Mozzarella cheese originated in the southern regions of Italy. This particularly soft and creamy white cheese is traditionally made from Italian Mediterranean buffalo’s milk using the spun-curd (pasta filata) method. Typically, cow’s milk is used as an alternative to buffalo’s milk around the rest of the globe, with some mozzarella variations being made with sheep or goat’s milk. Some variants of mozzarella are also produced for specific reasons, such as low-moisture mozzarella that is typically used on pizza.
Our comprehensive yet easy to follow mozzarella cheese making recipe will teach you the step-by-step process of creating your very own soft and creamy homemade mozzarella cheese.
MOZZARELLA
Milk: | Whole milk with approx. 3-6% cream. |
Temperature: | Adjust the milk temperature to 32°C. |
Starter: | DVS: 1% inoculation with LD type thermophilic culture. |
Either Chr.Hansen’s TCC3 or TCC4 | |
One packet 50U contains 50 units which inoculates 500 liters milk at 1%. Therefore 1 unit is required for every 10 liters. One packet contains 16 teaspoons. Therefore 1 unit = 1/3 teaspoon. | |
Dosage: 1 x 50U TCC3 (or4) packet per 500 liter milk | |
1tsp tip 50U TCC3 (or4) per 10 liters milk | |
Pre-Ripen: | Let the milk stand at 32°C (pre ripen) for 45 minutes. |
Additives: | Calcium Chloride (H214) 15ml per 100 liters. Required only if the milk has a low calcium content resulting in a soft, sloppy curd. May also be required when using microbial rennet for a good coagulation. |
Rennet: | Use either powdered microbial rennet (H068A) OR liquid |
microbial rennet (H066, H067, H068) OR liquid animal rennet | |
(H063, H064, H065) | |
Powdered microbial rennet (H068A) 2g/100L | |
Liquid microbial rennet (H066 H067 H068) 4 drops/L or 25ml/100L | |
Liquid animal rennet (H063 H064 H065) 4 drops/L or 25ml/100L | |
Dilute the rennet in a little cool water before adding to the milk. Stir well!!! Let the milk stand at 32°C for 30-60 minutes or until the milk has set like jelly. Test the curd to check whether it has set by inserting a knife and pulling it to one side. The knife should make a clean cut. | |
Cutting: | Cut the curd into 12-30mm cubes. For small quantities use a sharp knife or curd cutters (H016, H017). |
Knife: Cut down and across and at an angle. | |
Curd cutter: Use a figure of eight movement. | |
Cut for 5 minutes. Allow to stand for a few minutes to reduce fat loss in whey. | |
Stirring: | Stir the curd (gently at first) for 5-15 minutes with intervals of 5 minutes with intervals of 5 minutes while slowly heating to 38°C. |
Draining: | Drain the whey and let the curd matt together as for cheddar. |
Acidity: | Keep the cheddared curds at 38°C until the pH is 5.3. |
The curds must reach an acidity of 0,70% (lactic acid testing kit) or pH 5.3 – 4.9 (H202A) before they will stretch. | |
Stretching: | Cut a slice off the mass of curds and cut this into 12mm cubes. First do a test with a few curds to make sure they are ready to stretch. |
Place the curds in a stainless steel bowl and cover them with water at 90°C, approx. 1 liter to 2kg of curd. Use two wooden spoons to work the curd by pressing them together into one another. Cheese is ready when it has a bright, shiny sheen and it stretches easily. Work about 250gram of cheese into a bright shiny ball. Place the balls into cold water to harden and to retain its shape for 30 minutes. | |
Salting: | Place the balls in a cold 20% brine (200gm salt per liter water) for ½ hour. Remove the cheese from the brine, dry it with a paper towel and wrap it in Saran Wrap. |
Storage: | Refrigerate cheese at 4°C for two days before use. |
Shelf life of Mozzarella is approximately 2 – 3 weeks at 4°C. | |
Tip: | If it takes very long for the acidity to reach pH5.3, you can add 1 -2 tsp citric acid per 10 liters to the milk at the same time as the rennet. |
Cleaning: | Clean all equipment well after and before use. Rinse in warm water, wash in warm water with a good detergent and sterilise in a weak solution sodium hypochlorite (25ml Jik/5 liters water). Air dry. Before use rinse well in clean water and towel dry with paper towel. Take care not to leave sodium hypochlorite residue on the equipment. |