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Loose, unpressed curd with Penicillium roqueforti, pierced to grow blue veins.
- Hands-on
- 2 h 30 min
- Waiting
- 1 day
- Ageing
- 2–4 months (pierce at about 3–4 weeks)
- Yield
- About 1 kg
Milk & ingredients
8 litres pasteurised whole cow's milk (not UHT)
- Milk
- Mesophilic culture
- Penicillium roqueforti
- Rennet
- Calcium chloride
- Salt
Culture: Mesophilic + P. roqueforti
Coagulant: Rennet
Equipment
- Pot
- Thermometer
- Tall mould
- Stainless skewer
- Ageing space at 10–12 °C, 85–95% RH
- Hygrometer
- Foil
Temperatures by stage
| Stage | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Ripen & set | 30–32 °C |
| Age | 10–12 °C, 85–95% RH |
Steps
- 1.WaitingRipen with culture and P. roqueforti at 30–32 °C for 60 minutes; add rennet, set about 60 minutes.
- 2.Hands-onCut into 2 cm cubes; stir gently to firm.
- 3.Hands-onDrain loosely; salt the curds; fill the mould without pressing.
- 4.WaitingTurn frequently for a few days while it drains and knits.
- 5.AgeingAge; at about 3–4 weeks pierce through with a sterile skewer so air reaches the mould.
- 6.AgeingWrap in foil once veined; keep ageing to taste.
Storage: Foil-wrapped in the fridge.
Troubleshooting
- No veins
- Pierce again; curd too tightly knit — drain more loosely.
Cook with it
Sources
- Cheese Making Technology e-book — University of Guelph, Food Science
- Foods to avoid in pregnancy (cheese guidance) — NHS (UK)
- Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous? — USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
- Raw drinking milk — UK Food Standards Agency
Guidance changes: check the source for current wording. Original text; figures quoted from the sources where stated.