Let's make yogurt a bit better

I decided to make yogurt but make it a bit better. I followed the instructions for my yogurt maker which says use 42 oz milk heat to boil then strain and mix in 6oz fresh plain yogurt. Pour into jars and put into yogurt maker 7 hours. Well I wanted a softer yogurt then I have made before so I did not boil, and I used 32oz milk and 10oz half& half and  I brought it up to 95 degrees, no need to strain, no film on top, added about 8oz fresh yogurt, poured into sterilized jars and put into yogurt maker, If you do not have a yogurt maker use a heating pad on low and cover the jars with a small garbage bag but do not put the lids on the jars. Mine came out AWESOME.........Here are some pics and the brand of the yogurt I used is very good. Some store bought brands do not have a live culture so look fo a good organic brand..

Let's make a dessert cheese MASCARPONE glorified sour cream

The Queen of Dessert Cheeses!

Mascarpone, the queen of dessert cheeses. At least it is when it's freshly made. The mascarpone available in most stores is a little rubbery and a bit too citrusy. The real thing has a texture like whipped cream about to turn to butter and an ethereal, ever-so-slightly tart flavor.

To make mascarpone you'll need tartaric acid. In spite of what you might have read, cream of tartar is not tartaric acid; rather, it's a derivative of tartaric acid. You cannot subsitute one for the other with any hope of success. In the picture to the right, the powdery cream of tartar is on the left, and the crystaline tartaric acid is on the right.



 

You'll also need a double boiler setup of some sort, or you could just use two pans like I did. A thermometer is mandatory. You'll need to line a stainless steel colander with a double layer of butter muslin to finish the cheese. Set the colander into a bowl to catch the whey.

Heat one quart/liter of half-and-half or cream to 85°C. Then add ¼ teaspoon tartaric acid and stir until the dairy thickens. It should be thick enough to be reminiscent of cream of wheat or farina, and the spoon or whisk you're stirring with should leave tracks behind. It takes a good five minutes or so to coagulate, so have some patience.

When the dairy is thickened, pour it into the muslin-lined colander and let it drain for about an hour at room temperature. Carefully spoon the cheese into a container, cover, and refrigerate overnight; in a dessert emergency, you can use it once it's chilled a couple of hours. It will keep in the refrigerator up to two weeks, not that you'll have any around that long.

Mascarpone has many uses: cannoli, tiramisu, cheesecake, or it can be served plain. This recipe works pretty good as is but I have tried it increasing the tartaric acid to 1/2 teas has a better flavor if u like tart....and let it drain in your cheese cave if you have one for 12 hours. Otherwise regular fridge or room temp if it's not above 70.

Feta Recipes

Since I seem to be making alot of feta cheese these days I have to find creative and delicious ways to fix it. Here is one that looks and tastes Great !!!!!

BAKED SHRIMP WITH TOMATOES AND FETA
Adapted slightly from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave, this makes a quick-and-easy elegant main dish, served over rice or orzo. Serves 8.
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 28-oz cans diced tomatoes, with their juices
1/2 tsp kosher salt, or more to taste
1/2 cup finely minced flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp minced fresh dill, or more to taste
2-1/2 lbs medium (31-40 size) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper, or more to taste
6 oz crumbled feta cheese
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 5 minutes, or until the tomato juices thicken.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley, dill, shrimp and black pepper. Taste the sauce, and add salt if needed. Sprinkle the feta over the top, and bake on the middle rack of the oven until the shrimp are cooked through and the cheese begins to soften, approximately 12 minutes. Serve hot or warm, over rice or orzo.

Hooked on Feta WOW !!!!!

I am totally hooked on Feta Cheese. What an awesome thing it is......And so easy to make and u can actually eat in in 2-5 days...That's special in the world of cheese making where times slows to a crawl and you will be lucky if your new cheese is ready in 3 months but most likely 6-10 months for the best quality. I doubled the recipe this time and I left out the half & half. Just as good and didn't leave half my butter behind in the whey. I did make some change to the recipe so Here I will most the recipe. This makes quite alot. I use a 6inch mold and I end up with a wheel about 1 1/2 inches thick probably 2 lbs.

