Yet another mozz failure...help?

Ok, so i was pretty excited to get my mozz cheese kit in the mail today from AHS (Austin Homebrew Supply). Since Kroger's milk is not labeled as being pasteruized or ultrapasteurized, i decided to go with some info from a link I found on here. I made 112 oz of milk from dry non-fat milk powder, then added ultra-pasteurized heavy whipping cream to make 128 oz (1 pint). Unfortunately ultra-past. was all kroger had for heavy whipping cream.
Anyway, I followed the instructions to a tee and I still have no curds to show for it. It's been about 45 minutes, so looks like this one is going down the drain. Any suggestions? Can I not use ultrapasteurized heavy whipping cream? I wanted to use a whole milk, but since it wasn't labeled one way or the other, i didnt want to chance it. I can elaborate on the steps if need be, but it seems pretty standard.
Thanks

In my understanding Pasteurized milk is ok. You need milk that is not homogenized.

Well mozz making take 2 was a success! Went to walmart and bought some cheap "Great-value" brand vitamin D milk. Says right on the label pasteurized and homogenized (the key being not ultra pasteurized). Got a nice loaf of cheese!

Krogers milk never worked for me when I was in the area. I'm blessed with an abundance of good milk out here on the west coast.

keep on making cheese!

PantherCity said:

In my understanding Pasteurized milk is ok. You need milk that is not homogenized.

Click to expand...

...and that explains why the cheese I attempted to make this afternoon failed hardcore.

It was both homogenized AND pasteurized.

pasteurized and homogenized is fine . . . just not ultra pasteurized.

What method were you using? Did you use chlorinated tap water? Did you heat your curds enough?

I seem to have gotten CHEESE. I turned on the stove top after 2 hours of it not coagulating and SUDDENLY I have curds.

Now I'm trying to get the mozzerella to "act like taffy" like one of the videos I found. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au3q4SukY4E]Thirty Minute Mozzarella with The Cheese Queen - YouTube[/ame]

So far it's getting nice and hot but not stringing. My boyfriend said I might not have used enough salt. I'm using the "water bath" method and burning up my hands.

None of my tap water is chlorinated and I'm pretty sure I heated the curds properly. After waiting for two hours I got frustrated so I turned the heat on the stove on. INSTANT curds! So I tried the microwave method to warm it enough to stretch and I just could not get the cheese to heat properly. So I tried the water bath.

Failed at that too.

I just can't make mozzarella. I wound up making some stupid curdled cheese soup. *sniffles*

I used the 30 min. Mozzarella method that you had mentioned using on another thread, actually.

A thermometer is your best friend just like when brewing. As far as stretching I think the core temp of cheese should be 135. I'm new to cheese making too. Just made my first few batches last weekend. Keep trying you'll get it down.

I'm starting to think my thermometer isn't working properly, to be honest. It's a candy thermometer that I've had for a very long time now (more years than you can count on both hands). I'll look into picking up a new one when I go into the big city next week.

Watch the mozz video:

AustinHomebrew's Channel - YouTube

How much rennet are you using? 1/4 tablet is too little. A little Calcium Chloride really helps.

I'll be trying it again next Friday. I go into the big city on Thursday so I'll pick up better rennet and calcium chloride. The rennet I currently have is Junket (I know, I know, I read all over the forum that while you CAN make cheese with Junket, you really shouldn't). I used 1/2 Tablet of the Rennet.

No need for a thermometer, just microwave @ 35 sec each time until it starts to stretch. Sometimes it takes 3 times sometimes it takes 4 times. It'll stretch when it wants to.