Cheese making information sheet How is cheese made

Cheese making information sheet How is cheese made? Cheese is made from milk which is pasteurised (heated to kill bacteria). The milk proteins are denatured and coagulated by the addition of an enzyme (rennet) and acid. In industry, the acid is created by fermenting the cheese with specialised bacteria. The low p. H and activity of the enzyme cause the curds and whey to separate. In an industrial process, several other steps also occur. The cheese is milled and salt is added to remove more whey, before it is poured and pressed to remove excess water. Many cheeses are then ripened for some time to give them their own unique characteristics. A very basic cheese can be made using just milk and an acid source, as seen in the recipe below: Simple cheese recipe Ingredients Method: • 500 ml whole milk 1. Juice the lemon. 2. Slowly heat the milk and stir in • 1 large lemon the lemon juice when the milk (approx. 50 ml juice) reaches 37°C. 3. Remove from the heat at about Equipment 50°C and allow to cool for 5 -10 • Chopping board minutes. • Knife 4. Strain the milk through the muslin cloth, which is in the • Juice squeezer sieve over a bowl. • Saucepan 5. Wrap the cloth over the cheese • Measuring jug and gently press to help remove • Digital food probe the whey. 6. Place the cheese into a small • Muslin cloth container to help form its shape. • Sieve 7. Put the cheese into the fridge to • Bowl chill. • Small container Questions • Why does the milk need to be heated slowly? • Where does the acid come from? • What ingredients might you add to the finished cheese to change the flavour or texture? Further research What are some of your favourite cheeses? Write down 2 or 3 and try to find out how and where they are made. What steps do the cheesemakers take to make their product different?

Toasting bread information sheet What happens to bread when you toast it? Toasting bread might seem like a pretty ordinary thing to do. But believe it or not, there’s a whole lot of science going on in your toaster. There are three main reactions that occur when bread is toasted: • Thirdly and most importantly, the Maillard • Dextrinisation occurs when long-chain reaction produces most of the distinctive carbohydrates known as starches are broken colours and aroma of toast. It requires sugars, down by the dry heat. The heat breaks these like caramelisation, but proteins as well. chains into shorter molecules called dextrins. Bread contains gluten, a collection of proteins. These proteins are made up of amino acids, which can react with sugars to form hundreds • Caramelisation occurs when the sugars in the of different molecules. bread are broken down and react with each other due to the heat of the toaster. This produces a The Maillard reaction mostly occurs between 140 -160°C. hint of caramel flavour and also adds to the golden colour of the toast. Too much dextrinisation can break these down even more, causing the toast to burn. Cheese on toast Toast is an ideal addition to the simple cheese recipe you’ve already tried. The cheese should be quite soft and pliable, making it easy to spread. Questions • Why does bread not toast properly if it is gently warmed? • What other kinds of foods can be browned by cooking? Which reaction(s) do you think is causing the browning in these foods? Optional extras: Why not add some additional toppings to the cheese on toast? Try some chunks of pineapple, a slice of ham, or some diced tomato.