Bushra Griffith
Butterkäse, or butter cheese, is a creamy, semi-soft German cheese with a fat content of around 50%. Its mild, buttery taste and texture make it a versatile option for cooking and snacking. With a melt-in-your-mouth quality, it is an ideal melting cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, omelets, and more. Its smooth texture and meltability also make it a great choice for warm dishes like fondue and mac and cheese.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Texture | Buttery, Creamy, Smooth |
| Taste | Mild, Salty, Buttery |
| Melting | Melts well |
| Uses | Grilled cheese sandwiches, Fondue, Omelet, Burger, Mac and cheese, Pizza, Quesadilla, Snacking, Sandwiches, Warm dishes, Tarts and pastries, Grilled cheese dessert |
| Origin | Germany, Austria, Wisconsin |
| Substitutes | Mozzarella, Provolone, Monterey Jack |
| Fat Content | 50% |
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What You'll Learn
Butterkase's high fat content makes it a good melting cheese
Butterkäse, or "butter cheese", is a creamy, semi-soft cheese with a high fat content of around 50%. This fat content contributes to its decadent, buttery texture and mouthfeel. The cheese's smooth and creamy consistency is a result of its high moisture content and short aging period, typically ripening in just one month.
The high fat content in Butterkäse plays a crucial role in its melting properties. Cheeses with higher fat contents tend to melt more easily and smoothly, making them ideal for dishes that require melted cheese. Butterkäse's fat content contributes to its exceptional meltability, making it a versatile cheese for cooking and snacking.
When melted, Butterkäse becomes a rich, gooey, and indulgent topping or ingredient. Its mild and delicate flavour makes it a versatile cheese that can be paired with a wide range of dishes without overwhelming other flavours. It is an excellent choice for grilled cheese sandwiches, pizzas, fondues, omelets, burgers, and mac and cheese. Its smooth texture and meltability also make it a popular choice for snacks, sandwiches, and warm dishes.
The high fat content in Butterkäse not only contributes to its decadent texture and mouthfeel but also enhances its melting properties. This characteristic makes Butterkäse a highly desirable option for dishes that require melted cheese, as it melts smoothly and evenly, creating a rich and indulgent addition to any meal.
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It's a mild, delicately-flavoured cheese
Butterkase, or "butter cheese", is a mild, delicately-flavoured cheese with a fat content of around 50%. It is a creamy, semi-soft cheese with a smooth, buttery texture and a mellow, buttery taste. Its mild flavour makes it a good choice for those who don't like strong-flavoured cheeses, and it can be used in place of other mild cheeses like provolone or mozzarella. It is also a good melting cheese, making it ideal for grilled cheese sandwiches, fondue, or as a topping for pizza. Its meltability and versatility also make it a popular choice for snacking, sandwiches, or warm dishes.
Butterkase is traditionally made in Germany near the Swiss border, as well as in Austria, where it is a popular snack cheese. It is also produced in Wisconsin, USA, by German immigrants in the area, and can be found in some specialty cheese shops and upscale grocery stores. The cheese has a short aging period of around one to two months, and a golden rind. Its name comes from its buttery taste and texture, and the German word for cheese, "kase".
The mild flavour of Butterkase means it is well-suited to dishes where a strong cheese flavour is not desired. It can be paired with stronger-flavoured cheeses like cheddar or Gruyère, or used in combination with sweet ingredients like chocolate, caramel, or fruit preserves. It also goes well with fruits like apples, pears, and grapes, making it a good choice for fruit and cheese platters or dessert tarts and pastries.
Overall, Butterkase is a versatile, mild-flavoured cheese with excellent melting properties, making it a popular choice for a range of dishes and snacks.
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It's a versatile cheese, good for cooking and snacking
Butterkase, or ""butter cheese", is a versatile cheese that is well-suited for both cooking and snacking. Its mild, delicate, and buttery flavour, smooth texture, and melt-in-your-mouth consistency make it a great addition to various dishes and a perfect snack on its own.
For cooking, Butterkase is an ideal melting cheese that can be used in grilled cheese sandwiches, fondue, omelettes, burgers, mac and cheese, and pizzas. Its mild flavour makes it a good complement to stronger-flavoured cheeses like cheddar or Gruyère, and it can also be paired with sweet elements like chocolate, caramel, or fruit preserves in grilled cheese desserts. The cheese's meltability and buttery taste also make it a great topping for burgers, enhancing the flavour of ground beef.
