Baked Buttermilk Egg Cheese
By norsegal8
To make a significant amount of this cheese, you need to start with a lot of milk. (According to the cheesemaker's rule of thumb, it takes ten pounds of milk to produce one pound of cheese.) You will need your largest kettle -- it may be a canning kettle -- a big colander or strainer lined with several layers of cheesecloth, and a mold that will hold about 8 cups and has drain holes on the bottom. Finns have beautifully carved traditional wooden cheese molds, but you can also use a metal salad mold in which you have punched holed to drain the cheese ovenight. This cheese will not keep for more than a week.
- 2
Ingredients
- 4 quarts whole milk
- 2 quarts buttermilk
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Preparation
Step 1
Pour the whole milk into a large kettle. Heat slowly to prevent burning, stirring often, until the milk comes to a boil. Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, mix together the buttermilk and eggs. When the milk has just come to a boil, stir in the buttermilk mixture very slowly and continue to cook just until the solids start to separate. Remove the kettle from the heat and stir in the salt and sugar. Cover, and let stand until the curds rise to the surface, about 45 to 60 minutes.
Line a large colander or strainer with several layers of cheesecloth and set it over a large pot to catch the whey. Pour the cheese mixture into the cheesecloth-lined strainer. Allow to drain completely, about 1 hour.
Line a wooden or metal cheese mold with two layers of damp cheesecloth. Spoon the curds into the mold. Gather the cheesecloth over the top and place the mold in a larger pan -- either hung from the rim or placed on a rack so that the mold does not rest on the bottom to catch the drippings. Place a weight on top of the mold and refrigerate overnight.
Either unmold the cheese and serve chilled with fresh fruit, or preheat the oven to 450 degrees, unmold the cheese onto a baking dish, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is browned and serve hot.