A gifted Home Cheesemaker shares some tips

One of the joys of running Curds & Whey is getting to know fascinating people such as a very talented local cheesemaker who I shall call Helen.  Like so many other people Helen has led several demanding professional lives but we work through all these things and then do what matters!

Helen decided to make cheese and she is very good at it as C & W plus a few friends have recently been able to taste and try a variety of Helen’s cheese.  Helen uses a mixture of milks – so we might have a soft Camembert using cow milk only or a mixed cheese using cow and buffalo.  Each cheese has a slightly different taste and texture but one of our favourites is Helen’s Robiolini – a soft Camembert style with a beautiful exterior mould cover.

Helen’s comments about her cheesemaking are quoted below:

I have been cheesemaking for about 4 years and decided to experiment with other recipes. I came across one called Robiolini – and I love it 

https://cheesemaking.com/products/robiolini-cheese-making-recipe

The recipe uses just Flora Danica (can also use Bioprox DP265/DP235 or Sacco MO036R) and Geotrichum Candidium. I make it with cows milk and after making the curd put it in the hot water cupboard until it has finished draining – which I do over a couple of days.  I then ripen at around 14 degrees – in a humid environment. I use a couple of wet tissues in the container and turn it every 2-3 days 

I make the cheese in Camembert moulds – fill them to the top and which shrinks down to the usual thickness after draining for a few days.

After 2 weeks at 14 degrees – the exterior layer is beautiful- and if I’m keeping it longer I wrap it and put it in my standard fridge which slows the maturity down.

Our suggestion – go on – make this cheese – it is delicious…