How is double cream cheese made?

The initial product for double cream cheese is normally a standardized, pasteurized milk with a fat content of 8 to 14 percent. The enriched milk is homogenized at a temperature of around 55 °C. This combines the milk fat with the protein. The fat / protein mixture thus has a lower specific gravity than the whey.

The standardized and pasteurized milk from the storage tank is conveyed through the plate heat exchanger heated to 55°C to the homogenizer. After cooling to around 22 – 28 °C, it reaches the coagulation tank (5). Curdling is carried out at this temperature with 1 to 1.5 percent starter culture or DVS culture. To obtain a firm gel, 0.5 ml rennet per 100 l milk  can be added around 2 hours after adding the culture.

After a holding time of 12 to 16 hours, the fermented milk is heated to 77 – 82 °C. the hot, fermented milk is fed to the separator. Approx. 40 percent of the feed quantity is separated out as cheese. In the mixing tank, herbs, spices or cream are added to the cheese.

The finished double cream cheese is packaged when hot and then cooled in a cooling tunnel.