Curds and Whey

Yesterday was another cheese making day.

Buoyed by the success of my Caerphilly from a few weeks ago I've been more adventurous and made Derbyshire. This is a cheese that will mature in 3 months rather than 3 weeks. Fingers crossed! It needs to dry for a few days then I'll wax it and pop it in the cheese fridge.

After making the cheese I had about 4 litres of whey left over. I could have used this to make some ricotta, but the yield is never that good, and I'm not a huge ricotta fan. Instead I fed 2L to the piggies, kept a litre to use in the chook mash, and used a litre to make 3 loaves of English muffin bread from Ricki Carroll's cheese book.

This bread is delicious toasted - a bit like a cross between a muffin and a crumpet. It also freezes very well. You can use milk if you don't have whey. The best part is no kneading!

Makes 3/4 loaves

• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/3 cups warm water
• 4 packets or 4 tablespoons active dry yeast
• Cornmeal (polenta) for sprinkling (I used wheat bran last time which I think was better)
• 12 cups bread flour or all purpouse flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda (bicarb)
  
• 4 cups whey or milk
• 4 teaspoons salt

Dissolve sugar in the water. Pour yeast into a large bowl, add the sugar water and let sit for at least 10 mins (it will froth up nicely).
Grease 3-4 loaf pans and sprinkle with cornmeal or wheat bran.
In another large bowl (large enough for 12 cups of flour plus mixing space!) put 6 cups of flour and the baking soda(bicarb).
Warm the whey and salt (or milk and salt) until just lukewarm, then stir this into the yeast mixture.
Pour the yeast mixture into the flour and stir to combine. Add remaining flour and work into a stiff, dry batter.
Preaheat oven to 200c (400F)
Spoon batter into tins, press flat, and let rise in a warm place until the dough is just at the top of the tin.
Bake for 30 mins

YUM YUM YUM