Gouda is one of the varieties of the world-famous Dutch cheese. This product got its name in honor of the Dutch city of Gouda, where it began to be sold before the 19th century. Subsequently, cheese production spread throughout the country.
This semi-hard cheese has a fat content of about 48-51%, a dense plastic structure and a uniform light yellow hue. Young Gouda is very delicate in taste, but with age, this cheese acquires brighter flavor notes.
IN classic cheese varieties Gouda allowed the formation of eyes of small size and regular shape. Young cheese is kept for about 2-5 months, and in order to get a more crumbly and piquant product, the aging period is extended to 1.5 years. At home, it is not recommended to keep the cheese for more than 6 months.
Equipment
- Saucepan 8 l;
- Lavsan bag for 3 liters (you can use gauze);
Ingredients
- 8 liters of milk;
- Mesophilic starter (optional):
- 1/8 tsp (0.18 g) Danisco Choozit MM 101 / MM 100 or MA 11
- 1/8 tsp (0.18 g) Hansen CHN-19
- 1/32 tsp (0.06 g) Uglich-4 or Uglich-5A. Optionally - Uglich-P (protection), Uglich-K (acceleration of maturation) - on the tip of a knife.
- 1/2 tsp (2 ml) liquid rennet;
- 1/2 tsp (2 ml) calcium chloride solution;
- 20% brine for salting cheese;
- Cheese wax or latex coating.
Yield 10-12% - 0.8-1 kg of cheese.
Recipe
1. Pour milk into a saucepan and heat to 32°C, stirring occasionally to prevent milk from sticking to the bottom. Remove from fire.
2. Sprinkle the mesophilic starter evenly over the surface of the milk. Let stand 3 minutes for the yeast to absorb the moisture. Then gently stir the entire volume of milk with a slotted spoon from top to bottom for 5 minutes. Cover and let the milk stand for 30 minutes for bacteria to grow.
3. Dilute 10% calcium chloride solution in 50 ml of water, add to milk and mix gently from top to bottom.
4. Dilute liquid rennet in 50 ml of water, add to milk, mix well so that the enzyme is distributed throughout the milk.
5. Cover and leave for 45 minutes to form a clot.
6. After 45 minutes, a dense clot should form with a clear whey separation. If the clot is unstable, the whey does not separate, let the milk stand for another 5-15 minutes. Cut the clot into cubes with a side of about 1.5 cm. Leave for 5 minutes.
7. Next, you need to continuously slowly stir the mass for 5 minutes so that the cheese grain decreases. Let stand again for 5 minutes. The cheese grain should settle to the bottom of the pan and completely separate from the whey. If the cheese grain has not settled, stir for another 5 minutes, then leave again for 5 minutes so that the grain settles to the bottom of the pan.
8. Using a measuring cup, select 0.7 liters of whey from the pan (this is about 10%), carefully so as not to disturb the cheese mass. Instead of whey, pour 0.7 liters of water at a temperature of 65C into the pan so that the whole mass reaches a temperature of 33C. Stir the mass for 10 minutes, then leave for 5 minutes to allow the curd to settle.
9. Remove 30% whey (2.5 l) from the pan, the cheese grain should be slightly visible from the surface. Pour the same amount (2.5 l) of 45C water into the pan, stir, check the temperature - it should be 37C.
10. Continuously stir the mass slowly for 20 minutes. The cheese grain should be the size of a pea. Let the mass stand for 10 minutes.
11. Drain the whey through the cheese mold so it warms up a little.
12. Line the mold with cheesecloth or insert a drainage bag, carefully so that there are as few wrinkles as possible. Knead the cheese mass with your hands, it quickly loses whey and thickens.
13. Close the top with the ends of the gauze, avoiding folds if possible. Put the lid off the mold.
14. Put the cheese under the press. Press with a weight of 2 kg for 30 minutes. Remove the cheese from the mold, remove the cheesecloth and wrap it again in cheesecloth so that the folds do not cut into the cheese. Put it back in the mold and put it under the press. Press with a weight of 3 kg for 1 hour. Take out the cheese, fold the gauze over and put it under the press. Press with a weight of 4 kg for 2 hours.
