Frederic Melton
Havarti is a semi-soft cheese made from cow's milk. It is a staple foodstuff in Denmark, where its production began in 1921. The cheese is known for its mild flavour and smooth, creamy texture, which makes it ideal for melting. Havarti is made with rennet, a crucial ingredient that curdles the milk. The addition of rennet gives Havarti its characteristic texture and slightly sweet taste. Making Havarti at home is a relatively simple process, and it is often recommended as a beginner cheese for those new to cheesemaking.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheese type | Semi-soft |
| Milk type | Cow's milk |
| Rennet | Yes |
| Manufacturing | Add rennet to curdle the milk |
| Ageing | 2-4 weeks |
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What You'll Learn
Havarti is a semi-soft cheese made from cow's milk
Havarti is a mild, semi-soft cheese with a smooth, creamy texture and a buttery, slightly sweet flavour. It melts well, making it a great addition to grilled sandwiches and burgers. It can also be sliced, grilled, or used in sweet and savoury dishes, such as omelettes, scrambled eggs, and soufflés. When served as part of a cheeseboard, thin slices of Havarti are recommended, and it pairs well with fresh fruits, honey, crackers, and cured meats. In terms of wine pairings, Havarti goes well with most red wines, such as Zinfandel, Shiraz, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon, and white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling.
Havarti is typically made with cow's milk, although some recipes suggest using pasteurized milk and adding calcium chloride before the rennet. The process of making Havarti involves warming the milk to a specific temperature, adding a mesophilic culture or clabber, and then adding diluted rennet. The mixture is then cut into cubes, and the curds are stirred to prevent them from matting together. The curds are then cooked, pressed, and salted, and the cheese is aged for at least two months.
Havarti is a versatile and delicious cheese that can be enjoyed in a variety of dishes or on its own. Its mild flavour and creamy texture make it a popular choice for cheese lovers around the world.
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Rennet is added to curdle the milk
Havarti is a semi-soft cheese traditionally made from cow's milk with the addition of rennet to curdle the milk. It is recognizable by its smooth, pale yellow appearance, dotted with tiny holes. The process of making Havarti cheese involves adding rennet to the milk to initiate the curdling process. Rennet is a crucial ingredient in cheesemaking, and it plays a vital role in transforming milk into cheese.
To make Havarti cheese, start by warming milk to around 86-90°F (30-32°C). Then, add a mesophilic culture or clabber and stir it into the milk. Next, dilute rennet in cool water and add it to the milk mixture, stirring with an up-and-down motion. Leave the mixture to rest for 30 minutes to an hour, allowing the rennet to curdle the milk and form a solid mass.
After the curdling process, cut the curds into small cubes and let them rest. Then, remove the whey and add warm water and salt to create a brine solution. This step helps to wash and cook the curds, preparing them for the next stage. The curds are then formed into a cheese wheel, pressed, and submerged in a brine solution for several hours, depending on the weight of the cheese.
The addition of rennet to curdle the milk is a crucial step in the cheesemaking process, and it specifically contributes to the formation of Havarti's signature smooth, pale yellow appearance with tiny holes. The curdling process helps to solidify the milk, creating the foundation for the cheese's texture and structure. Without rennet, Havarti cheese would not develop its characteristic semi-soft consistency and creamy mouthfeel.
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It's a mild cheese, great for beginners
Havarti is a semi-soft cow's milk cheese from Denmark. It is a mild, sweet, and subtly nutty cheese with a smooth and buttery texture. It is also rindless and dotted with tiny holes called "eyes". Its mellow flavour makes it a great "beginner" cheese, and it is versatile in the kitchen. It can be sliced, grilled, melted, or cubed and eaten as a snack. It is also a good cheese to include on a charcuterie board, pairing well with beer, wine, and both savoury and sweet dishes. It is an excellent melting cheese, making it perfect for grilled cheese sandwiches, mac and cheese, and panini sandwiches. It can also be used to make a cheese sauce that pairs well with grilled chicken and vegetables.
