Many hard cheeses must be waxed prior to ageing. This process helps retain the moisture within the cheese, and protect it from external mould while the cheese is aged.
Wax should be both melted and stored in a wax bowl, preferably metal.
Steps in Waxing Cheese
- Place a metal bowl (deep enough to fit the melted wax) full of wax in a pot with boiling water to melt the wax.
- Once the wax has melted, allow the wax to heat a little longer so that you get the wax as hot as possible. This will ensure that the wax is sterile, and also kills any bacteria which may be present on the surface of the cheese.
- Dip the cheese halfway into the wax for 5 seconds before removing.
- Wait a few seconds for the wax to cool, then, turn cheese around and dip the other side into the wax.
- Repeat until the cheese is covered in wax, leaving no holes. This should take approximately 2 - 3 dips.
To see this visually, check out our How to Video for Cheddar