15. Take the cheese out of the mold and put it in 20% brine for 6-8 hours (3-4 hours for every 0.5 kg of finished cheese). During this time, it is necessary to turn the cheese once in the middle.
16. Remove from the brine, place on a drainage mat and leave the cheese at 10-15°C for 3-5 days until the rind is dry. Every day, the cheese must be turned over so that the ripening and drying are uniform.
17. Then cover the cheese with a latex coating or wax or seal it in a heat shrink bag and set it for aging.
18. Until ready, the cheese must be kept for 1 month for goat cheese and 2 months for cow. For more aged cheeses, the cheese can be left for up to 6 months. Do not forget to regularly (1-2 times a week) turn the cheese!
How to prepare 20% brine
Bring 4 liters of water to a boil, dissolve 1 kg of rock salt. Cool to room temperature and strain or carefully drain so that all the dirt from the salt (if any) remains at the bottom. Add 5 ml of 6% vinegar, 5 g of dry calcium chloride or 40 ml of 10% calcium chloride solution. The brine can be used several times.
When it comes to Gouda, one immediately remembers the cheap "sandwich" cheese that lies on the windows of any supermarket. But in addition to a simple, almost unripe version, Gouda has a noble, aged variety that has ripened for a year or more.
Gouda is considered one of the oldest cheeses in Europe. The first written mention of it dates back to 1184. The name comes from the Dutch city of Gouda, located in the west of the Netherlands.
Cheese was not produced in this city, but there was an active cheese trade: the city authorities received the exclusive right to sell cheeses, and Dutch farmers could only sell them here. Currently, cheese fairs are traditionally held in Gouda.
The Gouda recipe has remained unchanged for many centuries. To create an excellent mature cheese, it is necessary to adhere to proven traditions and establish high-tech modern production.
Rennet is added to pasteurized cow's milk, the curd grain is freed from whey, put under a press, salted and sent to the workshop for ripening.
The cheese mass after the brine is dried until a crust forms. Then they are placed in a special warehouse with temperature and humidity control.
In the process of ripening - about 7 months, the cheese acquires a darker, golden hue, even darker - at the very crust.
Today, any producer in the world can create Gouda, it is not protected by manufacturing rights, and this cheese can be produced by anyone even outside the Netherlands. But it is believed that the best Gouda is born in Holland.
Look, taste and aroma of aged Gouda cheese
Aged Gouda is distinguished by a beautiful and rich yellow color, sometimes with a cream or amber tint. Color, unlike young specimens, becomes dark.
The consistency is hard: the older the cheese, the more grainy and brittle it is. But the taste of the cheese is quite delicate.
For example, the Dutch cheese "Old Amsterdam" belongs to the category of cheeses with a very long ripening period, more than a year. One of the main signs that the cheese is fully ripe is the appearance of clearly visible tyrosine crystals.
After cutting, both crystals and white lines can be observed on the surface of the cheese, which are formed as a result of the action of a knife that destroys tyrosine crystals and, as it were, grinds them.
After packaging, the process of tyrosine crystal formation continues. As a result, the formation of a light white coating or larger episodic crystals is possible. This is a natural sign of product quality!
The aroma of aged cheese is strong, with notes of spices, dried fruits, sometimes rustic notes. The taste is very rich and bright, sweet, reminiscent of caramel toffee. Spicy, sometimes even noticeably spicy, with nutty nuances.
Salinity in good specimens is always moderate. The aftertaste is long and expressive. In short, a wonderful cheese, a great option for all fans of aged hard cheeses.
How to Serve Aged Gouda
This cheese is a gourmet favorite. To fully reveal its spicy taste, it is recommended to cut it into cubes with a side of about one centimeter and serve as an appetizer or dessert. Aged Gouda is perfectly grated and stored for a long time.
Gouda is served with kiwi, dried fruit, pineapple and almonds. Its salty taste goes well with dry red and white wines, ports and bitter beers.