Havarti is one of twelve cheeses registered in the Codex Alimentarius as of 2019. It is a staple foodstuff in Denmark and was previously called "Danish Tilsiter", after the German cheese type Tilsiter. In 2019, the EU granted exclusive Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) rights to Denmark, meaning it can now only be produced from Danish milk and at approved dairies to be sold in the EU and countries with which it has signed a trade agreement.
Havarti is a great beginner cheese for anyone to make at home. It only takes four weeks to age, and you can use pasteurized milk, adding calcium chloride before the rennet. It is recommended that you sterilize all of your equipment before cheesemaking. You can warm the milk to 90F, turn off the heat, and sprinkle Mesophilic Culture over the surface, letting it stand for 5 minutes to rehydrate. Then, combine the culture into the milk using an up-and-down motion. If you are using clabber instead of mesophilic culture, gently whisk it into the milk to combine. Dilute the rennet in 1/4 cup of cool water and combine using the same up-and-down motion. Put the lid on the pot and leave it for 30 minutes to an hour. At the 30-minute mark, check for a clean break. Once you have achieved a clean break, cut the curds into 1/2-inch cubes, and let the curds rest between sets of cuts.
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It's a Danish cheese, named after Havartigården near Holte
Havarti is a semi-soft cheese made from cow's milk with the addition of rennet to curdle the milk. It is a staple foodstuff in Denmark, where it was first produced in 1921. In 1952, the cheese was named Havarti after Havartigården near Holte, where the Danish cheese pioneer Hanne Nielsen worked in the 19th century. Some sources claim that Nielsen invented Havarti cheese, while others state that the current Havarti is not based on her cheesemaking.
The cheese has a smooth, pale yellow appearance, dotted with tiny holes. It is rindless and has a creamy texture, making it excellent for melting. It has a buttery and slightly sweet flavour. Havarti is usually aged for around three months, which is considered when the taste is at its best. However, it can be aged for as little as two months or as long as ten to fourteen weeks.
Havarti is a versatile cheese that can be sliced, grilled, or melted. It can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes. It pairs well with grilled chicken and vegetables, and its creaminess allows it to stand up to spice. It is also a good choice for a cheese board, pairing well with fresh fruits, honey, crackers, and cured meats. When serving Havarti on a cheese board, it is recommended to slice it thinly so that guests can enjoy its fantastic texture.
In terms of wine pairings, the smooth, creamy flavour of Havarti goes well with most red wines. It can stand up to the high alcohol flavours of Zinfandel or Shiraz, but it is also subtle enough to enjoy with a soft Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. For white wine, a Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling is recommended, as the fruity flavours will complement the butteriness of the cheese.
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It's best served melted, sliced, or grilled
Havarti is a semi-soft Danish cow's milk cheese. It is rindless, with a smooth surface and a cream or yellow colour. It is a great melting cheese, making it perfect for grilled cheese sandwiches. It has a buttery taste and is mildly sweet, which contrasts well with the subtle sourness of sourdough bread.
To make a grilled cheese sandwich with Havarti, you will need:
- Sourdough bread
- Butter
- Havarti cheese
First, butter one side of each slice of bread. Then, place the slices buttered-side down and add the cheese to the non-buttered side. Close the sandwich and place it in a hot pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Serve hot.
Havarti can also be used in recipes with chillies or horseradish, as its creaminess stands up well to spice. It pairs well with fresh fruits, honey, cured meats, and most red wines.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Havarti is a semi-soft cheese traditionally made from cow’s milk with the addition of rennet to curdle the milk.
Havarti is a semi-soft Danish cow's milk cheese. It is rindless, with a smooth surface and a cream or yellow colour.
To make Havarti cheese, you need to warm milk to 90F, sprinkle Mesophilic Culture over the surface, and let it stand for 5 minutes. Then, dilute rennet in 1/4 cup of cool water and combine using an up-and-down motion. Put the lid on and leave for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Havarti cheese is made from cow's milk with the addition of rennet to curdle the milk.
There are many substitutes for Havarti cheese, including: Monterey Jack, Colby, Fontina, Gouda, Edam, and Muenster.
