Forms for cheese: types, tips on choosing and using

Preparing cheese at home is quite simple: you must select the appropriate recipe, purchase the form and strictly follow the technology of production. There are many types of cheese, the unique taste of which is obtained due to a certain ratio of moisture and texture of the finished product: from soft pickled Suluguni cheeses to hard Parmesan. You can be completely confident in the excellent quality of the finished product when you make cheese at home by yourself.

Cheese container should be as smooth as possible, durable, withstand the pressure of the press and temperature changes. The bowl for the preparation of cheese delicacies should be made of heat-resistant food grade plastic of high strength or high-quality stainless steel and should not react with whey. Plastic forms can be used for the following types of cheese:

• semi-solid (Kostroma, Gouda, Roquefort with mold) - The temperature of their preparation is about +30 degrees;
• dairy products (Adygei, Cream, Lithuanian) - with cold fermentation + 21– + 27 degrees and warm fermentation up to +32 degrees.

Stainless steel bowls are used to make such cheeses as:

• hard (Parmesan, Edam, Russian) - cooking temperature is + 40– + 50 degrees at high pressure;
• brine (Feta, Suluguni, Brynza) - with a cooking temperature of about +60 degrees;
• soft (brie, camembert, dorblu, riccotta) - they are made with the addition of cream and are self-pressing, the cooking temperature reaches + 72– + 75 degrees.

The form for creating any type of cheese must have perforations: the size and consistency of the finished product depend on the size and location of the holes. The less wet the cheese, the higher the concentration of calcium and nutrients. The most valuable in terms of the amount of useful substances are cheeses like Parmesan, which literally crumble when sliced.

For pressing cheese, you need a special absolutely smooth lid, they are thick and flat (the main pressure on the center of the lid) or with an adapter. The adapter must be durable, it is easy to withstand the pressure of the press, but not to give an extra load on the cheese (most often the adapters are hollow inside). A wooden lid, an excessive load can irrevocably spoil the taste and texture of cheese.

Best to use special presses.. Pressing - This is a necessary stage in the manufacture of cheese products, the essence of which is to remove the intergranular moisture, compaction and shaping the head.

Self pressing - removal of moisture by turning the mold, there is no pressure on the cheese, the excess moisture flows naturally. Tissue pressing - cheese mass is wrapped in a special drainage fabric and contributes to the proper removal of fluid. Palletless pressing - when using a perforated mold for cheese, you can do without drainage fabric, the head and so it will turn out smooth and even.

The stage of pressing the cheese head can last from 2 to 18 hours depending on the selected recipe. Pressing must be done smoothly, daily increasing the pressure according to the technology of making a certain type of cheese.If pressing is accelerated, a dense crust of deformed curd is formed on the top, which will block the excess liquid and the cheese will be spoiled and will not be able to ripen.

According to the preparation technology, each type of cheese is prepared in the form with a specific type of perforation, namely:

• peas - intended for the manufacture of solid smooth cheeses: a form with a round base and rare holes, as well as with a minimum number of holes along the walls and bottom;
• basket - suitable for the manufacture of cottage cheese and soft varieties; it is similar in shape to a paper basket: it has a round base, frequent elongated rectangular vertical holes, which retain clots well;
• cylinder - used for noble varieties of cheese (Camembert, Kachotta, Brie, Reblochon), has a small perforation in the form of small squares;
• sieve - to prepare the most gentle on the consistency of the finished product, the shape resembles a ladle (with a long handle), very small perforations, often openings in the form of squares, clots flow slowly and evenly;
• cones - fairly rare holes, located in straight rows at a distance of about 1 cm from each other, this type of bowls is suitable for hard and semi-hard cheeses (Cheddar), you must additionally use a drainage bag;
• pyramid - trapezoidal container with rare openings, suitable for making unique French cheese Valance;
• bricks - horizontally located frequent rectangular holes, the bowl is narrowed downwards, has a bowl-like shape, intended for the preparation of curd cheeses (medium softness), whey from this shape flows down most quickly;
• mesh - square shape with frequent transverse rectangles, for brine and semi-soft cheeses (Suluguni, Kachotta);
• gossamer - transverse stripes are arranged in a circle, in the center at the bottom of the “flower”, high sides without holes, a long handle, the pattern resembles a web; excess moisture is easily removed, suitable for making mozzarella.

The size of the cheese pan depends on the type of the finished product, for example:

• Adygei: diameter - from 18 to 22 cm, height - 5–6 cm, cylindrical shape;
• DutchA: length - up to 30 cm, width - up to 15 cm, bar form;
• Edam: ball diameter - 10 cm.

Materials: plastic and metal (stainless steel).

The form must be selected depending on what kind of finished product you need to get in the cooking process. It is worth noting the following main selection criteria:

• bowl material (metal or plastic);
• Wall thickness;
• perforation type;
• What pressure can withstand the capacity.

Forms for large heads (5–6 kg) are intended mainly for self-pressing cheeses, which must be turned over frequently, so they must have increased strength and durability. The market presents the forms of various producing countries: Russia, Holland, Italy and so on (it is advisable to request a quality certificate from the seller before purchasing).

It is not recommended to buy Chinese forms, they are often made of low-quality materials and made with violation of standards, because the production of cheese products is not widespread in China.

Instead of special forms, you can use ordinary colander and cheesecloth for cheese, but it is possible to cook only some varieties of this delicious delicacy.Cheese should be prepared with pressure, so it is recommended, in addition to the form, to use a special press. A home-made press consists of several parts: frames, baskets, plates, pistons, drainage bags.

Hand presses are as convenient and efficient as possible; they do not require an additional power source, are compact and easy to operate, and are recommended for home use.

After cooking, the cheese must be given to ripen properly, only after that it can be served. It is more expedient to cook at home quick in preparing and ripening cheeses. Having a form for cheese at home and often using it, there will always be a delicious and healthy delicacy on the table, and the cooking process will be reduced to automatism and take little time. Making cheese at home eliminates the need to find the right kind of this product in stores, independence from bans on the sale of imported cheeses will appear.

See the following video for tips on choosing and using forms for cheese.