# just made my first batch of brie!



## Jersey/guernsey (Nov 12, 2012)

I'm super excited. 
This is my first try at a mold ripened cheese, though I've been making soft/fresh cheese for some time.
Today is day eight for the cheese, and they are ready to move to my "ageing room". SO happy with how they have turned out so far, the penicillum Candidum has covered beautifully :bouncy: 
Now I just have to wait three/six weeks for my little white babies to be ready to eat :hohum:


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Beautiful.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Brie is my favourite cheese! And yours look really yummy. Please update us when you cut into one.


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## Jersey/guernsey (Nov 12, 2012)

Thanks! I'm really proud if this cheese  and will absolutely be doing an update when I cut into one.
Just wish the Internet did smells, because the aroma is amazing!


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Wow! Those look awesome! Good for you!


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## Jersey/guernsey (Nov 12, 2012)

There is just one problem with aged cheese making as a hobby... I can't stand waiting, really don't know new all you hard cheese makers out there do it, 12+ months for Parmesan


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## Jersey/guernsey (Nov 12, 2012)

OK, as promised... Ripening took longer then I'd hoped, but the results are so worth waiting for  absolutely fabulous!! I love brie and can hardly ever find a good one, ( and this one is good,) so often the brie I buy has no flavor  

I think next time I'll try ageing at a lower temp or use a smaller mold so the cheese ripens a little more evenly. Other then that I wouldn't change a thing.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Oh, that looks so yummy. I also love Brie but refuse to pay $12.00+ per pound for it, and the cheaper stuff doesn't have much flavour. Enjoy a slice for me!


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

Your Brie looks so professional and absolutely perfect! What an amazing job you did!


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## Jersey/guernsey (Nov 12, 2012)

Belfrybat said:


> Oh, that looks so yummy. I also love Brie but refuse to pay $12.00+ per pound for it, and the cheaper stuff doesn't have much flavour. Enjoy a slice for me!


 I know right.. The price for good cheese is really high! The way I'm feeling right now I wish everyone in the wold could enjoy some with me  





romysbaskets said:


> Your Brie looks so professional and absolutely perfect! What an amazing job you did!


Thank you! Its not bad looking if I do say so! especially since I didn't buy anything to make it but the mold/culture.


If anyone wanted to try making brie, don't let words like "mold ripened" scare you off like it did me for years. 

It was much easier then I'd always thought, and even if you had to buy milk for making it still very economical.

I made a two gallon batch and ended up with 3 and a 1/4lbs of cheese! 

What a good way to use all the milk that we're getting from our Dandy. The pretty girl I have as my avatar, she lost a set of twins in December at six months and still came into milk really well! so I'm having to milk #2 every day :grin:


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Can I make it with store bought pasteurized/ homogenized milk? 

Aldis usually has whole milk for $1.69 a gallon -- that would be super cheap. 

OK -- if I can use store bought milk, how about sharing your recipe?


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## 1989toddm (Apr 14, 2014)

I too would like the recipe


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## Jersey/guernsey (Nov 12, 2012)

Yes, you can use pasteurized milk, just not ultra pasteurized.

Though you may not get quite as much cheese as I got from my milk, our cows have really high protein/fat milk (great for cheese). 

This is the recipe I used, I love her videos she shows every step really clearly and explains things so well! 

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU-6eHMDk28[/ame]

I did use a different culture, but I used the same amount she called for in her recipe.

http://www.cheesemaking.com/shop/mesophilic-mm100-culture-large-pack.html

you can buy the Mesophilic Type II in a smaller package but I got the bigger package of MM100 because I really want to learn to make Havarti :grin:

Here is the mold powder I got,

http://www.cheesemaking.com/shop/penicillium-candidum-white-mold-powder-1-pack.html 

Just the Penicillium Candidum since she said that the Geotrichum Candidum was optional and it is expensive!

Rennet,

https://www.cheesemaking.com/liquidanimalrennet.html

I used pickling salt because that is something I already had, and I didn't add the Calcium Chloride as I'm using raw milk.

From what I've read online if you're using pasteurized milk you'll have to use the Calcium Chloride or the milk won't set.

I have a stainless steel blanching pot and the colander from that made a nice mold, and gave me a very pretty 8'' brie

Other then that I just followed the video!

Oh, also I don't have a cheese cave but in the winter our pantry is just about 52f and that worked great


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Thank you. I have the calcium chloride and will look at your links for the other ingredients. 

What did you wrap your cheese in? I noticed yours had a bit of a cross hatch pattern.


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## lgrandmaitre (Feb 21, 2016)

thank you so much!!!


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## Jersey/guernsey (Nov 12, 2012)

lgrandmaitre said:


> thank you so much!!!


You're very welcome 

Belfrybat,
I wrapped mine in wax paper and that seems to have worked fine. The pattern on the cheese is from where it rested on the bamboo mat while draining/ripening.


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