Bushra Griffith
Swiss cheese, also known as Swiss cheese vine or Monkey Mask, is a variety of the Monstera plant. It gets its name from the naturally occurring holes in its leaves. Swiss cheese plants are easy to care for and propagate and make for an eye-catching addition to any home garden. To propagate Swiss cheese through cuttings, use a clean, sharp pair of scissors or a knife to cut the plant's stem just above a node where it branches off from the rest of the plant. The cutting can be done diagonally or straight across the stem. This guide will show you how to cut Swiss cheese into attractive shapes for a special occasion or grate it for sandwiches or snacks.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of cheese | Swiss cheese |
| Type of cut | Paper-thin slices |
| Tools | Cheese plane, knife |
| Technique | Place the block of cheese on its shorter side. Position the cheese plane at the top flat edge and drag it slowly and firmly over the cheese. |
| Grating | Use a coarse grater. Grate in one direction only. |
| Freezing | Freeze semi-hard cheese for 30 minutes before grating for a better consistency. |
| Other names | Swiss Cheese Monstera, Monkey Mask, Swiss Cheese vine |
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What You'll Learn
- Cutting Swiss cheese with a knife: use a thin-bladed knife for small wheels of Swiss cheese
- Grating semi-hard Swiss cheese: briefly freeze semi-hard Swiss cheese before grating with a coarse grater
- Cutting Swiss cheese into cubes: cut blocks of Swiss cheese into thin slices, then into rectangles and triangles
- Cutting Swiss cheese with a cheese plane: use a cheese plane for paper-thin slices of Swiss cheese
- Cutting Swiss cheese for a platter: cut Swiss cheese into thin, wide slices to increase the surface area for flavour
Cutting Swiss cheese with a knife: use a thin-bladed knife for small wheels of Swiss cheese
When cutting Swiss cheese with a knife, it's important to use the right type of knife to get the perfect slice. For small wheels of Swiss cheese, a thin-bladed knife is best. This is because soft cheeses tend to be sticky, and a thin blade provides less surface area for the cheese to stick to. A thin blade will also help you achieve those paper-thin slices that are perfect for crackers, rolls, or sandwiches.
To cut a small wheel of Swiss cheese with a thin-bladed knife, start by placing the wheel of cheese on a flat surface. Hold the knife in your dominant hand and position the blade at a slight angle, with the tip of the blade centred on the tip of the cheese wheel. Apply pressure with the support of your body weight and glide the knife through the cheese, maintaining a smooth and steady motion.
If you're aiming for thin slices, you can also try using a cheese plane. Place the wheel of cheese on its shorter side and position the cheese plane at the top flat edge. Drag the plane slowly and firmly over the cheese to create paper-thin slices. You can also use a cheese wire or bow knife, which is designed to cut delicate soft cheeses without crushing them.
When cutting Swiss cheese, it's important to consider the texture of the cheese. If you're dealing with a semi-hard or hard cheese, you can cut width-wise for thinner slices. For a crumbly cheese, try cutting on a bias for a rustic chop. And if you're grating semi-hard Swiss cheese, placing it in the freezer for 30 minutes beforehand can make it easier to work with.
Remember, when it comes to simply enjoying a bite of cheese, the most important thing is that it tastes good! But if you're creating a cheese platter or aiming for aesthetically pleasing slices, using the right knife and technique for cutting Swiss cheese can make all the difference.
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Grating semi-hard Swiss cheese: briefly freeze semi-hard Swiss cheese before grating with a coarse grater
Grating semi-hard Swiss cheese is made easier by briefly freezing the cheese beforehand. After 30 minutes in the freezer, semi-hard Swiss cheese will have a consistency that is easier to grate. It is important to note that the cheese should not be left in the freezer for too long, as fully frozen cheese will be impossible to grate.
To grate the semi-hard Swiss cheese, use a coarse grater. Hold the grater over a piece of parchment paper to catch the grated cheese. This provides a safe, flat surface and avoids the need for a bowl or plate, which can be unstable and awkward. When grating, only grate in one direction, otherwise, the holes of the grater will become smeared in cheese.
If you are grating a small or medium-sized piece of cheese, a rotary cheese grater is a good option. These graters hold the cheese in the centre and use a crank handle to grate it, ensuring that all parts of the cheese are used, even small pieces that break off.
