Andy Montoya
Cheese is a beloved food worldwide, but what goes into making it? The primary ingredient in cheese is, of course, milk, which can come from cows, goats, sheep, and even buffaloes and yaks. Milk is combined with cultures, coagulants, and salt to create cheese. The process of making cheese involves separating milk into solid curds and liquid whey, which is done by adding an acid or rennet to sour the milk. The curds are then heated, releasing more whey and resulting in the formation of cheese. Time, temperature, bacteria, and enzymes all play a role in determining the flavour and texture of the final product.
What are the characteristics of cheese and what is it made of?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main Ingredients | Milk, cultures, coagulants, salt |
| Milk Source | Cow, goat, sheep, buffalo, camel, horse, yak |
| Milk Type | Full-fat, partly or fully skimmed |
| Milk Pasteurisation | Yes/No (depends on type of cheese) |
| Milk Standardisation | Yes/No (depends on type of cheese) |
| Starter Culture | Bacteria (Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, etc.) |
| Rennet | Yes/No (Rennet is an enzyme complex that is genetically engineered through microbial bioprocessing) |
| Salt Type | Non-iodized salt or cheese salt |
| Stirring | Yes/No (depends on type of cheese) |
| Cooking the Curds | Yes/No (depends on type of cheese) |
| Aging/Ripening | Yes/No (depends on type of cheese) |
| Preservation | Salt, rennet |
| Texture | Stretching, moulding, filtering, etc. |
| Flavor | Salt, bacteria, wine, herbs, spices, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
- Milk: the base ingredient for most cheeses, usually from cows, but also from goats, sheep, and even buffaloes
- Cultures: bacteria that help create unique flavours and textures, with different types used for different cheeses
- Coagulants: help milk turn into curds, commonly rennet, an enzyme complex that causes milk to gel
- Salt: enhances flavour, regulates moisture content, and acts as a preservative
- Other ingredients: spices, herbs, and even wine are added to create different flavours
Milk: the base ingredient for most cheeses, usually from cows, but also from goats, sheep, and even buffaloes
Milk is the primary ingredient in most cheeses. The type of milk used can vary, with cow's milk being the most common due to its wide availability and optimal fat and protein content. Swiss, cheddar, gouda, and other popular cheeses are made using cow's milk. However, cheese can also be made from the milk of goats, sheep, and even buffalo. Goat's milk lends a distinctive tangy flavour to cheeses like Le Chevrot and French Bucheron, and it is also known as chevre. Sheep's milk is usually not consumed directly due to its high lactose content, but it serves as an excellent base for cheeses like Roquefort, feta, petit basque, and manchego.
Buffalo milk is less common in cheesemaking, but it has earned a reputation for being the traditional choice for mozzarella. However, most mass-produced mozzarella uses cow's milk. Even more unique types of milk, such as camel's milk, horse milk, or yak's milk, can be used to create regional specialty cheeses. For example, camel's milk is used as the base for caravane cheese, which originated in Mauritania.
The quality of milk plays a crucial role in the composition and flavour of the resulting cheese. Factors such as the breed of cow, lactation cycles, feed, weather, and even the individuality of each cow can influence the characteristics of the milk and, consequently, the cheese. Fresh, raw milk can impart a rich flavour to the cheese, and the sweetness of the pasture on which the animal grazed may be discernible. However, extra care must be taken when using raw milk due to the potential for harmful bacteria to develop. The FDA mandates that raw milk cheese be aged for at least 60 days before consumption if sold, and organisations like the American Academy of Pediatrics advise certain vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women and children, to avoid raw milk products altogether.
To ensure safety and consistency, cheesemakers often standardise and pasteurise milk before use. Standardisation adjusts the ratio of proteins and fats to a preset value, minimising waste and producing a consistent product. Pasteurisation involves heating milk to 72°C for 15 seconds and then rapidly cooling it, destroying harmful microorganisms and prolonging its freshness. Louis Pasteur, a 19th-century scientist, developed this process to slow spoilage and improve the keeping quality of milk.
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Cultures: bacteria that help create unique flavours and textures, with different types used for different cheeses
Cheese is made using a variety of bacteria, which are essential in creating the unique flavours and textures of different cheeses. These bacteria are known as starter cultures, and they play a significant role in the cheesemaking process by converting milk sugars (lactose) into lactic acid. This conversion process not only aids in curdling and preservation but also contributes to flavour development.
The specific type of starter culture chosen by cheesemakers depends on the desired outcome of the cheese. The two most common types are mesophiles and thermophiles. Mesophilic cultures are the preferred choice for most cheeses as they perform best at lower to moderate temperatures. On the other hand, thermophilic cultures are more suitable for long-aged, hard cheeses that require higher temperatures during the ripening and cooking stages.
The Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus genera of bacteria are commonly used in cheesemaking. The use of these bacteria can also vary depending on the type of cheese being produced. For instance, Swiss cheese employs a specific type of culture, while Brie and Blue cheeses use alternative cultures.
