View all Recipes Print This Recipe
Mad Millie French Neufchâtel
Neufchâtel is a French cheese originating from Normandy, France. It is similar to a cream cheese, but is made from milk rather than cream, and has a layer of white mould around the outside. It is traditionally made in the shape of a heart, however can be moulded to any shape you like!
Preparation Time 2 hours
Ready In 3 - 4 weeks
Makes
300 g (10.5 oz)
Ingredients
- 2 L (2 US qt) Full fat, unhomogenised milk
- 1 mL Mad Millie Calcium Chloride
- 1/2 sachet Mad Millie White Mould Culture Blend
- 1/2 tablet Mad Millie Rennet diluted in 1 Tbsp of cool, non-chlorinated water
- 1/2 tsp Mad Millie Artisan's Cheese Salt
Method
- Thoroughly sterilise all equipment.
- Pour milk into a pot and heat to 27°C (81°F) before stirring in calcium chloride and starter culture.
- Stir in diluted rennet. Cover and keep at room temperature (approx. 20°C or 68°F) overnight (i.e. 15 - 20 hours).
- Cut the curd, using your long blade knife into 2 cm (1 in) cubes.
- Place the curds into a cheese cloth lined colander.
- Tie the corners of the cheese cloth together and hang over the sink or a bowl so the curds can drain for 5 - 6 hours. After draining, the curds should be very dry and no longer losing any further whey (i.e. no drips are dropping from the cheese cloth bag of curds).
- Place the cheese cloth bag full of curds back in the colander. Make sure the curds are covered completely by the cheese cloth.
- Place a bowl full of water on the curds and press overnight in the fridge.
- The next morning, remove the curds from the cheese cloth (the curds will have a cream cheese texture).
- Mix in the 1/2 tsp of salt and mould the cheese curds into a heart shape with clean, sterile hands.
- Place the moulded cheese into the maturing box and leave it in the fridge at approx. 7°C (45°F), or in your own humid cheese fridge (95% humidity). Open the maturing box daily and turn the cheese over to prevent it from sticking to the cheese mat and to give the mould air.
- After 7-10 days the cheese should be covered in a white mould and it is ready to be eaten.
- If you prefer a stronger cheese, wrap the cheese in the white cheese wrap and age for a further 3 weeks (check for ripeness every week) before eating. The longer you age the cheese, the runnier the centre of the cheese will become.
Reviews