English Archives | Cheese Atlas

How to Make Cheddar

Cheese Atlas — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 05:26:34 +0000

Without a doubt, Cheddar is the world’s most popular cheese. But, have you ever wanted to make your own cheese at home? Read on to learn how to make Cheddar using this recipe by Gavin Webber.

Prefer to watch a video? Scroll to the bottom for the step-by-step recipe.

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YIELD

1 kg

AGING

3 mths

SKILL

Medium

AUTHOR

Gavin Webber

YIELD

1 kg

AGING

3 mths

SKILL

Medium

About the cheese

Cheddar is an iconic British hard cheese that finds its roots in Somerset, England. Actually, the earliest mentions of this cheese can be traced back to picturesque Cheddar Gorge and the tiny village of Cheddar.

This recipe for Cheddar was created by home cheesemaking legend, Gavin Webber, and is rated at an medium level of difficulty. Keep reading after the break to find out what ingredients and equipment you will need.

Ingredients

10 L (10 qt) Full Cream Milk, preferably pasteurised/unhomogenised

⅛ Teaspoon (Dash) Mesophilic Culture MO30

2.5 ml (½ tsp) Calcium Chloride in ¼ cup water

2.5 ml (½ tsp) Liquid Rennet in ¼ cup water

12 drops of Annatto in ¼ cup water

1½ tbsp Cheese Salt

Butter, Lard or Coconut oil for banding

Equipment

Cheese Press

165 mm Cheese basket with follower

Cheese drying mat or Bamboo mat

Dairy Thermometer

Stainless Steel Stirring Spoon

Mini measuring spoons (for cultures)

Loose weave Cheese Cloth

Method

Adding ingredients

1

Sanitise all equipment.

2

Warm your milk to 31°C (88°F), stirring gently whilst bringing up to temperature. Turn off the heat.

3

Sprinkle culture over the surface of the milk and allow to rehydrate for 5 minutes. Stir thoroughly in an up and down motion without breaking the surface of the milk. Cover and allow to rest for 40 minutes at the target temperature.

4

Add the Annatto solution and mix well.

5

Add the Calcium Chloride solution and mix well.

6

Add the rennet solution to the milk and mix thoroughly using the same up and down motion for no more than 2 minutes. Cover and allow to set for 40 minutes.

7

Check for a clean break. If necessary, leave for another 10 minutes then check again.

Cutting the curd

1

Check for a clean break and cut the curds into 1.25 cm (½ inch) cubes.

2

Rest for 5 minutes to allow curds to heal.

3

Return to a low heat and gradually raise the temp to 39°C (102°F), stirring gently and continuously, during the period of 45 minutes. Don’t heat too fast. This slow process allows more whey to be expelled and avoids bitterness in the fully aged cheese.

4

Once the target temperature is reached, turn off the heat. Let the curds rest for 40 minutes maintaining the temperature at 39°C (102°F) .

Cheddaring, milling and pressing

1

Drain curds and whey through cheesecloth lined colander. Return the curd slab back to the pot for cheddaring, place pot back into the double boiler to keep the curd slab at 39°C (102°F).

2

Cut the slab in half and cover pot and allow curds to stand for 10 minutes.

3

After 10 minutes, turn each slab over. Let stand for another 10 minutes.

4

After 10 minutes, turn each slab over. Let stand for another 10 minutes.

5

After 10 minutes, turn each slab over. Let stand for another 15 minutes. That’s 45 minutes cheddaring time in total.

6

Drain the two slabs through cheesecloth lined colander, then place the slabs onto a chopping board.

7

Cut the curd into 5 by 1.25 cm (2 by ½ inch) fingers.

8

Using your pot as a container, break each finger in half and then toss the salt through the curds. This is called milling.

9

Line a 165 mm cheese mould with cheesecloth and fill with the curds. Cover the curds with the corner of the cheese cloth, top with a follower, and press at 11 kg (24 lbs) for 1 hour.

10

Remove the cheese from the press, and slowly and carefully unwrap it. Turn the cheese over, rewrap it in the cloth and press at 22 kg (50 lb) for 12 hours.

Air drying and waxing

1

Then place on a cheese mat and board and let air dry at room temperature until it is dry to touch (usually 2-5 days). Turn twice daily to allow for even drying.

2

Cloth band or wax the cheese and allow it to age for 3 months for mild, 6 months for medium, 12+ months for Vintage Cheddar. Ripen in a humid cheese fridge at 10-12ºC (50-54ºF) at 80-85% humidity. Don’t forget to turn weekly, to allow for even distribution of the fats and flavour.

