Stilton cheese is a mild type of blue cheese that originated in England. Stilton is known for its sharp aftertaste, and it is most commonly crumbled into salads, pizzas and pastas. The European Commission has given Stilton cheese the status protected designation by origin, which means only licensed dairies in the English counties of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire can make the blue cheese and classify it as Stilton. It's not illegal to make Stilton cheese, but it cannot be sold under the name Stilton. It would only be considered as a blue cheese. If you're familiar with making you own cheese at home, the following Stilton recipe according to Jack Schmidling Productions, Inc. will help you make your own Stilton cheese (see Resources).
Instructions
1. Heat the 2 gallons of 2 percent milk and 1 pt. whipping cream over a medium-high heat. Do not to boil or scorch the milk.
2. Add the 1/4 cup mesophilic starter culture, 1 tsp. rennet, 1/8 tsp Penicillium roquefortii and 1 tsp. calcium chloride and then stir. Let the mixture simmer for an hour and a half. The rennet and cultures are available from online cheese supply stores.
3. Whisk the formed curds carefully to make small pieces. Take the mixture off of the stove and let it cool down for half an hour.
4. Pour out the excess liquid once the curds are cool and then drain the curds using a cheesecloth in a colander.
5. Place the curd from the cloth in a cheese bag and let them dry for 15 minutes.
6. Press the curds, still in the bag, between two boards for 2 hours. Make sure the weight of pressure is no less than 10 lbs.
7. Place the curds in a bowl where you can split the curds into even smaller pieces and add 2 tbsp. of salt.
8. Place the cheese into a 4-inch mold. Takes turns flipping the mold at least three times a day during the three- to four-day process, or until the cheese is ready to slip out of the mold. It should also have the shape of the mold when it's ready.
9. Let the cheese ripen by aging it for a month to 60 days.
Tags: blue cheese, Stilton cheese