How to Make Baby Gouda Cheese
| Gouda belongs to a category of washed curd cheeses that
also includes Edam and Havarti. The names are derived from the locations
where they were sold. Gouda and Edam are named after towns in the
Netherlands and Havarti is named after the Danish farm where it was developed. |
| ATTENTION:
This recipe assumes that you have experience making and aging hard cheeses.
Two new techniques are introduced with Gouda. These are ‘washing’
and ‘brining’. |
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| The term “washed curd” refers to a specific part of the
cheese making process. The washing process involves adding hot water
to the curds after cutting, and removing part of the whey. Using
hot water encourages more whey to be released and also washes away some
of the lactic acid, creating a “sweeter” cheese. |
Washed curd cheeses are typically mild in flavor, stable and
slow to age compared to many other cheeses. They are semi-firm in
texture and may develop small eyes. They also generally have good melting
properties.
The difference between Gouda and Edam is the amount of milk fat.
Gouda is made with whole milk, resulting in a finished cheese with 48%
milk fat. Edam is made using part-skimmed milk, which results in
40% milk fat.
| Although larger sized Gouda and Edam can improve from
aging over many months under specific storage conditions, the miniature
versions, or Baby Gouda sizes, are meant to be eaten young. The cheese
can still benefit from aging two to six months. |
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Baby Gouda Recipe (Yields
2 - 8 oz. wheels of Baby Gouda)
1 gallon Whole Milk
1/8 teaspoon Mesophilic-M culture
½ teaspoon of 30% solution
Calcium Chloride with 2 Tablespoons of distilled water
¼ tablet Rennet dissolved
in 4 Tablespoons of distilled water
You will want to have a separate pot of water on the stove
heating to 175°F. This water will be used to add to the curds
later.
In a 6 quart or larger pot, gently heat milk to 90°F.
Remove from heat. Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon Mesophilic M starter culture
over the milk surface and let it stand to rehydrate for 2 or 3 minutes.
Then, gently and thoroughly stir the culture into the milk. |
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Add the prepared calcium chloride and stir it into the milk.
Note the time and add the prepared rennet by mixing it
into the milk with an up and down motion for about 1 minute. Using
an up and down motion will result in the milk being still after you’ve
stopped mixing and will facilitate curd formation.
To check the progress of the milk after adding the rennet,
float a light weight food storage container (such as a margarine tub) on
top of the milk. By gently pushing the container you will see that
it easily glides across the surface. Once the milk begins to ‘set’
marking the onset of flocculation, the container will remain stationary
on the surface as if it is stuck to the milk. Use the flocculation time
(minutes since adding the rennet) to determine when to cut your curd by
multiplying this number by a factor of 3 (3 is used for most semi-hard
pressed cheeses). For example: If it took 5 minutes for the onset
of flocculation, then the curd will be ready to cut 15 minutes (3 x 5)
from the time the rennet was added.
After the ‘set’ time has elapsed, check the curd for a
clean break. You can do this by inserting a small knife into the
curd at an angle and gently lifting up. There should be a gap between
the knife and the curds with some whey starting to pool in the gap.
If the curd does not make a clean break and is still soft like yogurt,
allow the pot to set longer until the curd is ready to cut.
| When the curd makes a clean break, it is ready to
cut. Use a long knife that can reach the bottom of your pot to make
cuts ½” apart from one side of the pot to the other. Rotate
the pot 90 degrees and make cuts ½” apart perpendicular to the other
cuts. Holding your knife at an angle; cut the grid of curds into
½” cubes as best as you can. It’s okay that they are not be
perfect. |
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Let the curds rest for 5 minutes.
Gently stir the curds for 5 minutes, cutting any large
ones into ½” cubes while doing so. Let the curds rest and
settle for 10 minutes. If the curds don’t settle after 10 minutes,
stir another 5 minutes and allow them to settle to the bottom.
Stir in one cup of 175°F water (from the pot of water
you have heating for this purpose) in order to quickly raise the curd temperature.
Stir gently for 10 minutes. Your curd temperature should now be 93-94°F.
Let curds settle for 10 minutes.
Adjust the temperature of your pot of water so that it’s
150-170°F, adding some cold water if it’s too hot.
Pour off 3½ - 4 cups of the whey by carefully tipping
the pot. You may need a free hand or lid to hold back the curds.
The whey can either be discarded, or you can collect it into a separate
container and use it to make ricotta cheese later. Replace the volume
of whey drained off with an equal volume of hot water (150-170°F),
stirring it in gently. You may need to adjust the temperature of
the water you add so that the final temperature in the cheese pot is 100°F.
