Mozzarella Cheese!

I've been wanting to try cheese-making for ages now. The basic cheese class I attended last month at the SCA regional fighter practice just whetted my appetite. Since we were able to do some more goat-sitting for Mr Mac last weekend, I thought it was an excellent opportunity to give a slightly more complicated cheese a try. Clara and Hazel were kind enough to provide me with a gallon of fresh, raw milk. For anybody new to my journal, I will be featuring these friendly goats in the next post for Fuzzy Friday.

I used the recipe at FANKHAUSER'S CHEESE PAGE

I gathered all my equipment and made sure everything was squeaky clean, then began heating up the milk. I soon realized that my candy thermometer wasn't going to work. I needed to raise the temp of the milk to 88 degrees F. then add the acid powder and rennet tablet. My thermometer doesn't register that low, 'cause (DUHH) it's for making hard candies and jellies at high temperatures! I was already started so had to figure out a way to handle it. What else do I have that would register lower temperatures? Hmmm....88 degrees is less than body temperature......Yes, you guessed it. I quickly got out and cleaned (though I'm sure it was clean already) the in-the-ear human thermometer. It only starts registering at 90 degrees, but that's ok because I've seen other recipes that stated this as the temp. to add the powders. By the time I got this all done, the milk was already up to 107 degrees.....oops, off with the heat, in with the acid & rennet.

Next, I was to let the milk sit undisturbed for two hours or until a "clean break" developed. Off I went to do other household chores. Two hours pass, and the clean break has not appeared; the milk looks gross, it has separated some and a thin slightly greenish liquid is on top. Ughhhh, I had failed! BoooHoo, and wasted a whole gallon of yummy, nutritious milk that is highly prized in this house for the very best, rich chocolate milk. Instead of just tossing it out, I put the lid back on and decided at least the dogs would like it. I forgot to give it to the dogs. In the morning it was still sitting on the back of the stove. I looked in, and saw that it looked "right". I tested it for a clean break and was overjoyed at what I saw:



I worked! For whatever reason, it just took longer than expected (the instructions mention that sometimes it takes overnight but not usually for this type of cheese).

After seeing Elias off to work, I proceeded with the recipe. The curds had to be cut to 1/2" and the whole thing reheated to 108 degrees (my human thermometer cuts out at 107.8, but that is close).



The nasty looking mixture is held at that temp, stirring every 5 minutes for 35 minutes, then strained out:



The Whey (liquid part) is reserved for making ricotta cheese (which I'm doing today). The curds are put into a stainless steel bowl and salt is added:



One cup of salted curd at a time is microwaved for 45 seconds, then pulled out by mushing up against the side of the dish with the back of a fork:



Now, it's time to play hot potato! The cheese needs to be kneaded to distribute the heat.



Next is stretching & folding until the cheese is smooth and elastic. I found this to be much like kneading bread dough. It starts off very sticky and limp, but as you work it, turns "lively" and it begins picking up the bits of sticky that are on your palms.


Once this is done, the cheese is formed into a ball and chilled, and that's it!



The cheese turned out great despite my mistakes and lack of proper equipment. I suppose in past times even what I had was unavailable. They probably just knew by experience at what point to add heat/take off heat etc...

The flavor is stronger than store-bought cheese (as one would expect) and is a bit salty (the recipe called for 1 tsp, I'll use less next time). If the ricotta turns out well, we may have lasagna tomorrow!

-Jayne