Kesong Puti (soft cheese)

[mikey]

How to Make Kesong Puti (Soft Cheese)
Posted by: Leo in Food Processing 1,723 Views
DTRI soft cheese or “kesong puti” is a fresh, unripened soft cheese prepared by concentrating the protein, fat, some vitamins and minerals of milk, usually through enzymatic milk coagulation and natural draining of the resulting curd.

On a per weight basis, soft cheese or DTRI “Kesong Puti” contains 5 times more protein and milk fat than fresh milk.

Ingredients:

2 liters fresh milk (carabo, cow or goat’s)
2 tbsp DTRI coagulant/rennet extract*
2-3 tbsp heaping table salt
*Rennet is an extract prepared from a mixture of abomasum, glacial acetic acid, and salt. DTRI coagulant and rennet are available at the Dairy Training Research Institute at UP Los Banos, Laguna.

Materials Needed:

kettle (casserole)
perforated plastic tray
cheesecloth (”katsa”)
basin
ladle
knife
cheese wrappers (wax paper or banana leaves)
kitchen thermometer (optional)
8 pieces cheese moulds (ex: open-end milk can)
Yield:

Carabao’s milk - about 6 blocks (approx. weight of 200 g each)
Cow’s or goat’s milk - about 4 blocks (approx. weight of 200 g each)
Procedure

Dissolve the table salt into the milk.
Filter the salted milk into a clean kettle.
Heat the milk to about 72° C for 1-2 minutes (at this temperature, vapor or steam is seem rising from the surface).
Immediately place the kettle of milk i a basin of cold or tap water and stir the milk until lukewarm (about 40 to 42° C).
Add the coagulant and stir for one minute. Cover and leave the milk undisturbed for 20-25 minutes. After this period, the milk should be coagulated (custard-like or has a texture similar to “taho”).
Cut the coagulated milk or coagulum across with the distance of one inch between cuts. Leave the cut coagulum undisturbed for 5-10 minutes.
Arrange cheese mould in a perforated plastic tray lined with cheesecloth. The tray should rest on a basin.
For carabao’s milk, scoop the cut coagulum (2-3 cm thick) into the cheese moulds.
For cow’s or goat’s milk, [a] stir the coagulum slowly for 10-15 minutes (avoid shattering the coagulum into fine pieces). Remove about a liter of the liquid (whey). [c] Pour or scoop the partly drained curd into the cheese moulds. The thickess of the coagulum  inside the mould should be about 2.5-3.0 inches.
Cover the moulds and drain the cheese for 3-5 hours at room temperature or 6-8 hours at refrigerated temperature.
After the draining period, lift the moulds leaving the cheese behind then wrap each cheese cake with waxed paper or banana leaves.
Tips:

Soft or white cheese will remain acceptable within 2 days at room temperature and 5-7 days when stored in a refrigerator.
Shelf-life of soft cheese or white cheese is longer if the amount of salt is doubled.
The flavor and texture of the cheese are enhanced or improved 24 hours after its manufacture.
If cheese becomes moldy within the predictedd shelf-life period, do not discard, wash the surface of the cheese with water and it will still be acceptable.
Prepared by: (Contact the same for more information)

Dairy Training and Research Institute
Collge of Agriculture - UPLB, Laguna
Tel: (049) 536-3744, 536-3454
Fax: (049) 536-2205

photo from pinoyfoodtalk.net

[mikey]

How to Make Cheese Spread from Carabao’s Milk (Filipino)
Posted by: Leo in Food Processing 1,142 Views
Mga Sangkap at Kagamitan

1 kilo curd o tirang kesong puti
1 kutsarita sodium citrate
1 kutsarita asin
1/2 tasa tubig o gatas
1 piraso red bell pepper (pimiento, hiniwa ng maliit)
kaserola

plastic cups
sandok na kahoy
spatula
Paraan ng Pagluluto

Durugin ang kurdo o kesong puti sa isang kaserola.
Ihalo ang sodium citrate.
Idagdag ang tubig o gatas at asin sa mixture.
Lutuin sa mahinang apoy hanggang malusaw at lumapot.
Idagdag ang pimiento.
I-pasteurize ang cheese spread sa 85° C sa loob ng 5 minuto.
Ilagay ang cheese spread sa mga malinis at tuyong plastic cups habang mainit pa. Takpan kaagad.
Ihanay ang mga cup ng pataob sa isang tray. Palamigin muna ng dalawang oras (air cool).
I-imbak sa refrigerator.
Para sa karagdagang kaalaman, makipag-ugnayan sa:

