French Chaource - great beginners cheese, only takes two weeks

[LoydB]

This only took one gallon of milk, doesn't require a press and it's ready in two weeks. The only down side of it as your first cheese is that you need three different cultures - an aromatic meso culture (I used Flora Danica), and two surface mold cultures (Penicillium Candidum and Geotrichum Candidum).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy9H2nEHjx8

Start by heating up a gallon of milk (I use raw milk, so I skip adding the Calcium Chloride called for).

This one is a little different than most cheeses. You add cultures, stir them in well, and with no ripening time immediately add two drops (yes, DROPS) of rennet and stir it in. Then go away for 12+ hours until it is set with around half an inch of whey on top.

Now start ladling the curds into baskets (the recipe calls for four very small baskets, I didn't have them, so I went with a couple of medium baskets).

Every 15 minutes add more curds until all the curds are used up.

Gravity begins to do its thing.

The next day, ready for the first flip.

One flipped cleanly, the other was... a mess. Fortunately for this style of cheese, it doesn't matter.

After 24 hours more, flip again. This time it's a little cleaner.

After salting well and a couple more flips, into a ripening box (you want really high humidity, I shoot for 90%+)

Flip daily as the Candidum cultures take over the surface. After two weeks, it's good to go.

 

[LoydB]

This pic is of the one that was such as mess. As you can see, it came out fine...

 

[indaswamp]

Simply awesome! Great play by play.....you make great cheese Loyd!

 

[jcam222]

What does it taste like? How is it commonly consumed? Is a ripening box something you have to purchase? Same question on the baskets. Lol sorry I'm full of questions.

 

[DRKsmoking]

That is a good process show, I have some of the same questions as Jeff, but also. Out of
1 gallon of whole milk, how much finished product did you get with the 2 baskets = Grams, ounces etc. ???

Thanks Lloyd

I always wanted to try my hand at mozzarella , but this looks interesting.

David

 

[LoydB]

Simply awesome! Great play by play.....you make great cheese Loyd!

Thanks!

What does it taste like? How is it commonly consumed? Is a ripening box something you have to purchase? Same question on the baskets. Lol sorry I'm full of questions.

Cream cheese mixed with Camembert/Brie, mild and a little sweet. It spreads decently on a bagel or something, but we're eating it mostly with crackers or pita chips.

These are the ripening boxes. This particular one isn't available any more, but there are many alternatives: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09LRS2PW7

Here's the baskets: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083N3R2Z3/

That is a good process show, I have some of the same questions as Jeff, but also. Out of
1 gallon of whole milk, how much finished product did you get with the 2 baskets = Grams, ounces etc. ???

A little under two pounds.

 

[jcam222]

LoydB can you buy all the micro critters needed for this as a kit or do you have to order it all individually?

 

[LoydB]

LoydB can you buy all the micro critters needed for this as a kit or do you have to order it all individually?

I'm not aware of any kits that have the needed cultures. Keep them vac sealed in a freezer except when using, and the individual packs will last years.

 

[Hockeydudde]

I've been looking for quickly ready cheese that have a little more character than a queso fresco. Saw this suggested at the bottom of jcam222 mozzarella thread.
I recently tried aging something similar, but made with no renet and 48 hour ripening. Very sour and never dried enough, they were a failure.
These look great, I'm going to give these a go.

 

[jcam222]

I've been looking for quickly ready cheese that have a little more character than a queso fresco. Saw this suggested at the bottom of jcam222 mozzarella thread.
I recently tried aging something similar, but made with no renet and 48 hour ripening. Very sour and never dried enough, they were a failure.
These look great, I'm going to give these a go.

This one is on my list too

 

[LoydB]

These look great, I'm going to give these a go.

Thanks! I'm glad you bumped this, it's a great cheese. I need to make it again.

This one is on my list too

Strong recommend.

 

[mr_whipple]

That's interesting. Never thought about making cheese but I'll certainly eat some.

 

[jcam222]

Thanks! I'm glad you bumped this, it's a great cheese. I need to make it again.


Strong recommend.

Can you explain your setup using the sous vide? Is it double bath with the sous vide in the outer container?

 

[LoydB]

Can you explain your setup using the sous vide? Is it double bath with the sous vide in the outer container?

For batches using 3 gallons of milk or less, I sit the pot inside the tub of water as you see above. Not doubled, just a pot full of milk. For more than 3 gallons of milk, I put the pot directly in the sink with the sous vide controller in it.