* 3.4 litres (6 pints) full-cream Milk
* ¼ teaspoon freeze dried DVI starter
* * ''I used a generic Ascott starter''.
* 8 drops Rennet
* 1.25 tablespoons of Sea salt (Noirmoutier sea salt "Hot Spices" [curry, cumin, chillies, mint])
* 1.5 teaspoons of dry-roasted cumin seeds.

===Method===
* Warm the Milk to 32° C (90° F)
* Mix ¼ teaspoons of freeze dried DVI starter with 4 tablespoons of lukewarm water.
* Whisk into the Milk and stir really well so it is properly mixed.
* Cover and leave for 1 hour.
* Mix 8 drops of Rennet with 4 tablespoons lukewarm water and whisk into the Milk. Stir really well so it is properly mixed.
* Leave for 2 hours for the Milk to solidify.
* Cut the curds with a long knife into 5 mm (1/4") cubes.
* Leave to rest for 20 minutes.
* In a double boiler, heat the outer water to 39° C (102° F), using extra heat to keep this temperature stable, and stir the Curds regularly until they reach 39° C (102° F). Stir regularly and don't overheat or the curds will melt together and you'll end up with Mozzarella cheese!
* Once the Curd temperature is stable at 39° C (102° F), cook the Curds for another 45 minutes. As before, stabilise by using a little extra heat - you won't need much. Stir regularly to prevent the curds knitting together. A spring-type whisk (pictured) works well for this.
* Drain the Curds in a cheesecloth lined Colander.
* Add them back to the double boiler, add the sea salt and cumin seeds and stir well with a whisk to break up the Curds and cook for another 45 minutes at 39° C (102° F).
* Hang the curds in a cheesecloth for 1 hour to drain.
* Place the Curds in a cheesecloth lined cheese mould and press at 9kg (20 lbs) for 45 minutes.
* Take the Cheese out of the cheese mould and turn it round.
* Press it again at 22 kg (50 lb) for 24 hours.
* Remove from the cheese press and dry for 5 days at room temperature.
* Wrap in a sterilised cheesecloth, seal the Cheddar with a flour and water paste and mature for 3 to 24 months
* Unless you have a cave handy, the fridge is probably the best place to mature your homemade cheese although it's really going to be too cold. After discovering the top shelf of my often-opened fridge could be as much as 5° C warmer than the bottom, I've decided to mature my cheeses there. As all fridges differ, check various areas of your fridge with a thermometer to find the area that is around 11°C [51° F], the ideal 'cave' temperature.
#curds #cheese #cheesecloth #cuminseeds #doubleboiler #cheesemould #homemadecumincheese #cheesepress #colander #ascott #flour


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