Swiss cheese is a semi-hard cheese that can be cut into thin sheets using a cheese plane. This cutting method is suitable for sandwiches or crackers. To cut thin sheets, place the block of cheese on its shorter side and position the cheese plane at the top flat edge. Drag the plane slowly and firmly over the cheese. For longer slices, place the block on its longer side.
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Cutting Swiss cheese into cubes: cut blocks of Swiss cheese into thin slices, then into rectangles and triangles
To cut Swiss cheese into cubes, start with a rectangular block of Swiss cheese. Place the block on its side and slice it into two equal halves. Then, cut each half into thin slices, about 1/8th of an inch thick. You can use a chef's knife or a wire cheese slicer for this step. Now you have rectangular slices of Swiss cheese.
Next, you will cut the rectangles into triangles. Take each slice and cut diagonally from corner to corner, creating two right-angle triangles. You can use the same knife or slicer for this step.
Finally, take the triangular slices and cut them into cubes. Cut each triangle into three or four strips, and then cut the strips into cubes. The exact thickness of your slices will determine how many strips you should cut to get a cube. The thinner the slices, the more strips you will need to cut to get a cube.
To get the perfect cube shape, it is recommended that you cut the cheese into thicker slices, about three-quarters of an inch thick. This will ensure that when you cut the triangles into cubes, you get perfect squares.
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Cutting Swiss cheese with a cheese plane: use a cheese plane for paper-thin slices of Swiss cheese
While Swiss cheese importers and natives confirm that cheese planes are not a common tool in Switzerland, it is still possible to cut Swiss cheese with a cheese plane. Cheese planes are basically handheld cheese graters that create paper-thin slices for crackers, rolls, or sandwiches. To cut Swiss cheese with a cheese plane, follow these steps:
- Place the block of Swiss cheese on its shorter side.
- Position the cheese plane at the top flat edge of the cheese.
- Drag the cheese plane slowly and firmly over the cheese.
- For longer slices, place the block of cheese on its longer side and repeat steps 2 and 3.
Cheese planes are commonly used in Norway and the Netherlands, not just for cheese but also for slivering asparagus, slicing cucumbers, and shaving chocolate. If you are looking to create paper-thin slices of Swiss cheese, a cheese plane is a great tool to achieve that.
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Cutting Swiss cheese for a platter: cut Swiss cheese into thin, wide slices to increase the surface area for flavour
To cut Swiss cheese for a platter, you'll want to cut thin, wide slices to increase the surface area and maximise the flavour. It's best to use a thin-bladed knife to avoid getting large chunks of cheese stuck to the knife. A cheese plane can also be used to create paper-thin slices.
First, decide how much cheese you want to cut. If you're making a cheese platter, you'll want to cut enough cheese to fill the board, but not so much that it looks overcrowded.
Next, cut the cheese into thin, wide slices. To do this, hold the knife at a 45-degree angle and apply pressure with the support of your body weight to cut through the cheese. You can also use a cheese plane to create paper-thin slices. Glide the cheese plane slowly and firmly over the cheese, starting at the top flat edge.
If you're using a block of Swiss cheese, cut it into eighth-inch-thick planks, and then cut those planks into smaller rectangles as needed. You can also cut the rectangular slices diagonally in half to create triangles.
If you're using a wheel of Swiss cheese, cut it into equal-sized wedges from the centre out to ensure that each piece includes a range of flavours and textures. Cut the wheel as you would a birthday cake, resting the tip of the knife in the centre of the wheel and moving the knife outwards to slice.
Finally, arrange the cheese slices on a platter, adding other cheeses, crackers, bread, or fruit as desired.
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Frequently asked questions
To cut Swiss cheese out on paper, you can use a craft knife to cut around a printed-out stencil. Alternatively, you could draw the shape of Swiss cheese onto paper and cut it out with scissors.
When cutting Swiss cheese, it is important to use a thin-bladed knife to avoid getting large chunks of cheese sticking to the knife. If you want to grate semi-hard Swiss cheese, place the cheese in the freezer for 30 minutes beforehand for a better consistency.
To cut a block of Swiss cheese, place the block on its shorter side and position your cheese plane at the top flat edge. Drag the plane slowly and firmly over the cheese to create paper-thin slices.