In any case, this cheese must be taken out of the refrigerator in advance so that its aroma and taste are fully revealed.
Gouda- Dutch hard cheese, one of the most popular cheeses in the world. Gouda and its derivatives account for more than half of the world's cheese consumption. Traditional Gouda is made from whole cow's milk with a fat content of 3.7-3.9%, however, there are also lightweight dietary versions with a fat content of 20% or more.There are varieties of Gouda from goat and sheep milk, as a rule, ripening for a longer time.Gouda is often supplemented with various additives and spices, smoked, which makes the assortment of this cheese even more diverse. So, for example, Leiden cheese is made according to the Gouda recipe with the addition of cumin and cloves. In the original, Gouda -it is a cheese with a dense texture and a small number of small round eyes. cheese dough has a pleasant yellow color, which, as it ripens, acquires richer dark caramel shades, and small crispy crystals appear in the body of the cheese, just like in Parmesan, formed by the amino acid tyrosine.According to the aging period, the following varieties of Gouda are distinguished:
- Jong- young cheese, ripening only 4 weeks. It has a fresh creamy taste with a slight sourness and a semi-hard dough.
- Jong Belegen- Gouda, maturing 8-10 weeks. Semi-hard cheese with a creamy sweetish taste, the sourness disappears at this stage.
- Belegen- mature variety, ripening period 16-18 weeks. The cheese becomes firmer, sweeter and more aromatic.
- Extra Belegen- extra-ripe Gouda, ripening period 7-8 months. At this time, Gouda has spicy notes that perfectly complement the rich creamy taste.
- Oude- oldGouda, ripening period 10-12 months.
- Overjarige - very mature premium cheese, a real rarity and gourmet value. It matures from 18 months and during this time it gets a very piquant sweetish taste and a firm granular texture.
Interestingly, the color of the wax coating of Gouda symbolizes the maturity of this cheese: light yellow shades for young specimens, red wax for mature cheese and black wax, which is used to cover the oldest heads of Gouda.
There are a lot of ways to use Gouda: in various hot dishes, salads, soups, sauces, pastries and sandwiches (this cheese lends itself perfectly to melting). Ripe Gouda will take pride of place in the cheese plate and will go well with noble wines such as Merlot or Shiraz. In the Netherlands, Gouda cubes are very often eaten as a snack, dipped in local mustard. Mature cheese is served with apple syrup topping, while extra-mature cheese is preferred to be served with strong light unfiltered beer, ale or even port wine.
History of Gouda
Gouda cheese has a long and exciting history, and is one of the oldest cheeses to have survived to this day. The first mention of this cheese falls on 1184. Contrary to popular belief, the cheese got its name from the Dutch city of Gouda, not because it was first made there. In the medieval Republic of the United Provinces of the Netherlands (1581-1795), each city could obtain the exclusive right to produce and sell a certain product. In the province of Holland, the city of Gouda was given the right to organize a market for farmers to sell their cheese. For this, a special market area was allocated, and the sale of cheese was allowed only on it.Gouda has a large regular cheese marketworks to this day. The principles of operation of the cheese market are reminiscent of the exchange: for each head of cheese, there are lively auctions. The main persons in the market are the superintendent, who announces the start of trading, and members of the honorary guild of cheese porters. Cheese porters, dressed in professional uniforms and straw hats of different colors (according to the market area), carry huge heads of farm cheese (in the Middle Ages reaching 160 kg, now reduced in size by 10 times) on special stretchers. When the seller and the buyer agree on a price, they perform the ancient ritual "handjeklap" - slapping each other on the hand and proclaiming the final price of the cheese head. After that, the porters move the cheese to a special room - a weight room, where the cheese is weighed, payment is made, and from there the cheese is loaded onto transport to the buyer. The market is now open in the summer every Thursday from 10 am to 12.30 am.You can read more about the work of this other cheese fairs in Holland
Without a doubt, each of the cheese art products is unique and attractive in its own way. However, nevertheless, there are undeniable leaders among cheeses, for example, such as gouda - the real pride of Holland.
