Camembert and Roquefort

Camembert is relatively easy to make. Said after ten years experience and a fair share of mistakes and failures. But after a while you get into a groove and it becomes second nature. The important thing is to keep trying and take notes on each cheese. Each cheese we make has a Cheese Making Note that stays on the Cheese refrigerator until the cheese is consumed. Any special useful changes are added to the cheese making book as margin notes e.g. length of brining on small Camembert rounds. We use the Cheeselinks book for most of our cheeses and both the Normandy Camembert and Brie recipes make excellent small rounds.

Roquefort is a different matter. Having found real Roquefort in a small supermarket in nearby Gloucester NSW it became an imperative to attempt to replicate the texture and flavour. The initial challenge was not having Sheep's milk. Raw cow's milk was the only option. The research indicated that a higher fat level was required and this was achieved by adding back cream skimmed from a larger quantity of milk. All the other processes such as starters, timings for each stage, salting and aging were accumulated from various cheese books and then the experimenting started.

The end result is a very creamy, bluey cheese which is nothing like Roquefort in texture and flavour. However what has resulted is a great blue which has now become a staple. The experimentation will continue but without Sheep's milk we can only dream.

Camembert in its Humidifier

Roquefort in Cheese Wrap stored on edge to allow maximum airflow through holes
 

Partially Aged Roqufort

Roquefort Recipe

% Moisture 42.44 % Fat 29 % Protein 20 % Salt 4.1

Temperature 30 C pH 6.5

Cheeselinks Cultures B&C i.e. Lactococcus Lactis, Lactococcus Cremoris, Leuconostoc, Streptococcus Thermopilus, Lactobacillus Delbreukii Bulgaricus

Rennet 5 ml/20 L

Set for 2-2 1/2 hours
Curd cut 1-3 cm
Stir 2-5 times over 40-60 mins
Drain to Curd depth and fill hoops
No Pressing
Drain 2-3 days turning regularly
Dry Salt 4.1% of Curd weight
Ripen at 8- 10 C for 18-25 days
Pierce holes
Wrap
Stack on sides
5-10 months at 1 C (or 8-10 C for quicker ripening)


Cheese Refrigerator - Bottom Shelves: Haloumi and Fetta, Middle Shelves: Camembert and Roquefort in Humidifiers, Top Shelf: Cheddars and  Havarti, Door: Parmesans.