Fresh cheese flakes are a crunchy snack that you can make at home with just a few tools and ingredients. While the process is fairly straightforward, it takes some time, so try to get started with your preparations a few hours in advance.
Ingrediants
Doses for 8 servings
- 8 l of pasteurized whole milk
- 60 ml of mesophilic lactic acid bacteria mixture
- ½ teaspoon (1.5 g) of calcium chloride
- ½ teaspoon (1, 5 ml) of liquid rennet
- 30 ml and 60 ml of separated chlorine-free cold water
- 1 tablespoon of kosher salt
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Prepare Everything You Need
Step 1. Clean all tools
Sanitize the utensils by immersing them for a few minutes in boiling water. Dry them well with paper towels before continuing.
To make cheese flakes, you need to keep the bacteria in balance. Unhygienic utensils can introduce additional bacteria as you process other ingredients, altering that balance
Step 2. Pasteurize the milk if needed
If you've already bought pasteurized milk, there's no need to prepare it, but you should do it in case it's raw.
- Note that you can use both cow's and goat's milk to make cheese flakes.
- To pasteurize the milk, heat it in a water bath to 72 ° C. Hold this temperature for 30 minutes, then cool it in a bowl of ice water until it reaches 4 ° C.
Step 3. Dilute the calcium chloride
Measure 1/2 teaspoon (1.5 g) of 30% calcium chloride and 30 ml of cold, chlorine-free water. Stir until the calcium chloride dissolves well.
Although the calcium chloride is already diluted, this procedure increases its volume and allows it to be distributed more evenly within the milk
Step 4. Dilute the rennet
In a separate bowl, mix 1/2 teaspoon (1.5 ml) of pure liquid rennet with 60 ml of cold, non-chlorinated water. Stir until it dissolves well.
Keep in mind that you can use ½ tablet of rennet instead of the liquid one. Chop it before adding it to the water, then stir until it dissolves
Part 2 of 4: Milk Maturation
Step 1. Prepare everything you need for the water bath
Pour some water into a large stainless steel pot and fill it halfway. Fit a smaller pot inside, then put it on the stove.
- Adjust the heat to medium heat. Continue with the preparations while you wait for the water to boil.
- Remember that the water you brought to a boil in the large pot should never touch the small one.
Step 2. Heat the milk to 32 ° C
Pour it into the small pot and let it heat without stirring.
Attach a cooking thermometer to the side of the pot to keep the temperature under control. The tip of the thermometer goes into the milk, but it shouldn't touch the side or bottom of the pot
Step 3. Add the bacteria culture
Sprinkle it on the surface of the milk, then mix it with the liquid until it is evenly distributed.
Use a mixture of mesophilic lactic acid bacteria such as MA 4000 or MM 100. Alternatively, you can use 60ml buttermilk instead of the culture
Step 4. Keep the temperature stable
Cover the pots and hold a temperature of 32 ° C for 60 minutes.
- You may need to lower the heat or turn off the heat to prevent it from rising.
- The temperature of the milk must remain between 30 and 35 ° C, allowing it to rest for 30 or 90 minutes.
Step 5. Add the calcium chloride
Pour it into a ladle and incorporate it into the milk. Mix well for at least 30 to 60 seconds.
If you have decided to use unpasteurized raw milk, it is best to avoid adding calcium chloride, as raw milk naturally contains higher amounts of calcium
Step 6. Add the rennet
Sprinkle it on the surface of the milk, then mix the ingredients in a swaying motion for 60 seconds.
To promote even distribution, pour the milk over the surface of the rennet using a slotted spoon
Step 7. Let it rest
Wait for the milk to settle, then cover it and let it rest for 30 to 45 minutes.
- To stabilize the milk, hold the ladle on the surface until no more ripples form.
- The milk mixture should turn into a gel after a few minutes. Before continuing, make sure the gel reaches a consistency that can be cut cleanly.
Step 8. Make sure you can cut it cleanly
After letting the curd rest, cut the surface with a knife to check if it is possible to proceed with the preparations.
- After cutting it, insert the flat side of the knife into the curd and lift it up where the incision ends. As you do this, the crack should expand, creating an opening with a sharp edge.
- If the curd isn't ready, let it cook longer.
Part 3 of 4: Cooking the Cheese Flakes
Step 1. Cut the curd
Use a sharp knife to get 1 to 1.5 cm cubes. Make sure they are of similar size.
- Slice the curd by dividing it into parallel columns.
- Twist the knife, then cut it perpendicularly at even intervals.
Step 2. Let the curd set
Cover the pot and let it set without touching it for 3 to 5 minutes.
Remember that at this stage the curd should continue to rest at a temperature of around 32 ° C
Step 3. Gradually raise the cooking temperature
Gently mix the curd following a waving motion and in the meantime raise the temperature. The mixture should reach a temperature between 38 and 39 ° C.
- The increase must be carried out gradually, so avoid raising the heat above an average temperature. In theory, the temperature should be raised progressively over 30 minutes.
- If the curd starts to heat up too quickly, you should remove the pan from the heat for a few minutes to prevent the temperature from rising suddenly.
Step 4. Cook for another 30 to 60 minutes, or until the curd has taken on a smooth and elastic consistency
Maintain the same temperature throughout the cooking.
- While letting it sit, stir it every 5 minutes or so.
- If you prefer the cheese flakes to be drier, you can continue to cook it for a few minutes after it has reached a homogeneous and elastic consistency.
- It is not necessary to check the pH. However, if you decide to do so, it should be between 6.2 and 6.10.
Part 4 of 4: Drain and Cut the Cheese Flakes
Step 1. Drain the curd
Take it with a slotted spoon and place it in a colander. Insert the colander into the pot and let the whey drain.
- To facilitate the formation of a mass, press the curd into the bottom of the pot with your hands or the back of a ladle. Once a solid mass is formed, remove it with the ladle and place it in the colander.
- The strainer should be placed on top of the whey rather than inside it. Insert a thermometer into the curd, then cover the pot and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes at 37 ° C.
- Once ready, the curd should clump together to form a solid mass.
Step 2. Cut the curd and let it rest
Remove the mass from the colander and cut it in half. Stack the 2 equal parts, cover them and let them rest for 10 or 15 minutes.
- To keep the 2 halves warm, you could put them back in the colander.
- Alternatively, place a bag of hot water (37 ° C) on the mass.
Step 3. Turn and stack the mass again within 2 hours
Do this regularly - you should repeat the procedure every 10 to 15 minutes.
After the first 90 minutes, check the consistency of the curd. When ready, it should be similar in texture to cooked chicken breast
Step 4. Cut the curd
Place it on a cutting board and cut it into pieces of about 5 cm.
- Remember that at this point the mass should have flattened out, assuming a thickness of about 3 cm.
- Cut it vertically into 2.5cm strips, then cut it horizontally into 5cm long pieces.
Step 5. Mix the cheese flakes with the salt
Sprinkle the salt on the flakes, then swirl them gently with your hands or a spoon until they dissolve completely.
- Salt the cheese flakes, cover them and let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes, so that they absorb the sauce.
- During this phase, additional whey may also leak, so it is advisable to let the salted cheese flakes rest in the colander.
Step 6. Serve the cheese flakes
Once all the salt has been absorbed, they should be ready. The fresh flakes are crunchy and very palatable.
- To store them, put them in an airtight plastic bag and keep them in the fridge for up to a week. Just remember that after 24 hours they lose their initial consistency.
- You can also put them in a freezer-safe plastic bag, where they can be stored for up to 4 months.