Gouda is a naturally aged hard cheese. For its preparation, only whole and high-quality milk is used.
The birthplace of this famous cheese is rightfully a small town of the same name, located in the southern part of Holland, which is one of the twelve Dutch provinces.
Long ago, at the very beginning of the second millennium, this area was famous for the fact that the peasants who inhabited it knew the secret of making very tasty and fatty cheese, which has a bright yellow color. Since the thirteenth century, this amazing cheese has been known throughout Holland, and some time later, all over the world.
Today, Gouda can be safely called one of the most important cheese-making centers, as well as a real Mecca for cheese connoisseurs. Very often, special cheese fairs are held here, which attract tourists from all over the world.
In the process of making Gouda cheese, certain rules are strictly followed. The cheese mass after brine must be dried until a crust forms on it, and then it is sent for maturation to a room specially designed for this purpose. In this case, the humidity of the air should be from 85 to 90 percent, and the temperature - from 12 to 15 degrees Celsius. Gouda cheese heads traditionally weigh about fifteen kilograms. In addition, cheese heads of four to five kilograms are currently produced, and miniature Gouda cheese heads weighing half a kilogram are very popular among foreign tourists. Regardless of their weight, all heads of this cheese are characterized by a round shape and hewn edges. Gouda cheese has a firm and dense texture, a pleasant light yellow hue, and evenly distributed holes.
Gouda cheese can be young, medium and mature - it depends on its aging. Young gouda is only four weeks old and has a very pleasant, soft and delicate creamy taste. The "older" this cheese becomes, the sharper and spicier it acquires. The most piquant of all the Gouda cheeses is the "Dutch Master", the ripening process of which lasts at least one year. In general, Gouda cheese is 50 percent fat, although there is also a 20 percent fat-free version of this cheese.
There are many different varieties of Gouda cheese - salted, smoked, farm, as well as cheese with various additives. Cumin, as well as various dried herbs, most often acts as an additive.
Currently, this type of cheese is produced in many countries of the world, and, unfortunately, its producers are not always conscientious. In order not to accidentally buy a fake in a supermarket or on the market, you should pay attention to the fact that the consistency of the cheese is elastic without water droplets protruding to the surface of the crust, and the holes-eyes have an even shape and are evenly distributed throughout the mass at least 1 cm away from the crust.
In the event that the holes are located immediately under the crust, and their edges are torn and uneven, this means that protein concentrates and milk substitutes were used in the production. In other words, it's a cheese product, not real cheese. In addition, the location and shape of the holes can also be chaotic if the cheese is not aged. Gouda cheese is an excellent snack for tea or coffee, and it is also often used in cooking. various dishes from meat, poultry or vegetables. Smoked gouda cheese pairs perfectly with beer.
Composition and useful properties
Gouda cheese contains approximately 50% milk fat, as well as about 25% proteins, which are easily absorbed by the human body. It also contains essential amino acids - lysine and methionine, B vitamins, as well as vitamins A, C, E and D.
The use of Gouda cheese has a beneficial effect on the skin, bone tissue, intelligence and vision. With intense physical exertion, its use helps to quickly and effectively restore strength.
Harm and contraindications
You should also not forget that mature Gouda cheese, which has a spicy spicy taste, should not be eaten with kidney disease, gastric and duodenal ulcers, hypertension, gastritis, as well as edema of various origins. And people who suffer from the problem of overweight should certainly abandon the fatty varieties of Gouda cheese in favor of low-fat ones.
Gourmets, comparing French and Dutch cheeses, often call the Dutch product "more practical." He really is more popular in the world. Unlike its exquisite French relative, Dutch cheese does not have a sharp taste or specific smell, it does not scare away mold spots, and its price is much more affordable. One of the most famous Dutch cheese varieties is Gouda.
Why "gouda"
Gouda is a semi-hard Dutch cheese with a delicate creamy taste and a share of 48 to 50%. For classic recipe cow's milk is used, although some manufacturers take goat's or sheep's milk instead.