PCC Main
5/F DCIEC Bldg. NIA Complex
EDSA, Quezon City
Tel: 926-7707, 921-3863
Email: pcc-oed@mozcom.com

photo from christonium.com

[mikey]

How to Make Cheese from Goat or Carabao Milk
Posted by: Leo in Food Processing 2,241 Views
Materials:

5 liters goat/carabao milk
30 cc DTRI-IFS-6 (milk coagulant)
125 gms. salt
1 gm. nutmeg powder
Utensils used:

5-liter saucepan
Basin, thermometer, cheesecloth
Scoop or dipper, kitchen knife, ladle
Perforated plastic tray or any desired mold
Banana leaves or plastic sheets
Nylon cloth as strainer
Stove
Procedure:

Strain the milk through a nylon cloth, pour into a sauce pan. Add salt and stir well until completely dissolved. Then, heat it over a low flame to 75°C, stirring slowly. At this temperature, steam or vapor may be seen rising from the milk surface when the milk is about to simmer.
Immediately cool milk to 38°C by placing saucepan in a basin of cold or tap water. Add the milk coagulant, and stir the milk for one minute. Cover and leave the milk undisturbed for 30 to 40 minutes. With a kitchen knife, cut the coagulated milk or coagulum into one-inch cubes. Without disturbing the curd, remove the free whey by means of a scoop or dipper.
Gently stir the curd now and then to enhance separation of the whey, and continue to remove the free whey until it amounts to 2.5 liters. Mix one gram of nutmeg powder with the partially drained curd. Scoop the spiced curd into a perforated tray lined with c cheesecloth. Level curd thickness. Cover curd with cheesecloth and allow whey to drain for one hour.
Cut the knitted curd into pieces of desired size, and serve. The cheese may be wrapped in plastic streets or banana leaves and stored in the refrigerator overnight before serving. Jubilee cheese may be served on top of a lettuce leaf garnished with slices of tomato or peach.
One to 1.3 kilograms of Jubilee cheese can be produced from five liters of goat’s/carabao’s milk.
source: elgu2.ncc.gov.ph

[mikey]

Making Kesong Puti, Pastillas de Leche from Carabao’s Milk
Posted by: Leo in Food Processing 3,914 Views
1. Soft White Cheese or “Kesong Puti”

Materials:

Coagulant-rennet, either the commercial or the localy prepared rennet.
fresh carabao’s milk
table salt
casseroles
framed meshwire
tin coagulum scooper – about 12.7 to 15.24 cm length and width should be ¾ of the diameter of cheese moulds. Both end should have round corners and slightly bended in the scooping end.
cheese cloth for straining
cheese moulds or “hulmahan” made of tin can or plastic from motor oil containers. Height should not exceed 7.62 cm.
thermometer
aluminum ladle and waxpaper for stirring the milk and wrapping cheese.
Procedure:

1. Determine the weight or volume of milk. Predetermination of milk volume will enable one to estimate the amount of salt and rennet extract to be mixed Yield of cheese can also be determined.

2. Calculate the required amount of salt. Salt requirement is 2 to 3% of the weight of the milk or 2 table spoonful of salt per liter of milk.

3. Add and dissolve the salt in milk.

4. With cheese cloth, strain the salted cheese milk to remove all extraneous matter.

5. Pasteurize the milk in a double boiler at 72°C for 5 minutes. If thermometer is not available, observe the formation of a thin film on the surface of milk and cover. It this film is observed, stir the milk and cover.

Reduce the fire and after 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the volume, remove the milk from the stove. Hold the milk without stirring for 10 minutes. After holding this, transfer the casserole to a holder with cold or iced water to hasten the cooling of milk. If the milk is to be processed right away, cooling should be stopped when temperature is between 40 to 45°C. If to be processed the following day, the milk must be cooled to a temperature not higher than 15°C. Avoid overheating.

6. Add coagulant (rennet extract). When commercial rennet is used, the amount needed should be three to four times more than the recommended amount. When the locally prepared rennet extract is used, add about 3 to 4 teaspoonful of the prepared rennet per liter of salted milk. The correct amount of rennet has been attained if milk coagulates 15 to 25 minutes after adding the extract.

The temperature of milk should be about 38°C at the time of adding the rennet. After adding the rennet, the milk should be stirred slowly for 2 minutes. The milk should then be covered and left in a clean place to form coagulum.

7. Prepare the cheese moulder by sterilization. Set-up the materials such as moulders, cheese cloth, framed mesh wire and the whey catcher.

8. Scoop the coagulum in thin slides of not more than 1 cm. This facilitates efficient draining and contributes to the firmness of the texture of soft cheese.