Keep the curds at 100°F for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
This can be done by placing the pot in a sink of water kept no higher than
110°F.
| Meanwhile, prepare your cheesecloth for use in pressing
the cheese by cutting two 9” squares and sterilizing them in boiling water
for 1 minute. Remove from the boiling water using tongs and run under
cold water to cool them off enough for you to handle. Squeeze the
water from the cloths and line the clean baby Gouda molds with them.
Set aside for later. |
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Now test the curds to see if they will mat or stick together.
Take a handful of curds and gently squeeze them together. If they
stick together but are easily separated with your fingers, then they are
ready to drain and press. If they do not mat, let them stay in the
whey 5 minutes longer and recheck.
Pour the curds into a large strainer or colander and let
drain for 5 minutes. If possible, place the strainer inside another
pot or cover the curds in order to maintain the curd’s temperature.
The curds will press better if slightly warm.
Divide the curds between the two lined baby Gouda molds,
fold the cheesecloth over the curds and place the follower on top.
Place a thin 1 lb. weight on top of each of the followers
and press for 15 minutes. Four rolls of pennies are about the right
weight. Be careful to keep the press and follower level. This
will assure that the traditional Gouda shape will be formed.
After 15 minutes remove the weights, follower and carefully
lift the cheese out of the mold by the cheesecloth. Unwrap the turn
the cheese over and redress with cheesecloth. Place it back into
the mold and replace the follower on top.
This time, place a thin 2-3 lb. weight on top of each
of the followers and press for 15 minutes. Repeat the turning, redressing
and pressing of the cheese using 2–3 lbs. of pressure until the rind is
fairly smooth without gaps between curds. When the rind is smooth,
leave the wrapped cheeses in the presses with weights on them overnight
or up to 16 hours.
Brining
Prepare heavy brine for the cheese by combining ½
gallon water with 1 lb. cheese salt and bringing to a boil. Stir
until salt is dissolved and remove from heat. |
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Stir in 1½ teaspoons of calcium chloride solution and
1 teaspoon of white vinegar. This will keep the rind from becoming
gummy and bring the pH of the brine close to the pH of the cheese.
Let the brine cool to room temperature before using. The temperature
of the brine should be the same as the cheese.
After cheeses are pressed, remove cheesecloth and place
the wheels in the brine solution at room temperature for 2 hours.
You will need to lightly salt the exposed tops of the cheeses as they will
float in the brine.
Remove from the brine and air dry on a bamboo mat or other
suitable draining surface until the cheese is dry to the touch but hasn’t
dried so much as to form cracks. This could take up to 1 day depending
on humidity. |
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Waxing
Place red cheese wax into a disposable plastic or foil
container (a disposable 6 or 8 cup plastic storage container w/lid works
well). Place the container into a larger pan of water and bring the
water to a simmer. When the wax is melted, turn the heat down.
Place a sheet of wax or parchment paper next to your stove in order to
have a nonstick surface to set the waxed cheese down. |
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Hold onto one side of the cheese and dip the other half into
the melted wax for 2 seconds. Leaving the cheese in the hot wax for
too long will cause the surface of the cheese to soften. Lift the
cheese and allow the wax to harden. This only takes seconds.
Lay the first cheese down on your wax paper and repeat the dipping with
the other cheese wheel.
Now the first wheel is ready for you to dip the other half into wax.
Hold the waxed edge and dip the bare half. Allow to cool and then
place on the wax paper. Repeat this step with the second wheel.
| Depending on the temperature of your wax, it may go on
thick or thin and you’ll have to adjust the temperature in order to get
a smooth, even coating. Inspect the wheels for bubbles of blisters
in the wax. Use a natural boar bristle brush to touch up any holes
you may have in the wax coating. Place the finished wheels on the
wax paper and allow the wax to completely cool. |
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Aging
Age the waxed cheese for up to six months at 50-55°F.
If you don’t have a separate refrigerator that you can dedicate to aging
at this temperature, place the waxed cheese in the warmest section of your
refrigerator which is usually inside of the door near the top. You
may need to age longer if kept at a cooler temperature. |
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Reed
mats are excellent for air drying your cheeses, particularly the soft mold
ripened cheeses. Used for camembert and coulommiers cheeses in the
turning and draining process.
This
is an efficient tool for coating cheese. This 1" brush is made with boar
bristles, which will stand up to the high temperatures of melted wax.