Soft ripened cheeses

Queso DiegoTuesday, October 16, 2012

Laurie Gerber

Kinds of Cheese(American Cheese Society Classification)

• Fresh cheeses – chevre, cottage cheese, mozzarella• Soft-ripened cheeses – brie, camembert• Semi-soft cheeses – jack, havarti, port-salut• Firm/hard cheeses – cheddar, gouda, swiss, parmesan• Blue cheeses – roquefort, stilton, gorgonzola• Pasta filata cheeses – mozzarella, provolone• Natural rind cheeses – Stilton, Mimolette• Washed rind – Muenster, Taleggio• Processed cheeses – American, Laughing Cow

Appearance of soft-ripened cheese

2000BC 1000BC AD 1000 2012

2000 BC - First “secure”

evidence of cheesemaking

-Sumerian cuneiform

-Egyptian tomb murals

879 - Gorgonzola1500 - Cheddar1791 - Cam

embert

700s - Brie – Charlemagne

places standing order

1900 - Cambozola

Brie

What makes it a soft ripened cheese?

• Soft – high moisture curds• Primary ripening (acidification) with bacterial

culture• Shaped in molds/hoops but not pressed• Secondary ripening with fungal mold – from the

outside in• “Bloomy” or wrinkly exterior• Perishable – brief time window of perfection• All about flavor – not a milk preservation method

Types and styles• Fully ripened (brie, camembert)– Thin profile enables full paste ripening before spoilage

• Chalky core (humbolt fog, gratte paille)– Thick profile retards mold ripening of center

• Surface ripened – Lower moisture inhibits spoilage as cheese ages/dries

• Cow, goat, sheep and mixed-milk varieties• Majority from France, some in Spain, Italy, Germany,

US, UK• Other common features:– Vegetable ash – encourages mold, discourages bacteria.

Most common on goat cheese.

Brie de Meaux

Gratte Paille

Soft ripened cheese production• Cultures

– generally mesophillic bacterial culture– Two or three strains produce diacetyl giving buttery flavor:

• Leuconostoc mesenteroides ssp. Cremoris• Lactococcus lactis subsp. biovar diacetylactis• Lactococcus lactis ssp Lactis ?

– Two types of white mold – in starter or spray on• Penicillium candidum• Geotrichum candidum

– One blue mold• Penicillium roqueforti

• Ripening temperature: Low (75°) to moderate (90°)• Milk ripening time: Varies – 1 – 24 hours• Rennet: small quantity – few drops – 1.2t/gallon• Curd cutting: Large pieces - Large cubes – slices – no cutting • Stirring: none• Cooking/washing: none• Shaping: Drain in mold – no pressing• Salting: Surface salting• Ageing: brief – 10 days – 6 weeks• Shelf life: Short, perishable

About the (fungal) molds• Often used in combination• Equal amounts or about 2:1

• Penicillium candidum• Geotrichum candidum

Penicillium roqueforti

• Blue mold

• Stilton ->

• Also possible to use as surface mold as in Monte Enebro

About butteriness

• Brie – whole milk cheese • Secondary ripening and diacetyl, not high fat• Fat content– Brie – 60% (of dry matter); 31% of cheese– Double cream – 60-75% (of dry matter); – Triple cream – >75% (of dry matter); 39% of the

cheese• Because brie is high moisture – lower fat than

cheddar

Ripening/Ageing• Mold growth is aerobic• Ripening from outside->in• Desirable developments– Bloomy rind– Proteolysis/lipolysis (transformation of paste from

chalky/firm to supple/oozy)– Flavor development: savory, mushroomy, pungent

• Undesirable developments– Pathogens (salmonella, listeria)– Pink or black mold– Ammonia and sulphur (overripe/spoiled)

Valençay

Aging profile

Examples – Provided by Mary PalmerTaste Artisan Cheese!

• Brie de MeauxWhole cow’s milk France

• ExplorateurTriple cream cow’s milkFrance

• Humboldt FogGoat’s milkAsh midline and exterior dustingSonoma, California

• Monte EnebroGoat’s milkBlue mold ripenedSpain