9. Allow the cheese to drain whey for 6 hours. After draining time, the cheese must have shrunk ¾ to ½ of its original size.

Failure to attain the degree of shrinkage, is possibly caused by the following:

a. The milk is contaminated by coliform bacteria after pasturization which grew in the process.
b. Rennet used is not enough.
c. Renneting temperature is below 35°C
d. The cheese cloth must have been very thick.
e. Slices is thicker than one centimeter.
f. The milk may contain adulterants than added water.
g. Combination of the above.
10. After draining, wrap the cheese with the waxpaper. Handlers of cheese must thoroughly wash hands with soap and water.

All materials used in the process should be properly washed and sterilized. Casseroles should be scrubbed thoroughly and rinsed with half-liter of water to one table spoonful of chlorox.

2. Pastillas de Leche

Materials:

fresh carabo’s milk
sugar
pan and ladle
cup
bondpaper or Japanese paper
heated corn starch or flour
Procedure:

Heat the pan and pour one liter of fresh carabo’s milk.
Add 1-1/2 cup of sugar
Bring the milk to a boil and stir till it thickens
Then roll on a clean, dry board sprinkled with heater corn starch or flour and cut into the desired size.
Wrap the pastillas in bond paper or Japanese paper.
Table of Contents

Introduction, The Breeds
Reproductive Physiology, Nutrient Requirements
Care and Management
Training, Fattening, Ranch Management
Pasture and Herd Health Management
Common Infectious Diseases
Marketing and Financing
Processing and Utilization
Carabeef Popular Recipes
Kesong Puti, Pastillas de Leche
Skin Preservation, Parts of Body
For more information, contact:

Livestock Division
Department of Agriculture
Regional Field Unit No. VII
M. Velez St., Cebu City

The publication of this guide was made possible through the Livestock Division of DA-RFU-VII. May this serve our clientele at its best. - Eduardo B. Lecciones, Jr., Regional Executive Director

[mikey]

Make Your Own Cheese

By Rona Sullivan 


I think you can utilize these ideas and principles whether you are making cheese for your family, or striving for a commercial operation.

Start simple
Even when you start with the easiest, most basic recipes, it's important to keep your standards high. Practice consistency in taste and texture, making the best cheese you can, before moving on to more complex cheeses. Some cheesemakers spend all their time on taste and forget, or don't realize, the importance of texture. For me, raw milk cheese texture is consistently smoother, but whether you're using raw milk or pasteurized, be very gentle with the milk and curd. Gentle handling is an important component to good texture.

Presentation
Don't forget appearance. It may be the last step, but it is as important as your consistency in taste and texture. Whether it's on your dinner table or in its package at the farmers market, a "pleasing appearance" makes tasting your cheese a more "pleasing experience." Attractive cheese also sells better.

Natural garnishes are often easily acquired, and sometimes they are even free from your own kitchen garden, or your neighbor's. We don't use any chemicals on the garden here, so we don't have to worry about using our own edible herbs and flowers.

They do need to be washed, and if you are planning to make commercial goat cheese, you will have to check with the Department of Agriculture in your state for any additional requirements. They may require you to use standardized herbs. I have chosen to use only standardized herbs in and on my cheese. I do use my own clean garnishes to decorate around my cheese samples, on the outside of packages, or creatively arranged in a vase or on the farmers market table.

What's in a name?
Name your own cheese. Set yourself apart, and above. Why copy European cheese recipes exactly, and re-use the names given them according to their origin? Some of those names are being reclaimed anyway; like Greek Feta.

Do some research on your family or the area in which you live, or the place where you were born. Besides the fact that it's a pleasurable pastime, you should be willing to go the extra mile if you're serious about commercial artisanal cheesemaking. Your knowledge will be obvious and will garner immediate respect from foodies, cheesemongers, customers, and cheesemakers "in the know." It also makes your older relatives feel valued and cherished. Is there some special family legacy that you can help perpetuate? How about a heritage food practice that you can help revive, or maybe even save from oblivion. Do you know, or could you find the place where some of your earliest ancestors entered and settled in America? Maybe your relatives remember something you could highlight about your family's country or countries of origin relating to the use of milk, or making of cheese.

Many American artisanal cheesemaker's have taken an "old world" idea, and placed their own creative, original twist and name on their cheese. Please respect our names, and don't adopt them either! (My Bonnyclabber is one example, as it was not originally a cheese name, but a term for clabbered milk in the Blue Ridge Mountains where I was born. Besides using the name "Bonnyclabber Cheese Company," I am working on "Bonnyclabber" as a registered trademark.) Americans are smart enough to know whether they like, and recognize your cheese, without your naming them for say, Cheddar, England, or Roquefort, France!

