Lexi Webster
Brie is a soft, creamy cheese with a mouldy, edible rind. It can be made using pasteurised or unpasteurised cow's milk and is often sold in small wheels. The process of making brie is quite complex, involving heating milk and cream to 90°F, adding culture and mould powders, filling moulds, and allowing the curds to settle and drain. The cheese then needs to be salted and flipped daily to encourage the growth of a soft white mould. The mouldy cheese is then wrapped and left to ripen in the refrigerator for several weeks. In Australia, baked brie is a popular dish, often served with crackers or bread. The cheese is baked with herbs and garlic, creating a simple yet flavourful dish.
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What You'll Learn
Heating milk and adding culture
To make brie cheese at home, you'll first need to heat your milk to 90ºF (32ºC). If you're using a stove, heat the milk slowly and stir it well. Place the milk in a pot or sink of very warm water to help it reach the desired temperature.
Once your milk is at 90ºF, it's time to add the culture. Sprinkle mesophilic culture and penicillium culture over the surface of the milk and let it rest for about 5 minutes. This allows the powder to rehydrate. Then, gently mix the cultures into the milk with an up-and-down stirring motion.
If you're using fresh raw milk, you'll need to adjust the amount of culture and rennet used. Use about 30-40% less culture and about 25-30% less rennet.
After adding the culture, dilute your rennet in lukewarm water and slowly mix it into the milk using the same gentle stirring motion. Cover the pot and let it rest for 30 minutes to an hour. This allows the curds to form.
During the resting period, the milk will start to transform into curds and whey. You'll know the curds are ready when they hold their shape when lightly pressed. At this point, use a knife to carefully cut the curds into 1-inch cubes. Take your time with this step, pausing for about 5 minutes between each layer of cuts.
Once you've finished cutting the curds, softly stir them with a spoon for about 10 minutes, being careful not to break them apart. This completes the "Heating milk and adding culture" step of making brie cheese.
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Scooping curds into forms
First, heat your milk and cream to 90°F (32°C). Do this slowly and stir well to ensure even heating. You can use a pot on the stove or place the milk in a sink of very warm water. Once it reaches the correct temperature, sprinkle the culture powders over the surface of the milk and allow a couple of minutes for them to rehydrate. Then, gently mix the cultures into the milk with an up-and-down motion.
Next, dilute your rennet in lukewarm water and slowly add it to the milk mixture, using the same gentle stirring motion. Cover the pot and let it rest for 30 minutes to an hour. After this resting period, you'll need to check the curds. They're ready if they hold their shape when lightly pressed.
Now it's time to cut the curds. Use a knife to carefully slice the curds into 1-inch cubes. Take your time with this step, pausing for about 5 minutes between each layer of cuts. Softly stir the curds with a spoon for the next 10 minutes, being careful not to break them apart.
Once your curds are ready, gently scoop them into your cheese forms. It's important to fill the forms in a \"round robin\" manner, allowing the curds to settle and the whey to drain before adding more curds. If all the curd doesn't fit, simply wait a few minutes for the curds to settle further, and then add the rest.
Keep the draining space at a temperature of 68-74°F (20-23°C). The ideal draining temperature is around 70-74°F (21-23°C) to encourage whey release. The initial draining and turning process usually takes about 14-20 hours, and the curds should be turned over two or three times during this period.
After draining, remove the cheeses from their forms and sprinkle them with salt. Use about 1 tablespoon of salt for every pound of cheese. Return the cheeses to their forms and let them rest for another 12 hours.
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Draining and turning the curds
Firstly, it is important to ensure that the curds are ready for draining. This can be determined by checking if they hold their shape when lightly pressed. Once the curds are ready, use a knife to carefully cut and slice them into cubes. The size of the cubes may vary, with some recipes suggesting half-inch cubes, while others recommending one-inch cubes.
