Cheshire — Fiedler / Cheeseforum

Cheshire — Fiedler / Cheeseforum adapted to a 10 L batch. 10 L milk. Shared calculations and pH notes.

Milk: 10 L milk
Make: about 1–2 days
Salt at: before moulding
Affinage: 2 months–1 year, 16 °C

Ingredients

Whole milkPasteurised, not UHT: 10 L
Active mesophilic bulk starter (MA11 type)1% of 10 L milk; practical culture substitution, not a potency equivalence.: 100 mL
Calcium chlorideSource generous½tsp; concentration unspecified: generous 1.83 mL
Animal rennet, 200 IMCU/mLSource potency unspecified, assumed 200: generous 1.83 mL
Cheese saltPlus 0.733 tsp surface salt: 1.83 tbsp

Stage	Time	°C	pH	Do	Notes
Milk
Pasteurise				Skip for this cheese	Use already-pasteurised milk; this heating stage is skipped.
Culture	1 min mix	30	≈6.6predicted, milk	Warm 10 L whole milk gently to 30 °C. Stir in 100 mL active mesophilic bulk starter for 1 min.	Follow the measured set, pH and texture rather than assuming the clock is exact.
Ripen	30 min	30	≈6.6predicted, milk	Cover and ripen, maintaining temperature.
Calcium chloride	10 min	30	≈6.5predicted, milk	Stir in calcium chloride and hold at 30 °C for 10 min.
Rennet	45 min or clean break	30	≈6.4predicted, curd	Dilute rennet just before use; stir up/down 30 s, still milk and cover.
Curd
Cut and rest	5 min rest	30	≈6.4predicted, curd	Cut to 13 mm cubes; allow cut faces to heal without stirring.
Scald	50 min	31	≈6.1predicted, curd	Draw whey to just above the curds. Heat 30→32 °C over 50 min, stirring intermittently.
Pitch	10 min +40 min	32	≈5.8predicted, curd	Settle 10 min to complete the 60 min cook; cover and insulate for a further 40 min.
Stir				Skip for this cheese
Shape
Drain and form	30 min +3 h	32	≈5.2predicted, curd	Drain whey and let curd cake for 30 min, pressing by hand every 10 min. Cut fist-size chunks, return to pot and hold at 32 °C for 3 h, draining released whey.
Mill	5 min	32	≈5.2predicted, curd	Tear the curd into 25 mm pieces.
Salt	mix	32	≈5.2predicted, curd	Mix the listed curd salt evenly into the pieces.
Press	20 h / closure	22	≈5.1predicted, curd	Press in a cloth-lined mould: 6.35 kg for 30 min; 12.7 kg for 30 min; 25.4–27.2 kg for 16 h. Turn and redress at each change. Remove cloth and repress at the same final load for 3 h.	Source mould was 6 inches diameter × 5 inches high; adjust loads to preserve pressure if mould area changes.
Surface salt and dry	7–10 days	22	≈5.1predicted, curd	Rub faces with 0.733 tsp salt and dry for 1 day. Wipe collected brine away, then continue drying 7–10 days until faces and base feel dry. Turn daily.
Cave
Affinage	2 months to 1 year	16	≈5.1make-end baseline; recheck during aging	Bandage or retain a natural rind. Age at 16 °C, turning daily for 3 months, then twice weekly.	Source range 2 months to 1 year.

Source and cheese-specific notes

British Territorials Recipes.txt — Cheshire — Fiedler / Cheeseforum

Adapted for 10 L ordinary milk. Starter and additive doses below use this actual milk volume. Retain the measured pH and curd-texture endpoints; make times remain guides.

This version uses a defined milk-based mesophilic starter. Its activity is not established by the historical source; verify the acidification curve on the make.

≈ marks an illustrative prediction. Source targets and recorded readings are labelled separately; recorded readings are historical context, not targets for a new batch. Use a calibrated meter and the correct sample medium. Read the shared method and assumptions.