Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (2024)

Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (1)

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Havarti has a buttery aroma, somewhat sharper in the stronger varieties, much like swiss cheese. The taste is buttery, from sweet to very sweet, and is slightly acidulous. It is typically aged three months, if aged longer the cheese becomes saltier and tastes like hazelnut. When left at room temperature the cheese tends to soften quickly.

  • Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (2)

    Yield

    4 Pounds

  • Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (3)

    Aging Time

    ~3 Months

  • Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (4)

    Skill Level

    Intermediate

  • Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (5)

    Author

    Jim Wallace

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 4 Gallons of Milk (Not UltraPasteurized)
  • 1 Packet C101 Mesophilic Culture
  • 2.8 ml Single Strength Liquid Rennet
  • Salt
  • Calcium Chloride (for pasteurized milk)
  • Dill or Other Herbs (optional)
Equipment

  • Good Thermometer
  • Knife to Cut Curds
  • Spoon or ladle to Stir Curds
  • Large Colander
  • Butter Muslin
  • M19 Large Tomme Mold
  • 8 & 16 lbs Weights
  • Draining Mat

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Instructions

  • Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (8)

    Heat & Acidify Milk

    Heat four gallons of milk to 86F in a water bath, or stovetop. Add 1packs C101 culture and let the milk ripen for 45 minutes.

  • Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (9)

    Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (10)

    Coagulate with Rennet

    Add 2.8 ml single strength liquid rennet diluted in 1/4 cup cool water, stir in gently for 1 minute. Let rest undisturbed for about a 36 minutes.

  • Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (11)

    Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (12)

    Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (13)

    Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (14)

    Cut Curds to Release Whey

    Check for curd a proper firmness. To do this, insert a knife with the blade sideways and gently pull upwards, if the curd splits it's ready to be cut.

    Once the curds is ready, cut it into 3/8" cubes. Do this by making a checkerboard patter with a curd knife, then insert a ladle, or very loose wisk, to make horizontal cuts.

    After cutting, let the curds rest for 3-5 minutes.

  • Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (15)

    Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (16)

    Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (17)

    Cook & Scald Curds

    Gently Stir the curds for 15 minutes

    After initial stir, remove 1/3 of the whey from the pot then stir for another 15 minutes

    Next, add 15-25% (total milk volume) of hot water at 130¡F over 10 min.

    The temperature of the curds should reach 95-100¡F, depending on the final moisture content desired.

    Add 1 oz of salt and stir curd for another 15-30 minutes.

  • Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (18)

    Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (19)

    Drain Curd & Add Herbs

    Drain the curds by transfering them into a large colander lined with buttermuslin.

    Once drained, add herbs to the curd and mix well, be sure to keep the curds broken up while mixing.

  • Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (20)

    Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (21)

    Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (22)

    Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (23)

    Form & Press Curds

    Transfer drained curds into a cloth lined cheese mold and add 8 lbs of weight for 15-20 minutes. Turn the cheese and rewrap it. Then, increase the weight to 16 lbs for the next 2 hours. Turn and rewrap the cheese every 30 minutes.

  • Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (24)

    Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (25)

    Soak Pressed Cheese

    After pressing, the cheese cloth can be removed. Place the cheese back into the cheese mold and submerge it in a pot or bowl of 65¡F water overnight.

    Before the overnight soak the pH should be 6.0-5.8, after the soak, the final pH sould be 5.2.

  • Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (26)

    Salting

    You will need a saturated brine prepared for salting this cheese, find all of the details you need on brining here.

    A simple brine formula is:

    • 1 gallon of water
    • 2.25 lbs of salt
    • 1 Tbs calcium chloride
    • 1 tsp white vinegar
    • Bring the brine and cheese to 50-55¡F before using.

    Unmolded the cheese and tranfer it into to a saturated brine for 5-6 hours. Sprinkle the top surface with salt and flip the cheese half way through to brine evenly.

    After brining, place the cheese on a draining mat and allow the surface to dry for 1-3 days.

  • Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (27)

    Aging

    The cheese is now ready to age. While aging, turn the cheese daily and wipe down with a light brine (1 tsp salt in a quart of water) every 2-3 days.

    Keep temperature 59¡F with a relitave humidity of 90% for 5 weeks (young cheese) or 10-14 weeks (mature cheese).

    After the initial aging, bring the temperature down to 54¡F with a relitave humidity of 80% for one week.

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Havarti Cheese Making Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What kind of milk is Havarti cheese made from? ›

What is havarti? Havarti is a semi-soft, Danish-style cheese made from cow's milk and can be easily sliced, grilled or melted. Havarti has a smooth surface, a creamy texture and a sweet, buttery flavor.

How long do you age Havarti cheese? ›

It's typically a pretty short aging process—around three months. This ensures the signature creaminess and mild flavor. However, some varieties are aged a year or more. This causes the cheese to develop a firmer texture, slightly saltier taste, and often a distinct nuttiness reminiscent of hazelnuts.

What cheese is closest to Havarti? ›

The following cheeses are among the best substitutes for Havarti: Gouda: Offers a similar texture and a slightly sweet, nutty flavor. Tilsit: Known for its creamy and somewhat fruity taste.

What is Havarti cheese best used for? ›

Havarti is a table cheese that is suitable for slicing, grilling, or melting. When left at room temperature the cheese tends to soften quickly so it is great on a cheeseboard alongside hard cheeses. It is delicious melted into pasta dishes including macaroni cheese or incorporated into a grilled cheese sandwich.

What is the difference between Gouda and Havarti? ›

Havarti has a buttery and gentle creamy taste, is semi-soft and has a mellow aroma. It adds the perfect touch to a wide variety of foods, especially when melted to sublime perfection in a grilled cheese sandwich. Gouda has a rich, buttery and slightly sweet flavor and a smooth, creamy texture.

What gives Havarti cheese its flavor? ›

Made from the milk of Danish cows, this cheese ages with grace and develops stronger tones of hazelnut over time. Havarti is beaming with personality – a Danish delicacy in every sense.

What is another name for Havarti? ›

Havarti was previously called "Danish Tilsiter" after the German cheese type tilsiter. Danish production began 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.

Why is Havarti cheese so good? ›

A rare luxury in the United States, Havarti is an interior-ripened cheese with a very creamy texture and, not surprisingly, a creamy, buttery flavor. It has a smooth surface with no rind and a springy, elastic, semi-firm texture which makes it ideal for slicing.

Why is it called Havarti? ›

Native to Denmark, Havarti was invented in the mid-1800's by Hanne Nielsen, who named it after her farm, Havartigaard. This pressed uncooked cow's milk cheese quickly rose to prominence and became a staple in Danish cuisine.

What is a fun fact about Havarti cheese? ›

Havarti was previously called "Danish Tilsiter" after the German cheese type tilsiter. Danish production began 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.

What meat goes best with Havarti? ›

Soppressata, a dry salami, can be made with both pork or beef. Whichever kind you choose, you can't go wrong pairing it with havarti, a creamy, semi-soft cheese. Havarti's supple, buttery taste allows the herbs and spices in the soppressata to shine through while drawing out the nutty, earthy notes of the cheese.

Can you freeze Havarti cheese? ›

If you are planning to use your cheese for cooking purposes, Cheddar, Havarti and Gouda are great at handling storage at freezing temperatures.

Is all Havarti cheese lactose free? ›

Havarti has a low to non-detectable level of lactose, making it a great choice for lactose-intolerant people. It's mild in flavor, similar to jack cheese, and goes great on a sandwich or melted on an omelet.

What is the difference between Havarti and Swiss cheese? ›

The “original” Havarti is very similar to Swiss cheese in flavor and texture–but also, in that it is typically aged around 3 months. Creamy Havarti cannot be ripened for very long because the whey protein doesn't age very well.

What is the white powder on Havarti cheese? ›

It's likely that the white substance on the outside of your cheese is calcium lactate. Calcium lactate is common in aged cheese.

References

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