Ingredients (Yield: 1kg raw milk → 0.2kg cheese) Link to heading

  • Raw milk: 1kg
  • Culture Alp D: 6 mg per 1kg milk
  • Rennet: 166 mg per 1kg milk

Preparation Steps Link to heading

  1. Prepare the Milk

    • Warm raw milk to about 20 °C.
    • Stir in Culture Alp D.
    • Let pre-ripen for about 60 minutes.
    • During this time, slowly heat to 33 °C.

  2. Add Rennet

    • At 33 °C, stir in the rennet.
    • Let the milk rest (“brake”) until it no longer moves.
    • Let coagulate for 30–40 minutes, or until the curd can be gently pressed down at the edge.

  3. Cut the Curd

    • First cut into cubes of about 5 × 5 cm.
    • “Pull over” the curd and cut vertically again into 5 cm pieces.
    • Then gently continue cutting and stirring (egg-shaped motion) until the curd pieces reach hazelnut size.

  4. Pre-Cheesing (Vorkäsen)

    • Stir for about 15 minutes.
    • Then drain off 20% of the whey (sirte).

  5. Spaghetti Test

    • Take some curd in your hand, let it drain, and flip your hand over:
      • If the curd sticks (like spaghetti on a wall), it’s ready.

  6. Add Water

    • Add the same amount of water as whey removed.
    • Water temperature: about 38 °C.

  7. Heating & Stirring

    • Warm the mass to 38 °C (“cooking temperature”), stirring constantly.
    • Stir until the curd feels dry in the mouth.
    • When pressed together, it should stick, then break apart again.

  8. Scooping Out

    • Transfer the curd into molds.
    • Important: whey should remain just below the surface so the cheese doesn’t cool too quickly.

  9. Turning

    • Turn the cheese immediately, then again:
      • after 15 minutes
      • after 30 minutes
      • after 60 minutes
      • after 120 minutes
      • after 240 minutes
    • Or whenever the top surface shows an indentation.

  10. Brine Bath

    Brine Bath

    • Place the cheese in a 22% brine bath.
    • For each kg of cheese: 2 × 1 hour, turning halfway through.

  1. Smearing & Aging

    Aging

    • Ripen at about 80% humidity and 10–15 °C.
    • Treat the cheese with a smear solution:
      • 1 kg water + 12 g salt + a bit of red smear culture.
    • First 2 weeks: smear daily.
    • After that: every second day.
    • Ripening time depends on desired cheese type (3 weeks to several months).