STEP 3 3) Gently use the up/down back and forth motion – not stirring, when you mix in the rennet. (Keep in mind that this is kind of how Halloumi is made and that is a very squeaky cheese!) STEP 1. Fresh Mozzarella is a pillowy soft, bright white cheese that is usually made in different size ball formats. Take care to heat the milk and curd to the specified temps in your recipe. Mozzarella curds taste like milk—no salt. "Mozzarella cheese is a popular choice for pizza because it melts nicely. 2) Do not use a whisk or similar tool to incorporate the rennet. But I still have questions in my mind about this stretching thing. When you lift it, you get all the strands," said Anita. Next heat the water to 140-150 degrees and pour it gently over the small pieces of curd. STEP 2. Squeaky mozzarella—and off textures in general—are almost always a result of overheating milk and/or curd. Mozzarella is traditionally a fresh cheese eaten within a day or so. This series will continue with ongoing posts. It’s not actually as difficult or intimidating as it might seem to stretch mozzarella in the comfort of your home. The pH of your slab needs to be between 5.0 and 5.2 for it to stretch well when kneaded in hot water. The enzymes break down the proteins too fast, and you end up with mush even after the curd appears to be firm. I recently tried making four batches of mozzarella, all of which turned out like a rubber band. QA5 – Why Won’t My Mozzarella Stretch Properly QA6 – Why Didn’t My Curd Knit Together QA7 – How Do I Label Waxed Cheese QA8 – Why Do I Keep Making Dry, Crumbly Cheese QA9 – Why Isn’t My Camembert Growing White Mold . No luck. How does 'orienting the strands translate into taste/ texture. Packed in water at the production facility or hand-wrapped fresh in plastic wrap, it is made with a high moisture content and should be consumed within 7 days of production. From your recipe, 5) drain whey, let curds set for 2-3 hours in bottom of pot, kept at 102 degrees, flipping curd mat from time to time. Do not let cut curd cook for extra time in hot, or heating, whey. When you have a moist mozzarella the lactose will continue to ferment, if stored too long it will not hold its shape and may become sour or off tasting. More acidity will give you more stretch, more stretch equals a lighter texture. Still squeaky but I have identfied some of my probs through other posts. You get an even coating and a nice nut-brown colour when it's heated. Oct 1, 2013 - Why your Mozzarella might not be stretching as it should. If you want to store your mozzarella for longer 1-2 days, cut the curd smaller, stir longer before the stretching phase. Not my thing. I could stretch 3-4 feet. If the rennet is not distributed properly, your curds later can disintegrate. Not enough or too much acid will result in hard curd floating or disintegrating in the water. Begin by putting Mozzarella curd into a large mixing bowl, and cut the mozzarella curd into small pieces. My mozzarella tonight was reaaaaaly stretchy. For Mozzarella to stretch well it needs two things: The right amount of heat to soften the curd; The right acidity (pH of approximately 5.2) For the heating step make sure the heat is very low. Jerri’s answer Acidity is the key for the stretch in mozzarella. And they are slightly rubbery. The first three times around I used a one-hour recipe, but tried less rennet and a longer setting time for the curds the last time around. Temp got to 111F. But you can take them home and transform them into pillowy, salty goodness. But maybe that is not good. Mozzarella troubleshooting all of your mozzarella cheese making issues. Below you will find the simple steps involved in stretching fresh Mozzarella cheese at home.