Havarti cheese is a semi-soft Danish cheese having a mild flavor. It is a washed-curd cheese, known for having a buttery taste with an essence of nutmeg. Havarti is a modern Danish variation of the classic German tilsiter-style cheese. As you can see from the process, this is an involved cheese making process.
Ingredients
- 2 gals Whole milk – not ultra pasteurized
- 128 oz hot water – at 130 F
- Either
- 1 tsp Mesophilic starter or
- 4 oz Cultured Buttermilk, or
- 4 oz Cultured Yogurt
- 0.5 tsp Rennent
- 2 oz Distilled water
- Cheese salt – or non-iodized salt like Kosher salt
Process
- Heat milk slowly over low heat to 70 F.
- Turn off heat and add cultures
- Stir 1 min with a whisk using an up and down motion.
- Cover and maintain the 70F temperature for 45 mins.
- Raise temp to 86 F and dilute rennet in distilled water
- Pour the diluted rennet into the cultured milk using a slotted spoon.
- Stir 1 min with a whisk using an up and down motion.
- Allow to rest covered for 40 mins at 86 F. There will be a clean cut between curds and whey.
- Cut the curds into 1/2″ cubes using a long knife. Gently stir for 10 mins, then let rest 5 mins covered.
- Ladle out 1/3rd of the whey, then add 3 cups water at 130 F.
- Gently increase pot temp to 94 F, (may not need to increase heat), then add 3 more cups of hot water at 130 F.
- Stir 5 mins and add 2 more cups of hot water.
- Add salt and stir.
- Keep adding 130 F water as needed to maintain curds at 97 F, constantly stirring for 20 mins.
- Ladle off enough whey to expose the curds.
- Line an 8″ mold with cheese cloth (doubled or tripled), and gently scoop the curds into the mold.
- Press with 8 lbs of pressure for 30 mins.
- Flip cheese and press with 8 lbs of pressure for 30 mins.
- Repeat step 18 for three hours.
- Leave cheese in mold for 3 hours with no pressure.
- Place cheese in frig overnight.
You can eat the cheese now as a young Havarti, or age 1 month in a cheese brine.
