Amy Monette has a small farm in Reno, Nevada, with 2 milking goats. We’ll be posting a full interview with her (January 1st), but we wanted to share her recipe with you now, because there’s plenty of time to make this cheese for the holidays. (Cheese makes the best gift, don’t you think?)
Amy based her cheese on Jim Wallace’s detailed recipe for Lactic Cheese with Truffle Oil. She was able to use her own raw goat’s milk. For those of you who read the post about freezing milk (click here) and the comments about it, note that Amy used milk that had been frozen in this recipe.
She told us, “This is a great recipe and turned out perfect. My husband ate half a round last night! Might have to make another batch for giving as this one isn’t going to last.”
Lactic Cheese with Truffle Oil Recipe Attempt and Feedback
By Amy Monette
Ingredients:
1 gallon raw goat milk (milked on property here in Reno, NV), then frozen in quart containers and thawed out for for this recipe.
7 oz. heavy cream – wanted a bit more butter fat in the recipe than the goat milk had. Later season goat milk used when butter fat declines a bit.
1/8 tsp. MM100 culture
4 drops single strength liquid rennet
¼ tsp calcium chloride dissolved in ¼ cup water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp black truffle in oil (small minced). Used both the truffle and the oil. Purchased on Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004KZHC5W/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
Directions:
Followed the recipe instructions for bringing milk to 78F, so when I added the cold cream and cool water it would level out to the correct 68-72F the recipe recommends. Used 1/8 tsp of MM100 culture because that is what I had on hand. Used 4 drops of rennet since working with goat cheese, I’ve found you use a bit less with this milk. I couldn’t find any exact measurement in the recipe instruction for the calcium chloride, so I used what I normally use in working with goat milk based on one gallon recipes and have noted above. Let cheese ferment for 18 hours and it was pulling away from pan with ¼ inch of whey resting on top.
Cut curd, rested for 5 minutes and then did the three hour drain process. At the end, I added salt and minced black truffles in oil, and then transferred to 4 round molds I use for making chevre as I wanted 4 small portions for gift giving.
At this point, I tasted the cheese, and as the recipe said, it would be fine to eat right then. It was smooth and creamy and had a slight tang to it. The truffle flavor was light as it had not had the opportunity to blend in with the cheese yet. I didn’t want to overdo it, and figured I can always drizzle more truffle oil at the time of serving if desired.
Then I let it sit at room temperature overnight, drained off more whey, and then transferred cheese in molds to the refrigerator with a light plastic film cover so some of the drying effect can occur, but the cheese would be protected from anything else in the refrigerator environment. The refrigerator is at 40F, which is a bit colder than the recipe recommends, but my only option. I left it undisturbed, except draining off any whey for 6 days to allow flavors to blend. I was seeking a soft spreadable cheese with my approach, but giving it time for the flavors to work together before sampling.
When I unmolded the cheeses, they were nice and firm, but still soft. Just what I wanted. No additional mold growth that was undesirable.
The cheese is firm enough to cut a wedge, but still spreadable. It is delicious, but I wish had added more truffle oil, and chose to drizzle more on it just before serving. We just toasted a rustic loaf and spread the cheese on it, then drizzled with a little more truffle oil. For gift giving, I am going to wrap the cheese and include a small bottle of black truffle oil on the side.