Right out of the press

Cuts so nicely

Salted and stacked for drying and aging

You can see the kosher salt I sprinkled on it

Heat 2 gal milk to 86. add 1/2 teas calcium chloride and 1 teas liapiase dissolved in 1/4 cup unchlorinated water  anytime u want during the heating. When it is 86 add 1/4 teas mesophilic culture. Sprinkle on top let sit 2 minutes then stir in. Cover let ripen 1 hour. Turn on burner low after 1 hour and add 1 teas rennet. I use veg rennet stir until it get like pudding about 2 minutes. Turn off burner cover let sit 1 hour, it will be set by then. Cut curds let rest 10 min let give it a stir. Cover let rest 20-30 min. The curds will sink to the bottom. Strain out ( carefully ) and either hang or mold, I mold and press with 1 gallon jug of h2o overnight. Unwrap cut salt and put it in a pan for 1-5 days depending how dry u want it. I let mine sit out 2 days. Remember to check it for excess whey and pour it off. I use kosher salt and lightly salt each side. That is enough salt, you will need no more then that or it will be too salty. Remember the lipiase is salty also. Then just wrap it in saran wrap and put in fridge or use the recipe in one of my previuos post to make marinated feta...ENJOY.....Here are some pics.

Swiss Cheese

Well This swiss cheese has aged 1 week in the cave and time to bring it out into the world of light and warmth. Stays out for about 3 weeks. In this time the holes are supposed to form, but to tell you the truth most of the posts that I have seen about swiss holes are far and few inbetween. Hope I have better luck. If I don't I may increase the amount of the culture Proprionic Shermanii that is the culture that produces the gases that make the holes. here is a pic of the cheese in the light.

the other side is much smoother I bunched the cheesecloth

I use disposable cheesecloth.. Easier to deal with and cheap

Don't want to make cheese then Make better A cheese

Found a recipe, well not really a recipe but a way of doing something to something. The something is....wait for it.......Feta Cheese........Don't wanna make it then buy it and u can still do this amazing thing to it.....My dear sister turned me onto this amazing cheese alternative on her travels she visited a goat farm and the woman there schooled her on the idea of marinated feta cheese. I in turn googled it and found out how amazing and easy it was to do..So don't wanna make the cheese BUY IT....Feta is everywhere......Cube the feta and put it in clean jar add whatever fresh or dried spices I used basil and garlic...Pour a good quality olive oil to cover and whalla...u have an amazing topping for salad and it will keep forever...

New recipe for Mozz creamier

I have to digress here. I just made Feta cheese the other day and I have to say is is AMAZING.....I dried it half the amount of time required so it held a creamy texture with an amazing flavor. That is definitely a redo........This recipe is fro a creamier Mozz and uses no Citric Acid. The thermopelic or mesophilic culture makes the acid required for the curd to set. Also add no Calcium Chloride .Yes it takes longer 3 hours or more but you can adust the firmness of the finished product by making the adjustments listed in the recipe...Have fun..  Read the entire recipe for you will not follow it per exact instructions if you want the creamier mozz. Take note temp is lowered to 86 instead of 100 and also note NO MICROWAVE is used......

       Mozzarella with culture 

         

                        First a few notes on making Mozzarella
                        In making Mozzarella with a lactic bacteria starter
                        culture, this “cultured” mozzarella is much more
                        flavorful because the bacteria produce their own flavor
                        as they convert the lactose in the milk.
                        Cultured mozzarella can be made using either
                        thermophilic cultures (used for high temperature
                        cheeses) or mesophilic cultures  (for low temperature
                        cheeses).
                        The cheese can be made from full fat milk as well as low
                        fat milk-the difference will be less flavor in the
                        latter.
                        If a soft moist cheese is made, it is best eaten within
                        a day or so (in Italy this would be considered fresh for
                        only a few hours).
                        The drier cheese however can be aged for longer
                        depending on final moisture and will actually improve
                        with a few days aging because of the live bacteria that
                        are still working after the cheese cools and changes the
                        protein structure.
                              A recipe for making Mozzarella with an acidifying
                              culture
                             
                              
                            
                              The recipe will be for a normal
                              pasteurized milk.
                             
