CONCEPT 22: STARCH HELPS CHEESE MELT NICELY Flashcards
What does all cheese start with?
Milk
Can cheese be made from any milk?
Yes
Typically cheese is made from what three animals?
Cow, goat, sheep.
Each type of milk has different flavor characteristics and what?
Different amounts of protein.
Why is cheese made with goat’s milk usually soft and creamy compared to cow’s milk cheese like cheddar?
It contains much less casein, the solid component that gives cheese its structure.
Enzyme most cheese contains?
Rennet
Where does rennet come from?
Stomach of a very young calf.
Why is rennet important?
Unlike other enzymes (like those present in meat), it breaks down only one of the proteins in milk–casein. However, it doesn’t break it down to many different pieces, but only at one specific point, which allows these now-clipped proteins to bond together into gel.
What is the protein-gel rennet causes called?
Curd
Besides rennet, what else breaks down proteins? What do they do?
Microbes, or bacteria, creates the distinctive flavor compounds that make cheddar cheese sharp or give limburger its strong odor.
How is cheese made?
First, bacteria are added to milk, converting the milk’s sugar to lactic acid. This acidification then causes milk proteins to form a weak gel. Then, rennet enzymes work to curdle the casein, separating the resulting gelled curds (which become the cheese) from the water whey.
Are microbes added or already present in milk?
Both
Name two popular types of cheese that are ready after curd separates from whey?
Mozzarella and ricotta.
Name two popular aged cheeses.
Cheddar and Parmesan.
What is happening as cheese melt?
Casein proteins, which bonded together in presence of rennet, begin to break apart. The proteins separate and flow, like molten plastic, which gives the appearance of melting.
What types of cheese have a high moisture content and weaker protein structure? What does this allow them to do? Name two.
This high moisture of young cheeses like mozzarella and fontina allows the protein molecules to separate and flow at low temperatures.
Relationship between high moisture cheese and “breaking.”
High moisture content means these cheeses have less tendency to break and become greasy when they melt.
When does “breaking” occur in melted cheese?
When hot flowing protein network loses moisture and forms even stronger bonds between protein molecules, recombining into big clumps that squeeze out fat like a sponge.
Relationship between aged cheese and melting temperature. Why?
Less moisture and a stronger protein network means higher melting point; more heat is needed to break apart tightly bonded proteins, which must happen before they can flow.
Fat content in cheese varies between what two?
13% in ricotta to 33% in cheddar.
What happens to protein structures when aged cheese finally melts?
The more developed proteins structures in these cheeses begin to regroup, making small clumps that separate from the remaining mass of cheese, leaving behind a gritty texture and occasional pool of fat.
What stops the clumping of proteins in meted cheese? Name two.
Starch, usually flour or cornstarch.
How does starch stop cheese from clumping while melting?
It holds apart the tiny clusters of protein molecules as cheese melts.
TEST KITCHEN: CLASSIC ROUX-THICKENED CHEESE SAUCE.
Sauce with starch emulsified into smooth, cream consistency. Flourless sauce broke and clumped quickly.