Thrift stores, yard sales, library sales, and family members are good places to look for books with old cheese recipes. I like the old church, school, or neighborhood recipe books. Even one recipe per book related to your family of origin, or the area in which you live is a treasure!

Cheese that pleases...you
When I think of making cheeses that would please everyone, I can't help but admonish you with Ricky Nelson's "Garden Party" lyrics. "You see, you can't please everyone, so ya' got to please yourself." Go ahead and concentrate on making cheese that pleases you. Besides, you may be the only person there during the "make" process! Cheesemaking can be boring and labor intensive with long hours on your feet. It's even more so if you are doing farmstead cheese, or working with large quantities of milk or curd. So make cheese that you like, and find out what would keep you engaged and interested.

That doesn't mean that you shouldn't expand your own cheese palate. Many of us Americans are too accustomed to bland, standardized cheeses. Don't be afraid to go around to cheese shops and taste samples of goat cheeses made from raw and pasteurized milks, from mild to strong, soft to hard, and American as well as imported. Try to take any available tasting opportunities that will include pairings with wine, fruit, good breads, chocolate, etc. What accompanies a cheese can vary your taste experience greatly. There are some very inexpensive short courses that might even be available in your area.

Some basic recipes
Please remember to check with your Department of Agriculture if you are planning to use any version of these recipes commercially. If you use raw milk, most likely you will have to age the cheeses for at least 60 days. Some states will not allow you to sell cheese in olive oil, especially if you use herbs from your garden, because of the Listeria or botulinum contamination possibilities. Most of these recipes are for family use as fresh cheese just to give you a feel for cheesemaking if you're a newbie, or something to tweak if you're experienced.

Make your own yogurt

This works with fresh, raw milk, or store bought milk.

You'll need a large casserole dish or stainless pot, milk, and some yogurt to use as your starter. (Note: Make sure the yogurt you use has live culture.)

The ratio of yogurt to milk is roughly 1:5 (1 part yogurt: 5 parts milk). Pour the milk into a large bowl. Add yogurt and mix very well. Then pour gently into a large casserole dish placed in a pan of water, or directly into a stainless pot that will fit inside your oven. Bring the milk and yogurt mix to a temperature just under that which you could not comfortably touch. That should not be above 110ºF. Too hot and you will destroy the live cultures that are going to form your curd. Take it off the heat, wrap in a large towel, and place in a cold oven overnight, or for eight hours undisturbed. That works year-round unless your home is too cool in winter. If so, put the towel-wrapped casserole dish in a large cooler with a closed lid. Otherwise, it could be placed near a not-too-hot woodstove for the night, or some warm place where it will be undisturbed. I find that on top of a refrigerator is also a good place, as refrigerators do put off a little heat. The "undisturbed" part of the equation is very important. Antsy people like myself have to learn the hard way, after ruining batches by checking too often before the eight hours are up!

If the yogurt is not thick enough to please you, you don't have to add gelatin or powdered milk, but could try leaving the mix undisturbed a few more hours. Or, you could try draining it in a close-weave cloth placed in a colander (cheesecloth weave is too loose for a weak yogurt), until it's got the texture you like.

There is a choice of acid starters: strained fresh lemon or lime juice, a citric acid solution, white vinegar, yogurt, cultured buttermilk, or a naturally soured whey from a previous batch. The whey dripping from a batch of hung yogurt cheese makes an excellent starter. Each type of reagent gives a different body, texture, and flavor nuance to the fresh curd.

Temperatures and handling vary from person to person, so use these recipes only as a guide. If you experiment enough, you will find your own comfort level. Write your changes into the recipe if that helps you remember. Over time, if you have made one or more alterations, you can re-name the recipe as your own!

Acid-Coagulated Soft Cheese

(This is another non-rennet method.)

This soft cheese can be made with vinegar, or lime or lemon juice. I just don't prefer the texture and the unpredictable results with cheese made this way. I find it to be grainy, but just try it for yourself to determine what you think.

1 gallon of fresh strained goat milk
1/4 cup vinegar, or lime or lemon juice.

With frequent stirring, heat milk to a boil, which should be about 230ºF. Add vinegar, lime or lemon juice, and stir briefly. Wait 10 minutes and strain through a cheesecloth-lined colander, or hang to drip making sure you save the protein-rich whey. (In a later series, I will give you some of my favorite recipes for using the whey. Freeze the whey in clean, empty yogurt containers or small zip-lock bags for later use. In the meantime, you can search the Internet to find some recipes using whey.)