                              I have included a chart here to guide you in using
                              various milk resources:
                              Changes for Milk Quality
                                *Normally Pasteurized Milk
                                161F for 16 secondsAs per recipe below
                                High Temp Pasteurization
                                168F+ for 20+ secondsIncrease rennet 50-100%
                                plus increase the coagulation time by 2-3 times
                                that of the recipe below.
                                Raw milkReduce culture by 30-40% and rennet by
                                20-30% of the recipe below.
                                Also cook temperatures after cutting the curd
                                may be reduced by 6-10 degrees for a softer
                                final cheese.
                                Note also that raw milk is not homogenized and
                                the fat % is usually greater than can be held by
                                the curd so you may see a much cloudier whey.
                                This cream can be recovered by allowing it to
                                rise and then skimming it off. It is good for
                                butter or making sour cream since it also
                                contains the bacteria.
                                No Ultra-Pasteurized Milk It just will not work
                                due to protein damage and calcium changes
                              Before you begin:
                              You will need:
                              2 gallons of milk (Not Ultra-Pasteurized)
                              1 packet of thermophilic culture 
                              
                            
                              Rennet 1/2 tsp or 2.5 ml liquid rennet (single
                              strength) or 1/2 rennet tablet
                              A good thermometer
                              A knife to cut the curds, and a spoon or ladle to
                              stir the curds with.
                              A colander and butter muslin, I use disposable, to drain the curds
                              A sturdy bowl or pot to hold the curds for heating
                              and stretching to save your hands from the hot
                              curds and water.
                              A wooden spoon
                              Another pot for heating water. This does not need
                              to be stainless steel.
                              As much salt as you would like in your cheese.
                              Normally I like about 1/2 tsp but it is not
                              essential to the process as in other cheeses and
                              Yes, you can make this salt free.
                              Everything needs to be clean and sanitized.
                              You can make a larger or smaller amount of
                              Mozzarella by increasing or decreasing the
                              ingredients above.
                              I will also include several control variables
                              through the recipe to provide an option for a
                              drier or moister cheese.
                              Acidifying and heating the milk:
                              Begin by heating the milk to 100F (38C). You do
                              this by placing the milk in a pot or sink of very
                              warm water. If you do this in a pot on the stove
                              make sure you heat the milk slowly and stir it
                              well as it heats
                              Once the milk is at this target temperature, the
                              culture can be added (from list above). To prevent
                              the powder from caking and sinking in clumps,
                              sprinkle the powder over the surface of the milk
                              and then allow about 2 minutes for the powder to
                              re-hydrate before stirring it in. The milk will
                              need to ripen for 60 minutes before adding the
                              rennet.
                              
                              Coagulation with rennet:
                              Then add the rennet indicated in the list above
                              and stir slowly top to bottom for about 30
                              The milk now needs to set undisturbed for 45
                              minutes while the culture works and the rennet
                              helps form the curd. Keep the milk at the 100F
                              during this period, preferably using a sink or
                              water bath of warm water. It can not be heated on
                              a stove top because of the curd formation.

                              Cutting curds and releasing the whey:
                              During the next 20 minutes cut the curd at 2 inch
                              intervals and then make the same cut spacing at
                              right angles to the first cut. Allow this to rest
                              5 minutes then break the rest of the curd into
                              walnut or hazelnut sized pieces (1" - 1/2" ). The
                              smaller the pieces the more whey will be released
                              and the drier the cheese. This is your first
                              control point in determining the final result.

                              Cooking the curds :
                              After cutting and a brief stir, allow the curds to
                              settle to the bottom of the pot for 1 hour. A
                              brief stir every 5-10 minutes just to keep the
                              curds separate will retain the most moisture. For
                              a drier cheese, a more frequent-constant stir will
                              cause more whey to be released. The temperature
                              may even be increased to 106-108F for more
                              moisture removal.

                              Removing the whey:
                              The dry curds and whey can now be transferred to a
                              colander or cheese mold to form into a
                              consolidated curd mass. The whey is allowed to run
                              off and may be collected for other uses. This whey
                              is sweet enough to make into Ricotta since the
                              acid has not been fully produced yet.

