about 10 minutes. This process causes the milk to separate into curds and whey. The curds are then strained using a cheesecloth and a mesh strainer, with the whey being discarded.
Alternatively, you can acidify milk by adding bacterial cultures. These living bacteria, when given time, warmth, and the absence of competing bacteria, will consume the lactose in the milk and convert it into lactic acid. This method of acidification results in a milder, sweeter, and more elastic cheese. The most common coagulant used in this process is rennet, an enzyme that causes milk proteins to link together.
The choice between direct acidification and bacterial cultures depends on the type of cheese you want to make and your personal preferences. Direct acidification with vinegar or citric acid is a quicker process and is suitable for cheeses like ricotta and mascarpone. On the other hand, bacterial cultures take longer but result in milder cheeses.
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Curds: cut curds into small pieces, then stir or cook to dry them out
To get into cheese-making, you'll need to start with fresh milk. The fresher the milk, the better your cheese will taste. You can either get it straight from the udder, or warm it slowly on a stovetop. The next step is to acidify the milk. You can do this by adding vinegar or citric acid to the milk, which will give you cheeses such as ricotta and mascarpone. Alternatively, you can add living bacteria cultures, which will turn the lactose in the milk into lactic acid.
Once you've acidified your milk, it's time to cut the curds. Cut the curd into small cubes or chunks using a cheese harp, knife, or whisk. The smaller the pieces, the drier and more ageable your cheese will be. You can then stir the curds for several minutes or an hour, depending on your recipe. You can also turn on the heat and cook the curds while stirring. This will also dry out the curds and remove moisture.
The next step is to separate the curds from the whey. You can do this by dumping the contents of the pot into a colander in your sink. Let the curds settle for around 10 minutes, then press them together at the bottom of the pot before removing them in chunks. You'll want to work quickly to conserve the heat in the curds and prevent them from falling apart. Once the curds are separated, you can add salt to taste and press the cheese into a wheel.
If you're looking for a simple recipe to start with, you can try making fresh cheese. Heat milk in a large pot to 195°F (90°C), stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in vinegar, then let it stand for 10 minutes. Line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Stir salt into the milk, then pour it through the strainer. Let the curds strain for about an hour. You can then pat the cheese into a ball and remove the cheesecloth. Wrap it in plastic and store it in the refrigerator, where it will last for about a week. You can also experiment with lactose-free milk and different types of vinegar.
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Salting: add salt to taste, before or after pressing into a wheel
Salting is an essential step in the cheese-making process. The primary reason for salting cheese is to stop the bacteria cultures from converting lactose (milk sugar) to lactic acid. Salt also has a significant influence on the flavour, ripening, and appearance of cheese. It can enhance other flavours present or cover up unpleasant ones. Salt can also be used to control the final acidity of the cheese. If salting is delayed, acid development may continue to excessive levels, whereas if it is done too early, it can slow the development of lactic acid production.
There are several methods of salting cheese, and the method used depends on various factors, including the type of cheese being made. One method is dry salting, which involves rubbing salt over the entire surface of the cheese. This method is used for mould-ripened cheeses like Camembert. Another method is milling, which involves adding approximately 2% salt by weight to the curds before adding them to the mould or basket and pressing them into a wheel. This method is used for Cheddar-style cheeses. A third method is using a saturated salt brine solution, where a mixture of salt and water is created, and the cheese is submerged for a given length of time. This method is used for most other semi-hard and hard cheeses.
Salt can also be incorporated into cheese by mixing dry crystals with milled or broken curd, as is done with Cheddar, or by rubbing a salt slurry on the cheese surface, which is used for washed rind-style, lactic, and Comte cheeses. Additionally, cheese can be immersed in a brine solution, a method used for Edam, Grana, and hard Eye Cheese. Finally, salt can be added to the curds and whey, a technique employed for some blue vein and Havarti cheeses.
The timing of salting, before or after pressing into a wheel, depends on the specific method chosen and the desired outcome for the cheese. For example, with the dry salting method, salt is typically applied after the cheese has been pressed into a wheel, while with the milling method, salt is added before pressing.
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Aging: control acidity, moisture, and salt content to age into complex cheese
Controlling the acidity, moisture, and salt content of cheese is essential for aging it into a complex variety. Here are some detailed instructions for each of these factors:
Acidity Control:
Cheese acidity is measured using pH, with lower pH values indicating higher acidity. To increase acidity, cheesemakers add acids with plenty of potential H+ atoms (protons). It's crucial to monitor the pH during the entire process, including post-manufacture, to determine the final characteristics of the cheese. Blue cheese, for instance, starts with a very low pH but then matures to a higher pH due to the metabolism of the blue mold.
Moisture Control:
The size of the cheese cubes impacts moisture retention; larger cubes retain more moisture, while smaller cubes lose more. Aging cheeses in a refrigerator or cellar can help control humidity and moisture levels. To increase humidity, use a shallow pan of water or a damp sponge/paper towel, ensuring that condensation doesn't drip onto the cheese. Waxing is also an effective way to control moisture loss and prevent mold growth during aging.
Salt Content Control:
Salt is an essential preservative in cheese, influencing shelf life, enzyme activity, flavor, texture, and microbial proliferation. It acts by reducing water levels, making it unavailable to spoilage organisms. Salt also enhances whey separation, controls moisture content, and influences the formation of flavor compounds. However, some consumers prefer lower-sodium cheeses due to health concerns, so strategies for reducing salt content while maintaining cheese quality are important considerations.
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Frequently asked questions
The first step in making cheese is to warm fresh milk. You can either get it straight from the udder, or heat it slowly on a stove.
There are two ways to acidify milk. One way is to add acid (vinegar or citric acid) directly to the milk. This process, called direct acidification, produces cheeses such as ricotta and mascarpone. The other way is to add living bacteria cultures, which will turn the lactose in the milk into lactic acid.
The next step is to cut the curds into smaller pieces. The size of the pieces will determine the amount of moisture retained in the final product. Smaller pieces will result in a drier, more ageable cheese.
You can separate the curds from the whey by dumping the contents of the pot into a colander in a sink. Let the curds settle for about 10 minutes, then press them together at the bottom of the pot before removing them in chunks.
Fresh cheese will usually last about a week. You can wrap it in plastic and store it in the refrigerator.