It is said that the first written mention of this product can be found in the battle records of Julius Caesar, who, according to legend, appreciated the gastronomic characteristics of this product. Although many researchers of culinary history claim that Caesar did not use gouda, but some other cheese. The “birth” of Gouda is associated with the Dutch city of the same name, which appeared on the world map only in the 13th century. True, there is another version, according to which the cheese was not named after the city, but vice versa - the settlement of Gouda got its name thanks to the cheese that was made in this territory since ancient times. By the way, in Gouda even today, just like in the Middle Ages, every Thursday there is a cheese fair, where, like many centuries ago, you can buy a head of a real delicacy first hand. According to an ancient tradition, farmers gather on the market square and, haggling, everyone shouts out their price. The final deal is "fixed" by clapping each other's hands.
general characteristics
Today, a head of gouda is usually 6 or 12 kg of cheese, the color of which, depending on the aging time, can be from pale yellow to rich orange or even brownish. True, in Gouda itself, tourists are offered miniature half-kilogram copies of a cheese head - a flat cylinder with rounded edges.
The cheese traditions of the Netherlands have a very long history. Researchers suggest that cheese making was practiced in this region even before our era. And if you believe this, then it is quite possible that Caesar, in his campaign against the Gauls, was indeed supported by real gouda. It is also interesting that cheese in Holland has always been a very valuable commodity. There was a time when Dutch sailors paid port taxes only with this product.
By the way, Gouda is very similar to another famous Dutch cheese - Edam. Both versions are made from cow's milk with the addition of rennet. The main difference between cheeses is the percentage of fat content. If in Gouda the percentage of fat should be at least 48%, then in Edam this figure is approximately 40%. But the taste of aged gouda resembles another well-known cheese, however, of English origin - cheddar.
Varieties and varieties
At one time, the Dutch did not want to "patent" gouda, so today in any country you can make cheese and call it gouda. But its taste will be significantly different from the authentic product. By the way, in our time, only in Holland they still make a product according to an old farmer's recipe from whole cow's milk. In the country, they counted about three hundred cheese makers who make the product in the old-fashioned way. This variety is called in Holland - farm (Boerenkaas).
According to the exposure time, there are several types of gouda:
- Jonge kaas - 4 weeks of exposure;
- Jong belegen - 8 to 10 weeks;
- Belegen - from 16 to 18 weeks;
- Extra belegen - from 7 to 10 months;
- Oude kaas - from 10 months to 1 year;
- Overjarige kaas - from 18 months.
It should be said that the longer the product was kept, the darker and sharper it tasted. Young cheeses are more delicate in texture, have a creamy taste and a delicate yellow color. But in any case, the product should be decorated with "eyes", evenly distributed over the head of cheese.
A real Dutch gouda can be recognized by a special stamp. On industrial heads of cheese, it is always round, and on farmers it is rectangular. The stamp indicates the name of the product, the geography of its origin, fat content and serial number. Farmers also indicate the name of the manufacturer. Another difference between farm and industrial cheeses is the outer shell. "Dedovskie" cheeses have a natural crust, and industrial ones - from paraffin (protects the product from drying out). By the way, by the color of the paraffin, you can find out the country of origin of the non-Dutch gouda. Most countries use yellow paraffin, while the United States and the Canary Islands use red. But the unique black wax is used only in the production of real Dutch cheese, which is over 18 months old.
How gouda is made
Gouda is made from cow's milk with the addition of rennet. First, it is heated to separation, after which the exfoliated is washed, removing from it. This process even has a special name - "curd washing". Then the prepared cheese mass is put into molds and sent under pressure for several hours. The finished head is soaked in brine (the ancient Dutch used sea water for this), after which it is dried for several days.
How to make at home
Gouda belongs to those products that, if desired, you can cook with your own hands at home. For 16 liters of cow's milk, you will need 4 g of calcium chloride and rennet, as well as pickling brine and wax to cover the head. The output will be approximately 2 kg of cheese, the quality of which depends entirely on the selected milk. Therefore, it is better to take a whole non-boiled product (milk for cheese should not be heated above 75 degrees).