                              Ripening the curds:
                              At this point it is essential to keep the curds
                              warm because the bacteria is now producing the
                              acid that is so important for a good stretching
                              Mozzarella. The easiest way is to place both curd
                              and the colander or form back into the empty pot
                              and keep this in a sink of warm water to keep the
                              curd at 96-100F.
                              Once the curd is resting quietly, fill the extra
                              pot with water (about a gallon or so) and bring it
                              to a simmer to be used for the hot water stretch.
                              Traditionally this was done with the whey already
                              heated from the Ricotta making process but water
                              works fine.
                              Allow the curds to ripen in the warmth for about
                              another 2 hours then begin testing for the
                              stretch. Cut a small piece of curd from the large
                              curd mass and place it in a cup of the hot water
                              tempered to about 180F. Allow this to sit for a
                              few minutes and remove from the hot water. If it
                              stretches, then you are ready for the final hot
                              water stretching phase. If not, continue the warm
                              rest for another 15-20 minutes and repeat the test
                              until you see a good stretch. The stretch should
                              be about 2-3 times the original length of the
                              sample without breaking.

                              The stretch:
                             
                                Once the curds show that they are stretching,
                                the curd mass is placed on a cutting board and
                                chopped into 1/2-1" cubes and placed in the bowl
                                or pot for heating and stretching.
                                The hot water is then added. Initially, about
                                2-3 cups are added by pouring at the edge of the
                                curds (not directly on them) and the wooden
                                spoon is used to gently move them around for
                                heating. Gradually they will begin losing their
                                shape and melding (not melting) into a smooth
                                mass. If this is not happening after 3-5 minutes
                                add another 2 -3 cups of hot water until you see
                                the curd mass forming into a stretching mass.
                                With the wooden spoon you can begin the stretch
                                by lifting this curd mass and allowing it to
                                stretch from its own weight. If the curd mass
                                begins to cool and the stretch becomes less, add
                                more hot water. After doing this a few times and
                                the curd begins to look like taffy, you can lift
                                the curds while turning the spoon and winding
                                into a smooth mass.
                                At this point you can dump the water and give
                                the stretching curd a few of long pulls, folding
                                it back on itself and the finally rolling it all
                                into a ball. Be careful to not get too carried
                                away with this because it is a lot of fun but
                                you could dry out the cheese excessively if
                                overdone.
                                During this stretch is a good time to add the
                                salt as per your preferences or any other
                                additions to your Mozzarella. 
                               
                                
                                For the final form I find it easiest to break
                                the mass into 2 smaller balls (about 1 lb. each)
                                because they are easier to handle. Now, hold the
                                warm Mozzarella with thumb and forefinger of one
                                hand using the other hand from underneath to
                                push the curd up inside itself. Continue working
                                the curd in this manner until the ball of cheese
                                becomes smooth and shiny.
                             

                              Chilling and finishing:
                              Now it is just about finished.  Drop the curd into
                              a small draining mold to hold the shape and place
                              the form and cheese into a very cold pot of water
                              to chill and hold its shape. 
                              An hour or so of this
                              and it is ready to be eaten or wrapped and kept in
                              the fridge for a day or so.
                              Storing
                              There is not much to say on this because it should
                              not be kept that long unless you are making a
                              drier style Mozzarella. I simply wrap mine in a
                              breathable Saran Wrap and keep it in the fridge
                              for a day or so.
                              Now, this might just be the best tip on this page.
                              For those who really love Mozzarella, you can make
                              a huge batch of the curd mass, cut it into single
                              use (1 lb) portions and freeze it. When ready for
                              more fresh Mozzarella, just place the frozen
                              portion in the fridge to thaw overnight and the
                              next day heat up the water for stretching and
                              Voila .. Fresh Mozzarella.
                              You should know that most of those shops that sell
                              the fresh Mozzarella do exactly that. They buy the
                              frozen curds in bulk then thaw and heat for the
                              finished fresh Mozzarella every day.