Watch the entire recipe on video

Recipe card

How to Make Cheddar

Make the world's most popular cheese in your own home

Course Cheese

Cuisine English

Keyword Cheesemaking

Aging 90

Total Time 90

Servings 20 serves

Calories 200kcal

Equipment

Cheese press
165 mm cheese basket with follower
Cheese drying mat
Dairy thermometer
Stainless steel stirring spoon
Mini measuring spoons
Loose weave cheese cloth

Ingredients

10 L full cream milk pasteurised/unhomogenised
1/8 tsp mesophilic culture MO30
2.5 ml liquid rennet mixed in ¼ cup of water
12 drops annatto mixed in ¼ cup of water
1½ tbsp cheese salt
butter, lard or coconut oil for banding

Instructions

Adding ingredients

Sanitise all equipment.
Warm your milk to 31°C (88°F), stirring gently whilst bringing up to temperature. Turn off the heat.
Sprinkle culture over the surface of the milk and allow to rehydrate for 5 minutes. Stir thoroughly in an up and down motion without breaking the surface of the milk. Cover and allow to rest for 40 minutes at the target temperature.
Add the Annatto solution and mix well.
Add the Calcium Chloride solution and mix well.
Add the rennet solution to the milk and mix thoroughly using the same up and down motion for no more than 2 minutes. Cover and allow to set for 40 minutes.
Check for a clean break. If necessary, leave for another 10 minutes then check again.

Cutting the curd

Check for a clean break and cut the curds into 1.25 cm (½ inch) cubes.
Rest for 5 minutes to allow curds to heal.
Return to a low heat and gradually raise the temp to 39°C (102°F), stirring gently and continuously, during the period of 45 minutes. Don’t heat too fast. This slow process allows more whey to be expelled and avoids bitterness in the fully aged cheese.
Once the target temperature is reached, turn off the heat. Let the curds rest for 40 minutes maintaining the temperature at 39°C (102°F) .

Cheddaring, milling and pressing

Drain curds and whey through cheesecloth lined colander. Return the curd slab back to the pot for cheddaring, place pot back into the double boiler to keep the curd slab at 39°C (102°F).
Cut the slab in half and cover pot and allow curds to stand for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, turn each slab over. Let stand for another 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, turn each slab over. Let stand for another 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, turn each slab over. Let stand for another 15 minutes. That’s 45 minutes cheddaring time in total.
Drain the two slabs through cheesecloth lined colander, then place the slabs onto a chopping board.
Cut the curd into 5 by 1.25 cm (2 by ½ inch) fingers.
Using your pot as a container, break each finger in half and then toss the salt through the curds. This is called milling.
Line a 165 mm cheese mould with cheesecloth and fill with the curds. Cover the curds with the corner of the cheese cloth, top with a follower, and press at 11 kg (24 lbs) for 1 hour.
Remove the cheese from the press, and slowly and carefully unwrap it. Turn the cheese over, rewrap it in the cloth and press at 22 kg (50 lb) for 12 hours.

Air drying and waxing

Then place on a cheese mat and board and let air dry at room temperature until it is dry to touch (usually 2-5 days). Turn twice daily to allow for even drying.
Cloth band or wax the cheese and allow it to age for 3 months for mild, 6 months for medium, 12+ months for Vintage Cheddar. Ripen in a humid cheese fridge at 10-12ºC (50-54ºF) at 80-85% humidity. Don’t forget to turn weekly, to allow for even distribution of the fats and flavour.

The post How to Make Cheddar appeared first on Cheese Atlas.

Montgomery Cheddar & Chilli Hot Cross Buns

Cheese Atlas — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 04:28:45 +0000

Easter is all about hot cross buns right? If you’re as adventurous as we are, you will love this recipe for Montgomery Cheddar & Chilli Hot Cross Buns.

30 min prep | 30 min cook | 3 hrs total

About the recipe

Hot cross buns are all the rage around Easter. Take your buns to the next level with this amazing recipe from Delicious UK.

Traditional hot cross buns are made with fruit and eaten on Good Friday. But you’re all here for cheese right? So, we’ve snuck in a gorgeous clothbound Cheddar from the UK called Montgomery Cheddar.

Ingredients

275ml milk, warm (not hot)

7g fast-action dried yeast

2 tbsp caster sugar

325g strong white bread flour

300g plain flour, plus extra to dust

1 tsp fine salt

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

½-1 tsp hot chilli powder

¼ tsp sweet smoked paprika

¼ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp nigella seeds

3 medium free-range eggs (2 beaten together, plus 1 beaten separately for the glaze)

45g butter, softened

100g extra mature cheddar, finely crumbled

1-2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

For the cross topping

50g plain flour

50g icing sugar

¼ tsp sweet smoked paprika

2½ tbsp milk

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

1

Put the warm milk, yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, stir to dissolve the yeast and sugar, cover with a clean tea towel and set aside for 15 minutes for the yeast to activate (the mix will go a bit frothy).

