Leaning Stilton of Eccles.........The latest Alchemy of GA

[Megaross]

Good gravy that looks good.

I made halloumi once but thats about as simple as cheese making gets, I'd love to get into it properly.

 

[graysalchemy]

I made a few cream cheese type experiments but they never managed to age an older than an hour before they got eaten. However making a basic cheese is no different to a stilton as that is the basis of stilton. :thumb:

 

[anthonyUK]

Practising my Baguette recipe this weekend in readiness for the cheese.

Lager batons are lovely with cheese

strong white flour – 425g
lager – 250ml
dried yeast
honey – 2tbsp
olive oil – 2tbsp
dried yeast – 1tsp
salt – 1tsp

A regular - mix, knead, prove, knead, divide, shape, prove, bake recipe.

 

[dennisking]

I thought the name Stilton was protected. You might have to call it Manchester blue vein. :whistle:

 

[graysalchemy]

It would be if I was selling it :lol:

 

[Hawks]

That looks great GA :hat:

I made a Camembert at a course earlier this year, and the basics of cheese are pretty easy and lots of crossovers with beer ( importance of cleanliness, temperature control etc ) which probably helps as we are used to that side of things.

Looking forward to doing some more when we finally move house :pray:

Have you tried the Paul Hollywood baguette, worth a google :thumb:

 

[graysalchemy]

Have you tried the Paul Hollywood baguette, worth a google

No I haven't but I have seen it. The one I do is a 36 hour build though I miss out the last 12 hr ferment so it is only 24.

BAsically you mix the the flour and water and let them hydrate in the fridge for 12 hrs. At the same time get your sourdough starter going. After 12 hrs combine the starter and the mixed flour and water. After half an hour you add salt and give it a bit of a knead. This is left to ferment for a further 12 hrs, then shape prove and bake in a hot oven with steam.

It makes the most wonderful crusty holey baguette very different to a sterile shop bought loaf.

 

[Hawks]

No I haven't but I have seen it. The one I do is a 36 hour build though

Ah then probably a lot better again then :hat: do like the idea of a sourdough baguette :thumb: The PH one is a mere 3 hours :whistle:

 

[hypnoticmonkey]

Okay, so here comes the n00b winemakers question but in reverse....

What type of yeast do you use for your sourdough? Does it have to be a bread yeast or will a wine yeast do?

 

[alanywiseman.]

Okay, so here comes the n00b winemakers question but in reverse....

What type of yeast do you use for your sourdough? Does it have to be a bread yeast or will a wine yeast do?

Mix 1 tbs of water and one of flour and leave in the open air to start fermenting. once fermenting add a tbs of flour and water daily to feed. ( I have hear of using orange juice f pinapple juice to start it as the simpiler sugar give a quicker start. The trouble I hvae always had with sourdough starters is keeping them alive

 

[LeithR]

Aren't you supposed to use a piece of copper wire to introduce the air holes thru the cheese to get the blue bacteria going at some point in the process?

 

[graysalchemy]

You pierce after about 3-5 weeks with a knitting needle or the likes. You need to let it mature first and allow the paste to develop.

Okay, so here comes the n00b winemakers question but in reverse....

What type of yeast do you use for your sourdough? Does it have to be a bread yeast or will a wine yeast do?

Sour dough as previosly explained is just the natural yeast and a bacteria found on the flour, you make a starter up and all sorts of things grow in it but eventually after about 7-10 days the yeast and bacteria take over due to the dropping pH caused by the bacteria. Adding orange juice just lowers the pH and gets it going quicker.

HAve you had a look at the baking thread I have mentioned it quite a lot their. :thumb:

 

[graysalchemy]

Just inspected the cheese and I think we have signs of mould :whistle:

 

[sam.k]

so if I wanted to make cheese I would need (basically)
milk
rennet
starter
mold
?

is that right?
would it be worth buying a starter kit or is that an expensive gimmick?

 

[graysalchemy]

Basically yes though you would need a fridge set at 15c and humidity control (simplest a tupperware dish) and if you want to make hard cheese then a press but a dutch press can be simply made.

You also need to heat the milk up so a big pan or if you are ag brewing you could use you HLT as a double boiler with a bucket in it. However for stilton and most cheese you have to heat the milk to about 30c so even a large bucket or pan in a sink of hot water will do.

Like every thing it can be as cheap and easy as you want to make it. :thumb:

 

[sam.k]

I may if ordered a starter kit :whistle: only cost £35 so we will see how it goes.

 

[graysalchemy]

Well It has been a week now and The leaning Stilton of Eccles has shown more signs of structural instability

and....................


It is turning BLUE

Well only slightly but it is a start.

:party: :party: :party:

 

[joe1002]

Looking good GA. Think i'm going to have a go at this soon :thumb:

 

[TRXnMe]

That is looking really good, and sounds very simple, in principle anyway..

I like stilton, might have a go for christmas :)

 

[hypnoticmonkey]

GA, I went to the cheddar factory in Cheddar last summer and saw how they made cheddar. It involved a high pressure press which compacted the cheese to squeeze all the moisture out and give it a consistency of cheddar rather than, say, cottage cheese.

How does one go about replicating this process in a home? Do you just put it in something and rest a big weight on the top?