Brie Fail

[Owly055]

My attempt at Brie using Kefir, completely failed. It never developed the white mold, and instead developed a sort of slimy surface, and eventually some blue roqueferti spots. I was turning the cheese twice daily, resting it on sushi mats that had been sterilized in starsan.
I have decided to save the cheese......... though I don't know what to call it. I cut off a piece along the edge and tasted it, and it seems to be shot through with the typical blue cheese flavor. I've begun washing it in salted brine rather than letting the mold grow. It's going to be a really strong cheese. I really don't want a blue outer mold layer, and am debating how to treat it for aging, or weather to simply eat it at this stage while the flavor is tolerable.
H.W.

 

[passedpawn]

Make rocquefort dressing out of it. I think it'd work. I've done that before when I had way too much blue cheese on hand.

 

[bernardsmith]

What is the cause of slimy surfaces? I have had such problems (posted here) when the brine I used was not sufficiently acidic and when it pulled calcium from the cheese (insufficient Ca Cl in the brine). But brie is not brined..oily or slimy surfaces may be caused by allowing the cheese to age at too high a temperature.

As to the lack of mold let me assume that brie and camembert are essentially the same - one being larger than the other, is all:

https://curd-nerd.com/camembert-isnt-growing-white-mold/

 

[Owly055]

What is the cause of slimy surfaces? I have had such problems (posted here) when the brine I used was not sufficiently acidic and when it pulled calcium from the cheese (insufficient Ca Cl in the brine). But brie is not brined..oily or slimy surfaces may be caused by allowing the cheese to age at too high a temperature.

As to the lack of mold let me assume that brie and camembert are essentially the same - one being larger than the other, is all:

https://curd-nerd.com/camembert-isnt-growing-white-mold/

My temps were proper.......... I used kefir to start my cheese, which according to Asher, has geotrichium candidum. I washed the rind for the first week according to his directions, and after that simply flipped the cheeses one to two times per day. Rather than developing the desired white mold. I kept the temp at around 54f. I'm treating the cheese as a washed rind cheese at the moment.... I've given up on the white mold. Keeping it at about 50f and washing daily to prevent roquferti growth....... I'll just see what happens. At some point I'll wrap the cheese and put it in the fridge. It's sort of a bastard cheese, with as distinct roquferti flavor, but not overpowering.

H.W.

 

[cheeseluvva]

I also find making mouldy cheeses very tricky, I am able to make my brie and camembert mouldy with a beautiful rind but as it ages it flattens out into a disk. I was wondering how can I help keep its shape as it ages?
I have an idea but I am not sure if it will work. inoculate the cheese and wrap it in cheese paper as it ages might keep its shape.
your thoughts and suggestions are very appreciated

 

[passedpawn]

I've made perfect camembert. Not sure why I just made a brie that flattened as you described, and I think (not sure yet) that it was due to too much whey left in the curds. They were very wet, for sure.