# Havarti



## milbrosa (May 8, 2012)

I feel like this Havarti make went really well. 

3 gallons pasteurized non-homogenized Jersey Milk
6 drops Annatto
1/4 tsp MM100
1/8 tsp Flora Danica
3/4 tsp CaCl2
3/4 tsp single strength liquid calf Rennet
1/4 cup coarse flaked non-iodized Salt 

Initial pH of milk was 6.61. I diluted the 6 drops of Annatto in 2 ounces of distilled water and stirred it in as I began heating the milk. Since I was heating my vat directly on a gas burner without benefit of a water bath, I brought the temperature up very slowly. It took me 57 minutes to bring the temperature up to 86°F. I sprinkled the culture on top when the milk reached 87.4°F and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. I stirred it in, and then measured a pH of 6.51. 

After 30 minutes of ripening, I stirred in the CaCl2 diluted in 1/4 cup of distilled water, then stirred in the rennet diluted in 1/4 cup of distilled water. The pH measured 6.46. Flocculation was acheived in 11.5 minutes. I used a multiplier of 3.5, so total setting time came to 40.25 minutes. I confirmed a clean break, then cut the curds and measured pH at 6.45. 

After letting the curds heal for 5 minutes, I stirred and cooked at 87°F for 15 minutes. The temperature at the end was 86°F. I removed 5 quarts of whey and replaced it in two additions. The first addition was 2 quarts of 133°F water, bringing the temperature to 96°F. I overshot my target, which was 93°F. I stirred for 5 minutes, then I then added 2 quarts of 100°F water to bring my temperature to 98.9°F. I added the 1/4 cup salt and stirred it in well. I stirred and cooked for 30 minutes at this temp. At the end of the cooking time, I measured the pH at 6.23. 

I then drained the whey and hooped in a 7.5 inch diameter Tomme mould. I pressed with 11 lb of weight for 15 minutes, flipped and redressed and pressed for another 15 minutes, and repeated that twice more. Then I flipped and redressed three more times in the next hour. Then I pressed for 3 more hours for a total of 5 hours. I remove the cheese from the mould and weighed it at 3 lb 8 oz. I brined in a saturated brine for 8.75 hours (based on 2.5 hours per pound of cheese), flipping halfway through. 

The cheese is drying now. I'll weigh it again and then wax it in a few more days. I'm planning on aging for 6 to 8 weeks.


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## Julie (May 8, 2012)

Milbrosa, your cheeses look so good! Ok, I'm askin, what would you do with a havarti cheese?


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## ibglowin (May 8, 2012)

I would eat it!

Fantastic job!


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## milbrosa (May 8, 2012)

Julie and Mike, thank you both! 

Julie, Havarti is a mild, semi-hard, mellow, creamy, and buttery tasting cheese with moderately high fat content (about 45%) and an open structure (mechanical and gas holes) made from whole cow's milk. It's a sweet washed-curd cheese in the same family as Colby, so it has none of the lactic acid sharpness of a cheddar. It is an excellent sandwich cheese. It melts very well and can be used in fondues or for general cooking and in grilled cheese sandwiches, or omelettes, or salads. Although I made this one plain, it is often seasoned with vegetables, chiles, herbs, or spices. 

What gives it the buttery character and more open structure is the diacetylactis biovar of Lactococcus lactis from the Flora Danica culture. It's also in the MM-100. You may recall from brewing beer (if you are a brewer) that diacetyl character, which in excess or in the wrong style can be a defect, is described as "buttery". 

I hope my cheese ends up with typical Havarti character. I think it will make a good, albeit atypical, quesadilla cheese too.


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