Butterkase can be used in a variety of sweet and savoury combinations. It pairs well with fruits like apples, pears, and grapes, and can be incorporated into tarts and pastries to create unique and indulgent desserts. For example, a sweet and savoury tart can be made by combining thinly sliced Butterkase with apples on a puff pastry base. The cheese can also be melted on hearty bread or used in place of other mild cheeses like provolone or mozzarella in dishes where a strong cheese flavour is not desired.
In terms of snacking, Butterkase's creamy texture, buttery taste, and mild flavour make it a delightful cheese to enjoy on its own. Its high fat content, ranging from 50% to "absurdly creamy", contributes to its decadent and indulgent character. The cheese's short aging period, typically ripening in just one month, results in a young and approachable snack cheese. Its smooth texture and mild taste are achieved through minimal pressing and light salt washes during early aging, creating a gentle flavour without drying out the cheese.
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It's a modern cheese, likely developed in the last 50 years
Butterkase, or "butter cheese", is a modern cheese that was likely developed within the last 50 years. Despite its traditional-sounding name, Butterkase is a recent innovation in the world of cheese, which may explain its versatile and appealing qualities.
The exact origins of Butterkase are a bit unclear, but it is believed to have been created in the German-speaking world, specifically in the Alpine region near the Swiss-German border, and it is also popular in Austria. The name "Butterkase" is derived from the German words "butter" and "kase", which mean ""butter" and "cheese", respectively. This name is fitting, as the cheese is known for its creamy, buttery texture and mild, buttery flavour.
In addition to its delicious taste and texture, Butterkase is also a very meltable cheese. Its high moisture content and smooth texture make it ideal for melting, and it is a popular choice for grilled cheese sandwiches, pizzas, fondue, and various other warm dishes. The cheese's meltability is likely due in part to its high fat content, which can reach up to 50%, contributing to its decadent, indulgent mouthfeel.
The modern development of Butterkase is also evident in its accessibility and availability. Butterkase can now be found in specialty cheese shops and upscale grocery stores, and some sources even recommend purchasing it from Amazon or other online retailers. This cheese is also easy to make at home, with recipes readily available online. The simplicity of the recipe, short aging period, and versatility of the final product have likely contributed to its popularity and accessibility.
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It's called \butter cheese\ because of its buttery texture and taste
Butterkäse, or "butter cheese", is a creamy, semi-soft cheese with a mild flavour and a fat content of around 50%. It is traditionally made in Germany near the Swiss border, as well as in Austria, and is also produced in Wisconsin thanks to German immigrants in the area. The name Butterkäse comes from combining "butter" and "kase", which is German for "cheese". Its buttery taste and texture make it an excellent melting cheese, perfect for grilled cheese sandwiches, fondue, omelettes, burgers, mac and cheese, and pizza. Its mild flavour means it won't overpower other ingredients, and it pairs well with stronger-flavoured cheeses like cheddar or Gruyère. It is also a good choice for fruit and cheese platters, tarts and pastries, and grilled cheese desserts.
Butterkäse has a short aging period of just one to two months, and its smooth texture and meltability make it a versatile favourite for snacking, sandwiches, or warm dishes. The cheese is typically shaped into small rectangular loaves or low, disc-like forms. Its high-moisture content, minimal pressing, and light salt washes during early aging give it a soft body, thin rind, and mild taste.
To make Butterkäse at home, heat milk to 86°F (30°C) in a pot or sink of very warm water, then add the two cultures and geotrichum powder. Allow this to ripen for 45–60 minutes, holding the temperature above. The cheese will then need to be turned frequently at 30-minute intervals during the first 3–4 hours to close the surface openings. After about 5–6 hours, the cheese should be ready to be unmoulded, cooled overnight, and transferred to a salt bath.
With its buttery texture, mild flavour, and melt-in-your-mouth feel, Butterkäse is a versatile and indulgent cheese that can elevate a variety of dishes.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Butterkase cheese is known for its melt-in-your-mouth texture and ability to melt beautifully.
You can find Butterkase in most specialty cheese shops and some upscale grocery stores. Whole Foods often carries it, and some supermarkets may offer their own versions.
Butterkase has a mild, delicate, and buttery taste. It is not overpowering and is often described as a fancy version of mass-market processed dairy.
Due to its excellent melting properties and mild flavor, Butterkase is a versatile cheese that can be used in grilled cheese sandwiches, pizzas, omelets, burgers, and fondues. It can also be paired with fruits like apples, pears, and grapes on dessert platters.
Butterkase is a decadent cheese with a fat content of around 50%, which is comparable to that of triple-cream cheeses.