Yogurt cheese ideas from the Middle East and Greece

Use yogurt that you have made, or plain yogurt from the grocery store, drain it in cheesecloth or a coffee filter, and then try the following:

Lebna (Yogurt Cheese)

4 cups goat yogurt
2-1/2 teaspoons salt

Mix salt and yogurt.

Place in a porous, clean dishtowel or cheesecloth.

Pull up ends and tie.

Hang over a bowl overnight or 24 hours.

Store in cloth or paper in the refrigerator.

Use plain on toast for breakfast, with fruit or honey, or add various spices and use as a spread.

Labnah Makhbus (Yogurt Cheese Balls in Olive Oil)

Use the preceding Lebna recipe. If you want to spice it up, mix Lebna with the herbs or spices of your choice; such as parsley, oregano, black pepper, hot pepper, paprika, garlic, etc. Form labnah into small balls-smaller than golf balls. Labnah can be rolled in spices, as well. Store covered in olive oil in glass jars and use as spreads or in dips.

Note: All versions of spelling lebna are correct.

Quick and Easy Buttermilk Cheese

Yield: Approximately 2 cups

2 quarts of buttermilk

(You can buy it from the store, or better yet, use your own if you have buttermilk left after making butter.)

Put the 2 quarts of buttermilk in a large covered ovenproof casserole. Place in a preheated 305ºF oven for 15 to 20 minutes. It will separate into curds and whey.

Pour the warm liquid into a cheesecloth-lined colander. Tie ends of cheesecloth and let drain for several hours over the faucet of the sink with a bowl underneath to catch the whey. Or, put a colander on top of a tall bowl or pot, with a plate or bowl on top of the knot-tied cheese.

Save the whey, which can be used to replace sour milk, buttermilk, and sometimes water or milk in baking. For a firmer cheese, squeeze out most of the liquid.

Wrap well in cloth and refrigerate, keeping in mind that the fridge will dry this cheese a little every day. You can use that to control the texture that you want.

This cheese can be used for blintzes, in any recipe calling for cottage cheese, or spread it on a bagel for a lower fat alternative to cream cheese.

Goat Milk Hard Cheese

Heat sweet, whole goat milk in a pan to 86-88ºF.

Add 10% by volume, otherwise one part to 10 parts, of yogurt or buttermilk with live cultures. Make sure the yogurt or buttermilk ingredients list active or live cultures which will act as the "starter." Stir for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add rennet at the rate of 25 drops to each gallon of milk, by first diluting the rennet in 1/2 cup of clean tap water, or distilled water.

Stir the mixture into the 86-88ºF milk, and then allow the curd to set for about 30 minutes.

Curd is ready when it breaks clean over a finger inserted into the curd at an angle and lifted slowly.

Cut curd into 1-inch vertical squares. The curd is then cut into cubes by cutting horizontally with a stiff bent wire or long knife. Curd particles should be uniformly cube-shaped to allow for even heating.

Slowly raise the curd temperature to 98-100ºF in about an hour. Stir the curd gently and slowly with a spatula to keep the curd from breaking. During the entire heating period, stir the curd frequently enough to maintain an even temperature and to prevent scorching.

When the curd is firm enough, it has a tendency to stick together. At this time, pour the curd into a muslin cloth or bag and form it into a ball. Allow the ball to hang until all free whey has dripped away-about two to three hours. After draining, remove the cloth from the curd ball, and place the ball on a cheesecloth folded over three or four times.

Fold a long cloth, about the size of a dish-towel, into a bandage about three inches wide and wrap it tightly around the ball of curd. Pin the band in place. Work the top of the ball with your hands until it is perfectly smooth with no cracks.

Lay a piece of wet cloth over the top of the cheese; place a flat plate over the cloth and weight the plate with a flat iron or a brick. If the weight falls to one side, the cheese will be uneven. To avoid this, make a simple cheese press by sandwiching the cheese between two pieces of clean board or metal pans. The round wheels of cheese should not be more than six inches in diameter. Otherwise there will be a tendency for the cheese to dry too quickly. At night turn the cheese over and replace the weight. Allow the cheese to press until the morning.

Remove cloths from the cheese and place in a cool place, turning twice daily for three days or until a rind forms.

Rub a tablespoon of salt on the rind once a day for two days. After salting, rub the cheese with a small amount of olive oil for two days, or daily until the rind is very firm. After this, it should be necessary to rub the cheese only about twice a week to prevent drying and restrict mold growth. The cheese should be ready to eat in about eight weeks.