Does not melt
Can be grated
No maturing needed
6.8 l Whole milk
150 ml Double cream ( or 300 ml single ) - omit for a lower fat version
1 Sachet of Mad Millie’s Mesophilic culture (Lactococcus lactis and cremoris)
( or two to four ice cubes of mother culture )
5 ml Rennet in 30 ml cooled boiled water
5 ml CaCl2 in 30 ml cooled boiled water - omit for raw milk
20 g Salt (iodine free)
1) Heat to 32C
2) Add CaCl2 to the milk + cream - omit for raw milk
3) Add Mesophilic culture - stir - 60 secs
4) Add rennet - stir - 60 secs
5) Wait 60 minutes - until there's a clean break
6) Cut the curds - 0.5 cm chunks approx
7) Over 25 minutes heat to 35 C and stir gently
8) At 35 C stop stiring and Wait until the 25 minutes is up - the curds should sink.
9) Strain through a cheese cloth for an hour or until the whey dripping is very slow.
10) Keep the whey for use in other recipes. It can be used for ricotta if used straight away.
11) Add iodene free salt to the curds and stir it in.
12) Press in a cheese cloth in mould at a low pressure for an hour or until the whey run-off slows right down.
13) Invert the wheel and press again for 8 to 12 hours this time without the cheese cloth.
14) Increase the pressure in stages to drive off most of the whey.
15) At room temperature, dry the wheel using kitchen towell sheets to wick away moisture. Use mats to prevent sticking to the paper.
16) Replace the paper towell and invert the wheel whenever the paper sheets are soaked.
17) Repeat for up to a week until the towell sheets stay nearly dry.
18) The texture improves greatly during this drying phase.
19) Eat or keep for up to two weeks in closed box in the fridge. Optionally vacuum pack portions.