The addition of bacteria influences the flavour and texture of cheese in several ways. Firstly, the bacteria produce enzymes that break down fats and proteins during the maturation process, thereby creating texture and flavour. Secondly, the type of bacteria used can determine the amount of moisture in the cheese. For example, drier cheeses are often cut into smaller curds to increase moisture release, while larger curds retain more moisture, resulting in a moister cheese.
Furthermore, the heating process can impact the bacterial culture and milk chemistry, leading to changes in the final flavour of the cheese. Higher temperatures are typically used for hard cheeses, and these cheeses often utilise thermophilic starter bacteria, such as Lactobacilli or Streptococci, which can withstand these elevated temperatures.
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Coagulants: help milk turn into curds, commonly rennet, an enzyme complex that causes milk to gel
Milk needs help to turn into cheese. An important ingredient in this transformation is a coagulant, which helps milk turn into curds. Coagulants can be a type of acid, but more commonly, cheesemakers use rennet.
Rennet is an enzyme complex that causes milk to gel, similar to the way yoghurt gels. Rennet is genetically engineered through microbial bioprocessing. Traditional rennet cheeses are made with rennin, the enzyme that rennet is meant to replicate. Rennin, also known as chymosin, is an enzyme that is naturally produced in the stomachs of calves and other mammals to help them digest milk.
Once the milk has gelled, cheesemakers cut it, allowing the whey (the liquid) to come out. The curds are then stirred and heated to release more whey. The type of cheese being made will influence the length of stirring and heating required. Generally, soft cheeses require less stirring and heating than harder cheeses. Drier cheeses are cut more to form smaller curds, so more moisture is released. Curds that are cut less are larger and moister.
Salt is added to most cheeses to enhance their flavour and regulate moisture content, which affects the texture. Salt also controls bacteria growth and helps preserve the cheese. The type of salt used matters. Cheesemakers typically use non-iodised salt or cheese salt to make their cheese. The lack of iodine is important, as iodine can affect the cheese's flavour and texture.
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Salt: enhances flavour, regulates moisture content, and acts as a preservative
Salt is an essential ingredient in cheesemaking. It plays a crucial role in enhancing flavour, regulating moisture content, and preserving the final product.
Salt enhances the flavour of cheese by heightening and complementing the other ingredients' tastes. It brings out the cheese's unique characteristics, such as the tangy notes of goat's milk cheese or the sweetness of pasture in raw milk cheese. Salt also interacts with the cheese's proteins, contributing to a firmer texture.
The regulation of moisture content is another critical function of salt in cheesemaking. By drawing moisture out of the curds, salt reduces the overall water content in the cheese. This affects the cheese's texture, with drier, more mature cheeses requiring more stirring and cooking of the curds to release excess moisture. The moisture content is a key criterion in classifying cheese types, further emphasising the importance of salt in this process.
Additionally, salt acts as a preservative, inhibiting the growth of undesirable bacteria and preventing spoilage. This function of salt is vital for extending the shelf life of cheese and ensuring its safety for consumption. Most cheeses are salt brined, with the exception of cheddar, which is dry salted. The time spent in the brine solution depends on the desired salt level and cheese size.
The type of salt used is also significant. Cheesemakers typically opt for non-iodised salt or cheese salt as iodine can negatively impact the cheese's flavour and texture. Thus, salt plays a multifaceted role in cheesemaking, influencing not only the taste but also the texture and longevity of the final product.
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Other ingredients: spices, herbs, and even wine are added to create different flavours
While milk, cultures, coagulants, and salt are the primary ingredients in most cheeses, spices, herbs, and even wine are added to create different flavours. The source and combination of ingredients are what make cheeses different.
Salt is added to most cheeses to enhance their flavour and regulate moisture content, which affects their texture. It also helps to preserve the cheese and control bacteria growth. The type of salt used matters — cheesemakers typically use non-iodized salt or cheese salt to make their cheese. The lack of iodine is important, as iodine can affect the cheese’s flavour and texture. Some cheeses are salted from the outside with dry salt or brine washes. Most cheeses have the salt mixed directly into the curds.
Spices and herbs are added to cheese to impart unique flavours. For example, herbs like chives, garlic, and parsley are added to Boursin, a French cheese.
Wine is also added to cheese to impart a unique flavour. For example, wine is added to drunken goat cheese, which is soaked in red wine before being aged for 48 hours.
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Frequently asked questions
Cheese-Its are made of a combination of wheat flour, cheese, salt, spices, and other flavourings. The cheese used is typically made from cow's milk, but can also be made from the milk of goats, sheep, and even buffaloes.
The process of making cheese involves standardisation and pasteurisation of milk, followed by the addition of a coagulant and bacteria culture to aid the milk in turning into curds. Salt is then added to enhance flavour and regulate moisture content. The curds are then heated and stirred, releasing liquid whey and resulting in the formation of cheese.
Different types of milk used for making cheese include cow's milk, goat's milk, sheep's milk, and buffalo milk. More obscure types of milk such as camel's milk, horse milk, and yak milk are also used in certain varieties of cheese.
Different types of cultures are used to create different varieties of cheese. For example, Swiss cheese uses a specific type of culture, while Brie and Blue use different cultures. The two most common types of cultures are mesophiles and thermophiles.
