Cheese (and related stuff) - Anybody making their own?
Discussion
Love the stuff and if I had to choose between meat and cheese then meat would go. So I gave it a go think Mozzarella would be fairly easy.....wrong!! Armed with 4 litres of full fat milk some citric acid and rennet tablets watched loads of Youtube vids and eventually ended up with a couple of balls of stuff. Edible/tasty yes Mozzarella like nope. Just couldn't get it to stretch anywhere near being Mozz..............
Didn't take photos along the way but it ended up thus below. Whilst at it I thought with the whey why not do a simple garlic and basil bread in the machine using a pack of ready mix.....another cock up as (with hindsight) didn't understand the science involved
OOps whent for a kip and came down to this.......
Struggled to even get it out of the tin............
Managed to 'tidy' it up.............
Cheese sliced well..................
But after grilling it behaved more like Halloumi
So back to the drawing board and with more research I've got some full fat low heat un-homogenised Jersey milk being delivered tomorrow - and a 'cheese meter' because as we know "PH - acid matters"
Thoughts, experience, tips appreciated
Didn't take photos along the way but it ended up thus below. Whilst at it I thought with the whey why not do a simple garlic and basil bread in the machine using a pack of ready mix.....another cock up as (with hindsight) didn't understand the science involved
OOps whent for a kip and came down to this.......
Struggled to even get it out of the tin............
Managed to 'tidy' it up.............
Cheese sliced well..................
But after grilling it behaved more like Halloumi
So back to the drawing board and with more research I've got some full fat low heat un-homogenised Jersey milk being delivered tomorrow - and a 'cheese meter' because as we know "PH - acid matters"
Thoughts, experience, tips appreciated
Mobile Chicane said:
That looks pretty decent. I'd be happy to be served that.
At its most basic, you can make 'cheese' just by adding acid to milk, then straining the curds. Even plant milks work.
Cheers MC. Wifey loved it but I'm not a fan of Halloumi as it doesn't melt and just 'burns' reminds me of Tofu At its most basic, you can make 'cheese' just by adding acid to milk, then straining the curds. Even plant milks work.
21TonyK said:
With mozzarella I found the really high fat content (gold top etc) did not work.
I might have donea thread on it, cant remmeber,.
I thought initially that the higher the fat content the better as it yields more curd (which it does) but my current understanding is that the important factor for 'stringy' cheese is the milk needs to be "low heat and un-homogenised" most available gold top is in fact homogenised milk with cream added to it. Proper Gold top (like when were kids) the cream would always rise to the top. If you're as old as me then you'd remember you had to take the milk in early in the morning before the Blue Tits pecked their way in and nabbed all the cream I might have donea thread on it, cant remmeber,.
Sainsburys do a brand called Grahams Jersey Gold Top but even then they do an homogenised version and an un-homogenised version which is actually labelled "Cream on Top" which I've ordered - a pound to a pinch of salt they'll turn up with the wrong type and offer it as a substitute!! I've put Wifey on notice not to accept it if they do
This is where I'm at now............
Do you have a dairy farm near you that sells milk direct to the public? If so that might well be your best source of milk.
A couple of years ago I spent an interesting day making cheese with a small (but well regarded) producer learning how to make the stuff. If you have one near you that offers courses then it might be worth a look.
Haven't made any since but that's mainly because I have an assortment arrive on subscription each month and decided to focus on the bread / honey we produce instead.
A couple of years ago I spent an interesting day making cheese with a small (but well regarded) producer learning how to make the stuff. If you have one near you that offers courses then it might be worth a look.
Haven't made any since but that's mainly because I have an assortment arrive on subscription each month and decided to focus on the bread / honey we produce instead.
Short update and wont bore you with many photos - as predicted the Grahams Gold Top (as ordered) was substituted for this...........
Which is homogenised with added cream So I tried it and had a similar result as the first time and ended up with some nice cottage cheese most of which I gave away!
So hoping it'll be third time lucky
As for Bees I had a bumper season with just over 200 1/2 Lb jars from one Flowhive. Hope yours are doing well as I hear locally that many hives didn't make it through the Winter.
Which is homogenised with added cream
So I tried it and had a similar result as the first time and ended up with some nice cottage cheese most of which I gave away! LooneyTunes said:
Do you have a dairy farm near you that sells milk direct to the public? If so that might well be your best source of milk.
A couple of years ago I spent an interesting day making cheese with a small (but well regarded) producer learning how to make the stuff. If you have one near you that offers courses then it might be worth a look.
Haven't made any since but that's mainly because I have an assortment arrive on subscription each month and decided to focus on the bread / honey we produce instead.
Found a couple of farms very close that do un-homogenised and picked up 4 litres yesterday A couple of years ago I spent an interesting day making cheese with a small (but well regarded) producer learning how to make the stuff. If you have one near you that offers courses then it might be worth a look.
Haven't made any since but that's mainly because I have an assortment arrive on subscription each month and decided to focus on the bread / honey we produce instead.
So hoping it'll be third time lucky As for Bees I had a bumper season with just over 200 1/2 Lb jars from one Flowhive. Hope yours are doing well as I hear locally that many hives didn't make it through the Winter.
dickymint said:
Short update and wont bore you with many photos - as predicted the Grahams Gold Top (as ordered) was substituted for this...........
Which is homogenised with added cream So I tried it and had a similar result as the first time and ended up with some nice cottage cheese most of which I gave away!
So hoping it'll be third time lucky
As for Bees I had a bumper season with just over 200 1/2 Lb jars from one Flowhive. Hope yours are doing well as I hear locally that many hives didn't make it through the Winter.
Perhaps try ice cream to use that up? I'm sure you have gadget for that, but if not, one can of sweetened condensed milk to 500ml of double cream. Beat it all together and freeze. I'm sure honey would be lovely stirred through.Which is homogenised with added cream
So I tried it and had a similar result as the first time and ended up with some nice cottage cheese most of which I gave away! LooneyTunes said:
Do you have a dairy farm near you that sells milk direct to the public? If so that might well be your best source of milk.
A couple of years ago I spent an interesting day making cheese with a small (but well regarded) producer learning how to make the stuff. If you have one near you that offers courses then it might be worth a look.
Haven't made any since but that's mainly because I have an assortment arrive on subscription each month and decided to focus on the bread / honey we produce instead.
Found a couple of farms very close that do un-homogenised and picked up 4 litres yesterday A couple of years ago I spent an interesting day making cheese with a small (but well regarded) producer learning how to make the stuff. If you have one near you that offers courses then it might be worth a look.
Haven't made any since but that's mainly because I have an assortment arrive on subscription each month and decided to focus on the bread / honey we produce instead.
So hoping it'll be third time lucky As for Bees I had a bumper season with just over 200 1/2 Lb jars from one Flowhive. Hope yours are doing well as I hear locally that many hives didn't make it through the Winter.
Mobile Chicane said:
Perhaps try ice cream to use that up? I'm sure you have gadget for that, but if not, one can of sweetened condensed milk to 500ml of double cream. Beat it all together and freeze. I'm sure honey would be lovely stirred through.
Of course My breadmaker has an attachment for that 
...........Gassing Station | Food, Drink & Restaurants | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff