Triple-cream cheeses

Luxuriously buttery, these artisan products come recommended by the Academy of Cheese

Triple-cream cheeses originated in 19th-century France, when rich, fatty foods were considered to be symbols of wealth and opulence. Traditionally, triplecream cheese would have been made from raw cow’s milk, but emerging cheesemakers are experimenting with goat’s and ewe’s milk varieties. Whatever the source, the end result is always a buttery-rich, luxurious cheese. Culinary law states that a triplecream cheese must contain a minimum of 75% fat content in its dry matter. This is not as bad as it sounds, however; the finished cheeses are actually more like 37-40% fat, since approximately half of a soft cheese is water.

To achieve the higher fat content, double cream is added to the milk before coagulation begins. Once the cheeses are set, they are left to develop a bloomy rind, which is formed by yeast and penicillium candidum mould blossoming on the surface. This mould ripens the cheese from the outside in, which takes place over a short period of time, usually three to five weeks.

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