After the curds have been cut, they need to be gently scooped into the cheese forms or moulds. It is important to fill these moulds in a \"round robin\" manner, allowing the curds to settle and the whey to drain before adding more curds. If the moulds become full before all the curds have been added, simply wait a few minutes for the curds to settle and then add the rest.
The next step is to let the curds drain and settle. This process usually takes around 12 hours at room temperature. During this time, it is important to maintain a temperature between 68-74°F in the draining space, as warmer or cooler temperatures can cause issues with the final cheese. To ensure even draining, the cheese forms should be turned over two or three times throughout this 12-hour period.
After the initial draining, the cheese forms are removed from their moulds, and it is common to sprinkle salt on the curds at this stage. The amount of salt can vary, but a general guideline is about one tablespoon for every pound of cheese. The salted curds are then returned to their forms and allowed to rest for another 12 hours.
The cheese will continue to firm up during this resting period, and after approximately 24 hours, it should be able to hold its shape. At this point, the cheese can be transferred to a ripening container lined with a mat. Place the cheese inside and loosely cover it with the container lid to allow for airflow. Store the container in a cool spot for about a week, and if necessary, use a refrigerator, keeping in mind that the development of white mould may take longer in a cooler environment.
During the ripening process, it is important to flip the cheeses daily, maintaining slight condensation in the container to nurture the perfect humidity for the cheese. Over the next two weeks, a soft white mould will begin to appear and eventually cover the cheeses. Gently pat down the mould each time you flip the cheeses. Once they are completely covered in mould, wrap each piece in plastic wrap and continue ripening in the refrigerator for up to four weeks, flipping them every few days.
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Adding salt and resting
Once you have made the curds, it's time to add salt and let the mixture rest. First, place your cheese forms on a drying rack. Gently scoop the curds into the forms. Let the curds drain for 12 hours at room temperature. During this time, turn them over two or three times.
After 12 hours, carefully remove the cheeses from their forms and sprinkle them with salt—about 1 tablespoon for every pound. Return them to their forms and let them rest for another 12 hours. The cheese will become firmer and the turning easier as it drains.
After the second 12-hour period, the cheeses should feel firm enough to hold their shape. At this point, line a ripening container with a mat and place the cheeses inside, covering them loosely with the container lid to allow airflow. Store the container in a cool spot in your home for about a week. If your home is warm, you can store the container in the refrigerator, but note that white mold development may take longer—up to an extra week.
Over the next two weeks, a soft white mold will begin to appear, eventually covering the cheeses completely. During this time, gently pat down the mold when you flip the cheeses each day. Once your cheese is adorned in its snowy coat, wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Allow them to continue ripening in your refrigerator for up to four weeks, flipping them every few days.
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Wrapping and refrigerating
Once your cheeses feel firm enough to hold their shape (usually after 24 hours), line a ripening container with a mat. Place your cheeses inside, covering them loosely with the container lid to allow airflow. Store the container in a cool spot in your home for about a week. If your home is warm, the refrigerator will work, but note that white mould development may take a little longer—up to an extra week.
Over the next two weeks, a soft white mould will begin to appear, eventually covering the cheeses completely. During this time, gently pat down the mould when you flip them. Once your cheese is adorned in its snowy coat, wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Allow them to continue ripening in your refrigerator for up to four weeks, flipping them every few days.
Maintain a temperature of 68-74°F (20-23°C) in the draining space to ensure proper whey release. Warmer or cooler temperatures will negatively impact the final product. The initial draining and turning process normally takes 14-20 hours. It is recommended to let the Brie drain overnight. Towards the end, you should notice a significant reduction in whey release. The whey should taste noticeably more acidic at this stage compared to the initial drainage. It is advisable to taste the whey and curds throughout the process for future reference.
Do not salt the curds until the draining slows, as the culture needs to remain active, and the draining whey would remove much of the salt. The cheese will drain to about a third of its original curd height. Flip the cheese in their forms several times to ensure even draining. The cheese will become firmer and easier to turn as it drains. If you have pH test strips, they should show a pH of about 4.6 when done.
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