Difference between revisions of "Home-made cumin cheese"

Revision as of 10:55, 7 November 2010

Stripy-shirt Cheddar

Cooking the curds, second stage

Improvised double boiler

Home-made cumin cheese - about this recipe

This recipe for cumin flavoured Cheddar-type cheese is basically the same recipe as for Home-made Cheddar cheese apart from the flavouring.

Use a double-boiler or you will scald the milk and spoil the taste of the cheese. See here for ideas on how to improvise one.

It is vital that you don't exceed any of the stated temperatures or your cheese will fail.

Servings

Too much for my mould

Ingredients

• 3.4 litres (6 pints) full-cream milk
• ¼ teaspoon freeze-dried DVI starter
  • I used a generic Ascott starter.
• 8 drops rennet
• 1.25 tablespoon sea salt (Noirmoutier sea salt "Hot Spices" [curry, cumin, chillies, mint])
• 1.5 teaspoons of dry-roasted cumin seeds.

Mise en place

Sterilise all equipment

Method

1. Warm the milk to 32° C (90° F)
2. Mix ¼ teaspoons of freeze dried DVI starter with 4 tablespoons of lukewarm water.
3. Whisk into the milk and stir really well so it is properly mixed.
4. Cover and leave for 1 hour.
5. Mix 8 drops of rennet with 4 tablespoons lukewarm water and whisk into the milk. Stir really well so it is properly mixed.
6. Leave for 2 hours for the milk to solidify.
7. Cut the curds with a long knife into 5 mm (1/4") cubes.
8. Leave to rest for 20 minutes.
9. In a double boiler, heat the outer water to 39° C (102° F), using extra heat to keep this temperature stable, and stir the curds regularly until they reach 39° C (102° F). Stir regularly and don't overheat or the curds will melt together and you'll end up with mozzarella cheese!
10. Once the curd temperature is stable at 39° C (102° F), cook the curds for another 45 minutes. As before, stabilise by using a little extra heat - you won't need much. Stir regularly to prevent the curds knitting together. A spring-type whisk (pictured) works well for this.
11. Drain the curds in a cheesecloth lined colander.
12. Add them back to the double boiler, add the sea salt and cumin seeds and stir well with a whisk to break up the curds and cook for another 45 minutes at 39° C (102° F).
13. Hang the curds in a cheesecloth for 1 hour to drain.
14. Place the curds in a cheesecloth lined cheese mould and press at 9kg (20 lbs) for 45 minutes.
15. Take the cheese out of the cheese mould and turn it round.
16. Press it again at 22 kg (50 lb) for 24 hours.
17. Remove from the cheese press and dry for 5 days at room temperature.
18. Wrap in a sterilised cheesecloth, seal the Cheddar with a flour and water paste and mature for 3 to 24 months