Alpine-style Tomme

⇐ Cheese, preserves and fermented & pickled products

Ingredients

2l whole cow's milk

1/16 tsp Meso II powdered mesophilic starter¹

1/16 tsp Thermo C powdered thermophilic starter¹

⅛ tsp calcium chloride diluted in 15ml cool non-chlorinated water

⅛ tsp liquid rennet diluted in 15ml cool non-chlorinated water

1 Tbsp salt, plus extra for brining

¹In latest batch I used CHN-22 and LH-B02 respectively

Method

1. prepare equipment. Sterilise pans and equipment. Make a water bath by getting a large pot half filled with water, and put a smaller pot - but still large enough for the milk - in it.
2. bring milk to temperature. Pour the milk in the empty smaller pan and slowly raise the temperature of the milk to 21℃ over a period of 10 minutes or so.
3. add starters and ferment. Sprinkle the starter cultures onto the surface of the milk and allow to rehydrate for 5 minutes. Then mix well. Over low heat, raise the temperature to 32℃. I usually switch off heat when the milk reaches 30℃-31℃ and allow the residual heat of the water bath to raise the milk to temperature. Add the calcium chloride and gently mix. Add the rennet and gently mix. Cover and maintain temperature of 32℃ and let milk ripen for 45 minutes, or until the curds give a clean break.
4. cut curds and cook. Maintaining temperature of 32℃ cut the curds to the size of small peas. Let the curds rest for 10 minutes. if there are any large curds, cut them up. Slowly raise the temperature - 1℃ per 4 minutes - stirring continuously until it reaches 35℃. Continue to stir, raising the the temperature a little faster - 1℃ per 2 minutes - until 38℃. Let the curds rest for 5 minutes.
5. drain. Strain through a strainer lined with damp muslin. Let it drain for 10 minutes or until it stops dripping.
6. mould. Use a 4"/10cm tomme mould with follower. Put the sack of drained curds in the mould, fold the edges of the muslin over the curds and press
   1. 15 minutes at 1.1kg, then redress by unwrapping, flipping and rewrapping and returning to mould
   2. 15 minutes at 2.2kg, then redress,
   3. 3 hours at 2.2kg, redressing every 30 minutes.
7. brining. Remove cheese from mould and allow to air dry for 8 hours or overnight. Salt the cheese by either rubbing 1 Tbsp of salt over surface or by soaking in a near-saturated brine (22%) for 8 hours. Pat dry and refrigerate for 5 days, flipping the cheese daily, covered loosely by a damp cloth.
8. aging mould management. Age at 10℃ and 80-85% humidity for 2 to 4 months - or less if temerpature is higher. Brush the cheese regularly (5-7 days) with a dedicated nailbrush.

Step and time summary

Step no.	Step	Time in minutes	Cumulative time, hours
1	prep	30	½
2	milk to temp	10	¾
3	hydrate culture & ripen & rennet	5 + 15 + 45 = 65	2
4	cut, rest and cook	10 + 20 + 10 + 5 = 45	2 ¾
5	drain	10	3
6.1	1.1kg press	15	3 ¼
6.2	2.2kg press	15	3 ½
6.3	2.2kg presses	30*6 =180	6 ½
7.1	brining	up to 8 hrs
7.2	refridgeration	5 days
8	ageing	months

based on Artisan Cheese Making at home Mary Karlin

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