Description

Appetissimo home brynza (2021): pasteurize 68 °C for 10 minutes, or 63–65 °C for 30 minutes. Fat-to-protein of the milk should not exceed 1.3. Culture and rennet per the manufacturer and a cup rennet test. Dry salt 10 g per litre of milk. Storage brine is 8%: 1 litre water, 87 g salt, 2 g CaCl₂, about 5 ml of 6–9% vinegar. This sheet is 5 litres.

Recipe details

Style

Brined cheese

Country

Bulgaria

Region

Balkan brined cheese (home method)

PDO

No

Schema version

1.00

Type

Home recipe

Vegetarian

Yes

Created

2026-09-09

License

CC-BY-4.0

Author

CheeseXML 1.00 reference set

Units

Metric

Milk

Cow milk, Pasteurized, Not homogenized, Fat: 3.6 %

Milk volume

5 l

Expected yield

600 g

Yield ratio

0.12 ratio

Active time

150 min

Total time

24 h

Scale

For milk volume: 5 l

Ingredients

• Whole milk, not ultra-pasteurized — 5 l

  Role: Base milk · Kind: Whole milk

• Mesophilic DVI, dose per manufacturer — 1 item

  Role: Culture · Kind: Culture

  Preparation: Time: 2 min; Instruction: Sprinkle on the milk surface and rehydrate 2 minutes before stirring in.

  Appetissimo does not name a packet: follow the manufacturer for this 5-litre vat. MA11 / Uglich-No.4 class mesophile is the usual home stand-in.

• Calcium chloride (for pasteurized milk) — 1.6 ml

  Role: Mineral · Kind: Calcium chloride · Optional: Yes

  Preparation: Dilute in: 0.25 cup; Instruction: Dilute in cool non-chlorinated water before adding.

• Liquid rennet, confirmed by a cup test — 1.6 ml

  Role: Coagulant · Kind: Rennet

  Preparation: Dilute in: 30 ml; Instruction: Dilute in cool non-chlorinated water.

  Appetissimo: dose per manufacturer and a cup rennet test. 1.6 ml is the catalog’s typical single-strength rate for 5 L — confirm on a cup before the vat.

• Non-iodized cheese salt — 50 g (Details: Salt: Dry salting; Iodized: No)

  Role: Salt · Kind: Salt

• Water for 8% storage brine — 1 l

  Role: Water · Kind: Water

• Salt for 8% storage brine — 87 g (Details: Salt: Brining; Iodized: No)

  Role: Salt · Kind: Salt

• CaCl₂ (dry) for storage brine — 2 g

  Role: Mineral · Kind: Calcium chloride

  Preparation: Dilute in: 0.25 cup; Instruction: Dilute in cool non-chlorinated water before adding.

• Vinegar 6–9% for storage brine — 5 ml

  Role: Acid · Kind: Acid Acetic

Equipment

• Heavy-bottomed pot
• Dairy thermometer
• Curd knife
• Slotted ladle
• Cheese hoop / mold
• Brine container
• Butter muslin / cheesecloth
• Cheese press
• Follower

Process

1. Pasteurize

   Step code · Milk preparation

   Heat 5 litres of milk to 68 °C and hold 10 minutes, or to 63–65 °C and hold 30 minutes (Appetissimo’s two options). Do not boil. Cool to about 32–34 °C. Fat/protein of the milk should be ≤ 1.3 — skim a little cream if the milk is very rich.

   Temperature: 68 °C · Hold: Temperature: 68 °C; Duration: 10 min

2. Cool the milk

   Cool · Milk preparation

   Cool the vat to the culture temperature after the hold.

   Temperature: 33 °C · Cool: To: 33 °C

3. Culture and CaCl₂

   Step code · Ripening

   Sprinkle the mesophilic culture, rehydrate, stir in. Add 1.6 ml of 30% CaCl₂ (pasteurized milk). Ripen 30–40 minutes at 32–34 °C.

   Temperature: 33 °C · Time: 35 min (30–40 min) · Addition: Amount: 1 item; Rest: 2 min

4. Add CaCl₂

   Step code · Calcium correction

   Dissolve calcium chloride in clean water and stir into pasteurized milk.

   Addition: Amount: 1.6 ml; Dilute in: 0.25 cup · Addition: Amount: 2 g; Dilute in: 0.25 cup

5. Rennet after a cup test

   Step code · Coagulation

   Confirm the dose on a cup (rennet test), then add about 1.6 ml single-strength liquid rennet diluted in cool non-chlorinated water. Hold until a clean break, typically 40–50 minutes.

   Temperature: 33 °C · Time: 45 min (40–50 min) · Until: Clean break · Addition: Amount: 1.6 ml; Dilute in: 30 ml

6. Cut and stir

   Cut · Cutting

   Cut into roughly 1.5–2 cm cubes. Rest 5 minutes, then stir gently 20–30 minutes until the grains hold shape. Draw whey when it runs clearer.

   Size: 18 mm (15–20 mm) · Stir: Duration: 25 min · Until: Clear whey · Curd cuts: Cut: Size: 18 mm (15–20 mm); Wait: 5 min; Cut: Size: 18 mm (15–20 mm) · Settle: Duration: 5 min

7. Hoop, drain, turn

   Step code · Molding

   Ladle into a cloth-lined hoop. Gravity drain, turning the young brick every 20–30 minutes for a few hours so it knits. No heavy press.

   Pressing: Mass: 1 kg; Duration: 3 h · Turn: Every 25 min · Drain: Duration: 3 h · Flips: Turn: After: 25 min; Turn: After: 15 min

8. Dry salt, then 8% storage brine

   Salt · Salting

   Salt the surfaces with 50 g non-iodized salt (10 g per litre of milk). Next day cover with the 8% storage brine: 1 litre water, 87 g salt, 2 g CaCl₂, about 5 ml of 6–9% vinegar. Keep submerged and cold. Flip the jar weekly.

   Time: 12 h · Brining: Water: 1 l; Salt: 87 g; Calcium chloride: 2 g; Acid: 5 ml; Temperature: 10 °C

Also known as

Bryndza-style brined cheese

Also known as

White brined cheese

Storage

Temperature: 6 °C; Shelf life: 60 d

Packaging

No packaging

Allergens

Allergen: Milk

Safety

Use milk that is not ultra-pasteurized. Pasteurize unknown raw milk. Sanitize equipment.

Source

Title: Brynza at home; Creator: Appetissimo; Year: 2021; URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlK5FVtwKGc

Tags

Tag: For beginners; Tag: Vegetarian