Fundamentally, cheese making is the process of removing water from milk. The amount of water removed determines the essential characteristics of the cheese. A hard cheese such as cheddar retains far less water than a soft cheese such as feta.

Achieving these different characteristics may require only slight variations in the cheese-making process from one style to the next. The following cheese-making basics will help you prepare the recipes included in the Epicurean Cheese Kits.

Sterilising

Sterilising is by far the most important step in cheese making.

Ensure that all equipment is thoroughly sterilised before use. This helps prevent contamination of the milk, which may result in unwanted flavours or spoilage.

Milk

Cheese can be made from the milk of many different animals, with cow, goat and sheep milk being the most common.

Although most people do not have access to fresh raw milk, store-bought milk can still be used to make excellent cheese. As store-bought milk is generally pasteurised and homogenised, we recommend adding calcium chloride to assist with curd formation.

Do not use UHT milk for cheese making, except when preparing starter cultures. The high temperatures used during UHT processing damage the proteins needed to create a firm curd.

To pasteurise raw milk, heat it to 63°C and maintain this temperature for 30 minutes. Cool the milk quickly by placing the pot into a sink filled with cold water.

Calcium Chloride

Calcium chloride is a salt solution used to restore the calcium balance in heat-treated, homogenised milk.

It is also highly recommended when using goat’s milk, as goat’s milk is naturally homogenised.

Always dilute calcium chloride in 10 times its volume of cooled, boiled water before adding it to the milk.

The recommended dose is 2.5 ml per 10 litres of milk.

Starter Culture

Starter cultures contain bacteria that convert the lactose naturally present in milk into lactic acid.

This acid helps the rennet coagulate the milk, assists in expelling whey, inhibits the growth of pathogens and helps preserve the finished cheese.

Starter cultures also contribute to the body, flavour and aroma of the cheese.

The cultures supplied include:

• Mesophilic MA11: Used for cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack, feta, chèvre and similar cheeses.
• Mesophilic MM100: Used for Brie, Camembert, Havarti, Gouda, Edam, feta, blue cheese, chèvre and similar cheeses.
• Thermophilic TA61: Used for Parmesan, Romano, provolone, mozzarella and Emmental or Swiss-style cheeses.
• Helvetic LH100: Used together with thermophilic cultures to make Italian-style cheeses.
• Propionic Bacteria: Used to produce the characteristic holes, aroma and flavour found in Swiss-style cheeses.
• Camembert Blend: Used for Camembert and Brie. This blend contains Flora Danica, which provides a creamy consistency and internal flavour, and Penicillium candidum, which creates the white rind and earthy flavour of the outer layer.

Preparing a Starter – The Day Before

Preparing a starter helps ensure that the culture is active.

The starter should thicken to approximately the consistency of yoghurt. If this does not happen, use a fresh culture.

• Boil and then cool 200 ml of fresh milk. Alternatively, use UHT milk to avoid the boiling and cooling process.
• Add ½ teaspoon of culture and stir thoroughly.
• Cover and store at 25–30°C until the mixture thickens. This will usually take approximately 12–24 hours.
• The prepared starter can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days until needed.

Lipase

Lipase is an enzyme added to milk to produce the stronger flavour and aroma associated with Italian-style cheeses such as Parmesan and feta.

Rennet

Rennet is used to coagulate or set milk.

It contains enzymes that react with the milk protein known as casein. This reaction separates the milk into curds, which are the solids, and whey, which is the liquid.

Always dilute rennet in 10 times its volume of cooled, boiled water before adding it to the milk.

Testing for a Clean Break

The curds are ready to cut when they produce a clean break.

• Slide a knife into the curd at an angle.
• Lift a small section of curd on the side of the blade.
• If the curd breaks cleanly around the knife and whey flows into the crack, you have achieved a clean break.

Cutting the Curd

• Using a long knife, cut vertically across the curd in one direction.
• Make a second series of vertical cuts perpendicular to the first cuts.
• Insert the knife at an angle to create horizontal cuts.
• The distance between each cut will depend on the style of cheese being made.

Cooking the Curd

After the curds have been cut, the temperature is gradually increased. This causes additional whey to be expelled from the curds.

Heating should be gradual and should not increase by more than 2°C every five minutes.

The target temperature will depend on the specific cheese recipe being followed.

Salting

Salting enhances the flavour of the cheese, helps draw whey from the curds and assists in preserving the finished cheese.

We recommend using a coarse salt that is free from additives such as iodine.

Pressing

• Line the cheese basket with cheesecloth.
• Place the basket on a drip tray so the whey can drain into a sink or another container.
• Use a slotted spoon to ladle the curds into the basket.
• Cover the curds with a layer of cheesecloth and insert the follower.
• Once the follower is in place, gently pull the cheesecloth to remove any bunching.
• Place the top board onto the prepared basket and add the appropriate amount of weight according to the recipe.

For more in-depth cheese-making information, we recommend Home Cheese Making by Ricki Carroll.