2

Add the flours, salt, spices and the 2 beaten eggs to the yeast mixture, then bring together with a wooden spoon or mix on a low speed until the mixture begins to come together into a slightly sticky dough

3

If making by hand, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the butter, piece by piece, until combined. If making in a stand mixer, turn up to medium and add the butter in the same way. Either way, knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

4

Add the cheese and chillies, then knead until evenly incorporated. Lightly grease the bowl, return the dough to it, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.

5

Turn out the dough onto the work surface (see tips) and divide into 12 even pieces. Shape into buns and set 2cm apart on the prepared baking sheet so they have space to expand. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove (rise a second time once shaped) at room temperature for about 1 hour.

6

Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Put all the ingredients for the cross topping in a mixing bowl, whisk until smooth and thick, then scrape into the prepared piping bag.

7

Brush the buns with beaten egg and allow to dry. Pipe over the crosses, then brush with egg again. Put the buns in the oven, turn it down to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4 and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and cooked. Cool on a wire rack, then serve, fresh or toasted, with butter.

Montgomery Cheddar

Montgomery Cheddar is a clothbound hard cheese from North Cadbury in Somerset, England.

The flavour of this cheese actually varies remarkably depending on the day of the week that it is made on. The reason for this is because they change the starter culture that they use every day over the course of a week.

As such, this unique Cheddar’s flavour can range from meaty and brothy to sweet and fruity.

Recipe card

Montgomery Cheddar & Chilli Hot Cross Buns

Make the classic Easter tradition "Cheddar" with cheese

Course Snack

Cuisine English

Keyword Easter

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Resting time 2

Total Time 3

Servings 12 people

Calories 255kcal

Equipment

Baking sheet
Piping Bag
Electric mixer with dough hook

Ingredients

275 ml milk warmed, but not hot
7 g yeast dried
2 tbsp caster sugar
325 g white bread flour
300 g plain flour
1 tsp fine salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg freshly grated
1 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp paprika sweet smoked
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp nigella seeds
3 eggs 2 beaten together, plus 1 beaten separately for glaze
45 g butter
100 g Montgomery's Cheddar crumbled
2 red chillies deseeded and finely chopped

Cross Topping

50 g plain flour
50 g icing sugar
1/4 tsp paprika sweet smoked
2 1/2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

Put the warm milk, yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, stir to dissolve the yeast and sugar, cover with a clean tea towel and set aside for 15 minutes for the yeast to activate (the mix will go a bit frothy).
Add the flours, salt, spices and the 2 beaten eggs to the yeast mixture, then bring together with a wooden spoon or mix on a low speed until the mixture begins to come together into a slightly sticky dough.
If making by hand, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the butter, piece by piece, until combined. If making in a stand mixer, turn up to medium and add the butter in the same way. Either way, knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Add the cheese and chillies, then knead until evenly incorporated. Lightly grease the bowl, return the dough to it, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
Turn out the dough onto the work surface (see tips) and divide into 12 even pieces. Shape into buns and set 2cm apart on the prepared baking sheet so they have space to expand. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove (rise a second time once shaped) at room temperature for about 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Put all the ingredients for the cross topping in a mixing bowl, whisk until smooth and thick, then scrape into the prepared piping bag.
Brush the buns with beaten egg and allow to dry. Pipe over the crosses, then brush with egg again. Put the buns in the oven, turn it down to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4 and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and cooked. Cool on a wire rack, then serve, fresh or toasted, with butter.

The post Montgomery Cheddar & Chilli Hot Cross Buns appeared first on Cheese Atlas.

English Archives | Cheese Atlas

How to Make Cheddar

About the cheese

Ingredients

Equipment

Method

Adding ingredients

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Cutting the curd

1

2

3

4

Cheddaring, milling and pressing

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Air drying and waxing

1

2

Watch the entire recipe on video

Recipe card

How to Make Cheddar

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

Adding ingredients

Cutting the curd

Cheddaring, milling and pressing

Air drying and waxing

Montgomery Cheddar & Chilli Hot Cross Buns

About the recipe

Ingredients

For the cross topping

Method

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Montgomery Cheddar

Pitchfork Cheddar: A Jersey Milk Cheese

Montgomery Cheddar: Clothbound in Somerset

Bay of Fires Clothbound Cheddar

Pitchfork Cheddar: A Jersey Milk Cheese

Montgomery Cheddar: Clothbound in Somerset

Bay of Fires Clothbound Cheddar

Recipe card

Montgomery Cheddar & Chilli Hot Cross Buns

Equipment

Ingredients

Cross Topping

Instructions