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Havarti
Havarti has a buttery aroma, somewhat sharper in the stronger varieties, much like swiss cheese. The taste is buttery, from sweet to very sweet, and is slightly acidulous. It is typically aged three months, if aged longer the cheese becomes saltier and tastes like hazelnut. When left at room temperature the cheese tends to soften quickly.
Milk is heated in a water bath to 86F Rennet is added and allowed to set quiet.. ..until a proper curd is established as this test shows The curd is cut with a knife vertically as shown..
..and then cut horizontally with a ladle I often use this cutting tool (whisk) to make smaller curds Stir for 15 min and then drain 1/3 whey.. replacing with hot water to scald to 97F .. add 1 oz salt
Continue stirring until curd is dry enough (15-30 min) Transfer the curd to a cloth lined colander Add herbs and keep curd broken up while mixing Transfer the curd to a cloth lined mold
Apply 8 lbs of weight Flip and rewrap Increase weight to 16 lbs At the end of 2 hrs pressing the cheese should take form
The curd will now ripen until the pH = 5.8-6.0 (about 2-4 hrs)
It is then submerged in 65F water overnight Next day pH=5.2 and cheese is brined 5-6hrs and dried off
More Recipes
Jim Wallace 10/06
How to make this cheese :
- Heat 4 Gal of milk to 86F
- Add 1packs C101 culture and let the milk ripen for 45 min.
- Add 2.8 ml calf rennet diluted in 1/4 cup cool water, stir in for 1 min. and let rest quiet for about a 36 min. set
- Check for curd firmness and Cut to 3/8", let rest 3-5 min and then stir for 15 min

- After initial stir 1/3 (total milk vol) of the whey is drained off and curd stirred for 15 min.
- Then 15-25% (total milk vol) hot water at 130F is added over 10 min. The temp of curd should reach 95-100°F, depending on the final moisture content desired.
- Add 1 oz salt and stir curd for another 15-30 min.
- Drain whey from curd by transferring to a colander and keeping curd well broken up ... this is the point where any herbs should be added
- Transfer to a cloth lined mold (M-19) and add 8 lbs of weight for 15-20 min then increase to 16 lbs for the next 2 hrs.
... turn the cheese and rewrap at 15_15_15_60_60_60_90 min

- At pH 6.0-5.8 molds submerged in 65F water until next morning

-The next day the final pH at 24 hrs = 5.2
-The cheese should be brined for 5-6 hrs and then the surface dried off.

- The cheese is ripened while turning daily and wiping with a light brine (1tsp salt in a quart of water) every 2-3 days

- Keep temp ...59°F and 90% RH for 5 weeks (young) or 10-14 weeks (mature).
Then 1 Wk @ 54F 80% RH