8.2 Cheese – Effect of Heat

Effect of temperature on blending properties of mild, extra sharp, and process Cheddar cheese:

1. Prepare 1 cup of thin white sauce  for each of the nine parts of this problem.
2. Cool or heat the thickened sauce to the specified temperature.
3. Weigh 56 grams or 2 oz. (approximately ½ cup) of shredded cheese; blend into the thickened sauce.
4. Reheat the cheese sauce to the temperature at which the cheese was added, stirring frequently.

White Sauce

Melt fat in saucepan.  Blend in flour and salt; remove from heat.  Add milk, stirring to blend; return to heat and stir gently while heating quickly to the full boil.  Boil 1 minute if sauce is not to be cooked further.

Effects of Dry Heat on Mild, Extra Sharp, and Process Cheddar Cheeses.

Grilled Cheese

Use 2 slices of cheese for each sandwich – mild,  extra-sharp, or process Cheddar cheese

1. Taste unheated cheese samples and record observations in chart below.
2. Butter 1 side of each of 2 slices of bread. Place cheese between unbuttered sides.
3. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.
4. Press the sandwich slightly and place it in the skillet. Cook until golden on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Turn, and cook until the other side is golden and the cheese melts, 3 to 5 more minutes.
6. Record observations in chart.

Evaluation: Effects of Heat on Mild, Extra-Sharp, and Process Cheeses

Note differences in: Fat separation, Flavor, Tenderness, and Stringiness

Open Toasts – 300^oF Treatment

Work in groups of four.  Each group will use:

• 3 slices white bread
• 1 slices mild Cheddar cheese (each large enough to cover 1 slice of bread)
• 1 slices extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (each large enough to cover 1 slice of bread)
• 1 slices process Cheddar cheese (each large enough to cover 1 slice of bread)

1. Preheat oven to 300^oF.
2. For each oven, prepare one baking sheet of open-face cheese toasts as shown below. For each sheet, cut three slices of bread in half; cover two halves with one type of cheese.  Label.

300^oF

3. Heat in 300°F oven until cheese is melted; remove ½ slice of each type of cheese toast. Leave the other halves in oven for 10 minutes more.
4. Cut half-sandwiches of melted cheese into four pieces and evaluate cheeses immediately.
5. After 10 minutes additional heating, remove remaining half of each sandwich. Cut into four pieces and evaluate immediately.

Open Toasts- 500^oF Treatment

1. Repeat steps 1-4
2. Leave second half of each sandwich in oven only until cheese is brown and bubbly. Cut into four pieces and evaluate immediately.

500°F

Evaluation: Effects of Time/Temperature on Mild, Sharp, and Process Cheeses

Note differences in: Fat separation, Flavor, Tenderness, and Stringiness