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SWEET CURD BRICK CHEESE
	

Brick cheese is a semi-soft ripened cheese. Its texture and flavour is derived from 
the action of bacteria which grow on the surface of 
the cheese. It is usually formed in the shape of a loaf.

Procedure 

1. Pasteurize whole milk by heating at 62C for 30 min. Do not over pasteurize.
2. Cool milk to 30C and add 25 ml of low temperature (sometimes called mesophyllic
cheese starter and 2 ml of rennet per 10 kg of 
milk. (Note: a bacterial smear should develop spontaneously during ripening in the
 wet room (Step 12), however, you can increase the 
success rate and uniformity by adding a smear culture with the lactic culture. 
Suitable cultures are available from many culture 
suppliers)
3. When the milk gel breaks cleanly on a knife (about 25 minutes after adding rennet), 
cut the gel into 1/4" cubes.
4. Stir gently for 10 minutes.
5. Begin cooking. Slowly raise the temperature to 36C. This should take 20 minutes.
6. Remove most of the whey but leave enough to cover the curd.
7. Add water at 36C to wash the curd. Add the equivalent of half the weight of the 
milk and agitate gently for 20 minutes.
8. Drain most of the whey but leave enough to cover the curd.
9. Pour the curd and remaining wash water into the hoops.
10. Turn the cheese after the first 30 minutes and then every hour for 4 hours (5 turns in all).
11. Rub salt over the entire surface of the cheese.
12. Store cheese in a wet room (95% humidity) at 12-15C to develop a smear 
(bacterial growth on surface) for about 2 weeks. Turn 
the cheese every second or third day and wash with 4% brine. In the absence of a 
wet room you can put the cheese in a covered but not 
sealed container. The interior must remain moist and have some air exchange.
13. Wash cheese to remove smear, dry and vacuum package or coat with paraffin. 
Store at 5C for further ripening. Flavour should be 
optimum after about 4 weeks of ripening.

EUROPEAN STYLE COTTAGE CHEESE
European style cottage cheese has small curds and is often heavily creamed. 
The milk is coagulated by a lactic culture without rennet or 
other coagulating enzyme.

Procedure 
1. Skim as much cream as possible from fresh milk.
2. Pasteurize the skim milk at 62C for 30 minutes and the cream at 70C for 30 minutes.
3. Cool the skim milk to 32C.
4. Add a low temperature cheese starter at the rate of 5%, i.e. 0.5 kg starter for every
10 kg of milk. Let milk set for 4-6 hours until a 
soft gel is formed. When broken with a knive or a blunt object the curd should break 
cleanly and the broken portion should fill up with 
clear whey. Alternatively, 1% of culture may be used with a setting time of 12-18 hours. 
5. Stir gently and heat slowly to 52C. Hold at this temperature 
until curd is firm, about 30 minutes.
6. Drain most of the whey, replace it with cold water and agitate gently for 
15 minutes to leach the acid flavour from the curd. Washing 
may be omitted if you prefer an acid cheese.
7. Drain the remaining whey and wash water.
8. Add cream or cream dressing to the curd according to taste.
Note: It may be convenient to drain the curd in a cloth bag, in which case, 
it could be washed by soaking the whole bag in cold water for 15 minute





  

    

      

        
        
        
        
      
    
  
  

    
  
  

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