                              Changes for varying Mozzarella styles
                              I have included this guide below to help you in
                              changing the process to get just the right type of
                              Mozzarella for you.
                                Very Soft as in Deli Style MozzarellaTemperature
                                can be reduced to 86-90F and a mixed meso/thermo
                                culture such as MA4002 can be used , curds cut
                                larger to 1-1.5 inches
                                *Medium for slicing etcAs per recipe above
                                Firm for pizza .. a great cooking/melting cheese
                                Curds can be cut smaller to 1/2 inch and the
                                temperature can be increased to 104-106F.
                                Stirring can be extended to increase whey
    removal

                       
                         I have included a
                        little trick to speed up your cheesemaking.
                        Before setting up and heating the milk, take about 2
                        cups of the milk and heat to 108F (optimum for the
                        thermophilic) then add your culture to this and stir it
                        in well. Note the time you do this and allow this to set
                        at this ripening temp for the indicated time.
                        Then carry on with your set up and milk heating which
                        should take the better part of the hour and when the
                        full milk is heated to your working temp and the
                        ripening time for the mini starter has elapsed, just add
                        it to the full batch and you have saved about an hour in
                        time. **You can move right into the rennet addition.
                        You can do this with any cheese, just make sure the
                        culture and milk stay proportionate.
                        45 minutes to 1 hour after the rennet is added the curd
                        is tested for a good curd formation and the cut is made
                        to break the curd mass into smaller pieces to encourage
                        the whey release. Smaller pieces make for a drier cheese
                        in the end.
                        The curd is stirred just enough to keep the pieces from
                        consolidating while being kept warm, providing a good
                        home for the bacteria culture to do its work.
                        The curd is allowed to settle to the bottom of the pot
                        and whey is removed down to just above the curd level.
                        The curd is kept warm in a sink of warm water a few
                        degrees above the 100F target temperature for the
   cheese.
                        After about 1 hour for the curd resting in the whey, the
                        whey is drained from the curd in a colander or cheese
                        form and this will then be kept warm (100F) for another
                        2 or more hours while the final acid is produced to
                        guarantee a good stretching Mozzarella.
                        
                        During the final rest, a pot of water is heated for the
                        stretch. After the 2 hours of acid development a small
                        piece of curd is cut and tested for stretching in the
                        hot water. Once this test is satisfactory the bowl and
                        curd mass are prepared for the final stretch.
                        
                        The curd mass is cut into smaller pieces to prepare for
                        an even heating with the hot water
                        Hot water is carefully poured around the curds to begin
                        the heating. The water taken right from the simmering
                        pot quickly drops to 175-180F and then as the cooler
                        curds heat up the water and curds stabilize at about
                        135F.
                        It is important to give the curd mass the time to heat
                        up and for the curd structure to change as seen in the
                        consolidation of the curd mass.
                        More hot water is added as the curds continue to change
                        and the stretch begins to develop.
                        The curds now come together in a consolidated mass and
                        the beginning of the stretch is seen. I first lift the
                        curds using the wooden spoon and allow them to stretch
                        under their own weight. I do this several times and then
                        allow the curds to stretch around the wooden spoon as I
                        turn it. 
                       
                        Finally as the stretching curds smooth out, I dump the
                        hot water and do the final stretch by hand to get the
                        smooth shiny texture of Mozzarella. It is simply a long
                        stretch and the folding back on itself several times.
                        This stretch is also what gives the Mozzarella that nice
                        texture when you bite into it. Here is where I add the
                        salt as well, just before the final stretch.
                        For the final form, the curd is then rolled into a ball
                        and then working from underneath, the curd is pushed
                        inside itself and the top surface stretches smoothly
                        forming a nice smooth ball of cheese. If you have ever
                        seen a good pizza dough prep, this is much the same way,
                        the curd is pushed in from below and at the same time
                        the top surface is stretched over this. Finally the
                        opening at the bottom is pinched off with the resulting
                        perfect shiny globe of Mozzarella.
                        

                        
                       
                        
                        Once I have the form I am happy with, I drop it into a
                        small bowl or a cheese draining mold (this helps keep
                        the nice shape while cooling) and drop this into a pan
                        of very cold water
                        .