First, the selected milk must be heated to 32 degrees and remove the pan from the heat. Add starter (sprinkle the surface of the milk and do not stir until the dry starter gets wet), mix and leave for 30 minutes. Add calcium chloride (dilute in 50 ml of water) and rennet, mix again, cover the pan and leave for another 45 minutes. By this time, a lump of curd and a clear whey should form. Cut the curd clot into cubes (with a side of 1.5 cm), leave for 5 minutes, then slowly stir the contents of the pan for 5 minutes and leave again for 5 minutes. After that, the curd grain should settle at the bottom of the container, if this did not happen, repeat the procedure with stirring and settling.
At the next stage, drain 1.5 liters of whey from the pan, and instead add the same amount of warm water (heat to 65 degrees), mix again and leave for 5 minutes. Now take 5 liters of whey from the pan and add 5 liters of water (heat to 47 degrees). Stir the contents for about 20 minutes and then stand for 10 minutes. Cover the sieve with gauze folded in several layers, drain the curd grain. Squeeze the cottage cheese through gauze and put under the press. During the first 30 minutes, the weight of the press should be 4 kg, the next 60 minutes - 6 kg, the remaining 2 hours - 8 kg.
Pour the formed head of cheese with 20% brine (1 kg per 4 liters of water), leave for 12-16 hours (during this time, the cheese must be turned over once). After pulling the cheese out of the brine, dry it for 3-5 days at a temperature of 10-15 degrees. Pour the finished head with melted wax and send it for aging (every week the head should be turned over).
How to serve and consume
Gouda is a traditional ingredient cheese plates". But where on the plate to put the gouda depends entirely on its age. According to the rules, the cheeses on the plate are placed in rows from the sharpest (on the edge of the plate) to the most tender (in the center). Thus, young gouda with a creamy texture, sweet fruity taste and delicate nutty aroma should be placed in the center of the plate. Closer to the edges of the assorted cuts, mature gouda will be located with a denser texture and a pronounced nut-caramel flavor and aroma.
This type of cheese goes well with fruit, toast,. Which one, or variety to choose for cheese, depends on the age of the product. But in any case, the drink and cheese should not jam, but emphasize the taste of each other. So, aged cheese goes well with ale, which also has a pronounced nutty-caramel flavor. Gourmets advise tasting lightly smoked gouda with porter, and the oldest cheese with Belgian beer. Young gouda with a delicate aroma and fruity flavor is best combined with Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir or Merlot, and Chardonnay, port or Riesling will help emphasize the taste of a mature product. If we talk about whiskey, then a single malt drink is ideal for young gouda, and rye whiskey or Scotch scotch is ideal for “aged” cheese.
Dutch cheese can be served as a snack, make sauces from it, add to salads, vegetable or meat casseroles.
How to choose and store
The choice of gouda begins with an examination of its crust, which should not have traces of moisture. If the head is coated with paraffin, it is important that it does not have cracks or other damage. The pulp of a fresh product is always strong, springy under pressure with fingers. Its "eyes" will also tell about the quality of the cheese. A real gouda has regular-shaped holes with smooth edges, which are evenly distributed over the entire head, but do not reach its edges by about 1 cm.
A high-quality fresh product should not crumble or stick to the knife. A bitter or other taste unusual for gouda is a sign of a spoiled product or cooked using the wrong technology.
A "sealed" gouda head can be stored in the refrigerator for about six months. Cut cheese should be consumed within a few days. Its pulp easily absorbs odors, so it is important to choose the right “neighbors” in the refrigerator.
Beneficial features
It is believed that 100 g of cheese in terms of nutritional characteristics corresponds to 1 liter of milk, that is, it contains similar useful material, but in 10-fold concentration. Despite such a high saturation with chemical components, Dutch cheese is absorbed by the body quite easily. And the whole secret is that during the fermentation process, the cheese gets rid of. In addition, the milk protein in the composition of the cheese takes a special form in which it is easier and more fully absorbed by the human body.
Gouda contains many vitamins, including
