LATVIAN CHEESE RECIPE!

LATVIAN CHEESE RECIPE!

Today I will show you how to make Janu Cheese - home-made traditional cheese. 

We usually have it for Līgo and Jāņi, it is one of the biggest Latvian celebrations. Celebrated on June 23 & 24, it is two days and a night of food, singing and dancing. 

Traditionally your house would be decorated with flowers, birch, oak, you have to have beer and cheese is made. The night is spent singing, eating, drinking, having a bonfire (and jumping over it to prevent evil spirits and illness) and looking for magical blossoms. 

You can either use store bought Jāņu siers (cheese) or make a home version. This recipe makes 2 cheeses, or you can make 1 large one.

Ingredients
1,5 lt of full fat milk
500 gr of cottage cheese
3 egg yolks
100 gr of unsalted butter
pinch of salt ( to your taste)
pinch of caraway seeds ( to your taste)
cumin ( pinch if you want, to get more yellow colour)

Directions

Step 1 : Pour the milk in a large saucepan and then add the cottage cheese. Heat the mixture on a medium heat stirring frequently.

Step 2: After 5-7 minutes the milk and cheese will separate, creating yellow-green whey. Mix that through and then sieve it over a large bowl.

Step 3: Once it is drained return the mixture to the saucepan. Make sure to keep a little bit of that liquid.

Step 4 : Turn the heat on low and add the butter, then egg yolks,, caraway seeds and salt and combine well. In the video I called caraway seeds - cumin, so ignore that! But you can also add cumin to get the yellower colour.

Step 5 : Heat the mixture for about 7 minutes while constantly stirring. It will become thicker and smoother.

Step 6 : Place the cheesecloth on the flat surface, add your cheese and go around and tighten the cheese. To "tie" the cheese pull the corners of the cloth together and spin them until you get a parcel of cheese. I used a hairband to tighten it.

Step 7 : Place your cheese outside in the cold space or in the fridge to harden. After enjoy your cheese and eat with bread, beer or its own :)

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Watch the video here:

Alla xox