Ale Washed Trappist Cheese was this month's challenge for the washed rind cheese recipe. Mine has a layer of coriander seeds and lemon peel inside as well.
½tspcalcium chloride diluted in ¼ cup nonchlorinated water
½tspliquid rennet diluted in ¼ cup nonchlorinated water
Kosher salt
Two 12 oz bottles of Belgian Ale at room temperature plus 16 to 24 oz more for washing
Instructions
In a nonreactive 4 quart saucepan, heat 2 quarts of milk over low heat to 90°F; this should take about 20 minutes. Stir in 2 teaspoons of the coriander and 2 teaspoons of the orange peel, then slowly raise the temperature to 110°F over the course of 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover, and let steep for 45 minutes.
Place the remaining 1-1/2 gallons of milk in a nonreactive pot. Pour the steeped milk through a fine mesh strainer into the larger pot of milk and whisk to combine. Discard the coriander and orange. Bring the milk to 90° over low heat; this should take 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Sprinkle the starter over the milk and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. Mix well with an up and down stirring motion. Cover and maintain 90°F for 30 minutes. Add the calcium chloride and gently stir for 1 minute, then add the rennet the same way. Cover and let sit for 1 hour, or until the curds give a clean break.
Still maintaining 90°F, cut the curds into ½ inch pieces and let sit for 10 minutes. The curds will shrink to the size of small beans. Meanwhile, heat 1 gallon of water to 175°F. Ladle off enough whey to expose the curds. Add enough hot water to bring the temperature to 93°F. Stir for 10 minutes. Repeat this process of removing whey and adding hot water, this time bringing the temperature to 100°F. Stir for 15 minutes, then let the curds settle for 10 minutes. Cover and let rest for 45 minutes, maintaining 100°F. The curds will mat and form a slab.
Drain off enough whey to expose the slab of curds. Transfer the slab to a flat bottomed colander, place it over the pot, and let drain for 5 minutes. Transfer the slab to a cutting board and cut into 3/8-inch thick slices. Place in bowl and gently toss with 2 teaspoons of the salt.
Line two 5-inch molds with damp cheesecloth and set on draining rack. Tightly pack a quarter of the curds in each mold, and press at 5 lbs for 10 minutes, just to compact the curds slightly. Peel back the cloth and sprinkle each cheese with ½ tsp of coriander and ½ tsp of orange peel, then pack in the rest of the curds. Press at 8 lbs of pressure for 6 hours at room temperature. Remove the cheese, flip over and rewrap. Press at 8 lbs of pressure for 8 hours.
Pour the bottle of ale into a lidded, non reactive container large enough for ale and cheese. Remove the cheese from the mold and place it in the ale. Soak the cheese, covered, for 8 hours at 55°F, flipping over once.
Remove the cheese from the ale and pat dry. Reserve and refrigerate the ale and place the cheese on a cheese mat. Air dry at room temperature for 12 hours. Return the cheese to the ale and soak for another 12 hours at 55°F. Remove, pat dry, and air-dry at room temperature for 12 hours, or until the surface is dry to the touch. Discard the ale.
Prepare a brine-ale wash: boil ½ cup of water and let it cool, and combine with ½ cup of ale, then dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in it. Store in the refrigerator.
Place the cheese on a mat in a ripening box and ripen at 50°F and 90% humidity for 4 to 6 weeks. Flip the cheese daily for the first 2 weeks, then twice weekly after that. After each flip, pour a little brine-ale wash into a small dish, dip a small piece of cheesecloth in it, and use it to wipe the surface of the cheese. Discard any unused brine-ale wash after 1 week and make a fresh batch. Also wipe away any moisture from the bottom, sides, and lid of the ripening box each time you flip the cheese.