Soft cheeses are those with interiors that are neither pressed nor cooked. They have a delicate taste. Their texture is creamy, velvety and almost melts in the mouth because their moisture level varies between 50% and 60%. Their butterfat level varies between 20% and 26%. This percentage is higher in double- and triple-cream cheeses, which are made with milk and cream.

Stored properly, these cheeses can preserve all their qualities. Store them in the refrigerator’s vegetable drawer, far from foods with strong odours, to prevent the cheese from absorbing undesirable flavours and odours.

Very often, soft cheeses are served with crusty bread and fresh grapes at the end of a meal. However, they are also served at wine and cheese tastings, or added to sandwiches, soups and cooked dishes.

Soft cheeses are divided into two categories:

Soft Cheese With Bloomy Rind

This type of cheese includes Camembert From Here or Brie From Here. They are produced by leaving curdled milk to drain in moulds for a few hours before salting. Then, the external surface is sprayed with a culture (penicillium candidum) that gives the cheese its characteristic white and fluffy rind called “bloom.” The cheese is then ripened for about one month during which time the texture and colour of the interior becomes more and more consistent.

Soft Cheese With a Washed Rind

This category includes cheeses like L'Empereur and L'Extra Grand Camembert. The manufacturing process is similar except that the curdled milk is removed before being moulded, which allows for better draining. The result is a denser but still soft interior. The cheese ripens for two to four months. Then it is washed and brushed on several occasions with brine to which alcohol is sometimes added. The term “mixed rind” indicates a cheese that was washed at the beginning of the ripening period, then left to continue ripening as the microbial flora does its work.