Features of Boulet de Cambre cheese, recipe for making. Energy value and vitamin and mineral composition, impact on the human body. How this variety is eaten, the history of the variety.
Boulet de Cambre is a farm-made French cheese that matures no more than 5 days. Raw cow's milk or buttermilk is used as feedstock. It is made in the form of small balls or cones with a base diameter of 8-10 cm and a height of up to 10 cm, weight is 200-300 g. Color - cream, with brown or greenish blotches due to spices, texture - soft, moist; the aroma depends on the flavoring agents used; taste - spicy, tangy, herbaceous. There is no crust, the surface is soft, pressing in when pressed. It is eaten only fresh - with prolonged maturation it becomes bitter.
How is Boulet de Cambre cheese made?
Raw cow's milk or its mixture with buttermilk, skim milk remaining from the preparation of butter, is used as a raw material. The Boulet de Cambre cheese is prepared according to almost the same recipe as the more common and popular Boulet de Aven, changing several processes. For example, they are content only with mesophilic starter culture and do not introduce fungal cultures.
The milk is heated to 32 ° C, bacteria in the form of a powder are poured onto the surface, allowed to soak and left for 1-2 hours under a lid to process lactic acid. Remove from heat or turn off heating and pour in buttermilk for coagulation. To speed up the process when preparing a large batch, liquid rennet is added. The duration of curdling depends on how cool the feedstock is.
If the temperature drops to 21 ° C, curdling will take 28-34 hours, if the contents of the boiler are periodically warmed up to 24 ° C, a dense clot forms during the day. Despite the fact that the method of making cream cheeses is chosen as the base one, Boulet de Cambre is not made as in the classic recipe - they do not cut or grind the cheese grains. Use a slotted spoon to turn the curd layer, splitting it so that an abundant separation of the whey begins.
The same tool is used to transfer the cheese mass to the drainage table so that the liquid moves away and the cottage cheese dries up a little. Then it is mixed with salt and food additives - tarragon, finely chopped green onions, tarragon, parsley, that is, fresh herbs.
Then heads are formed in the form of small cones or balls and left at room temperature, periodically turning over until the crust is completely dry, but when pressed on the surface, the liquid will separate. Do not forget - the moisture content of the finished heads is 77%. When dry, the texture will crack.
The product can be tasted immediately after drying on a drainage mat, but often the heads are placed in a ripening chamber with high humidity (90-95%) and a temperature of 12 ° C. Farmers neglect special installations and use cellars to store this variety. The maximum aging time is 5 days.
The Boulet de Cambre cheese is specially made in the form of small heads, since it will have to be eaten within 3 days, otherwise the fresh grass will provoke the beginning of secondary fermentation, and the taste will change - it will start to taste bitter. If the product deteriorates, it must be disposed of.
Composition and calorie content of Boulet de Cambre cheese
This is an absolutely natural product, in the manufacture of which only raw cow's milk, standard mesophilic starter cultures, rennet or buttermilk, and fresh herbs are used. Fat content on dry matter - 28-35%.
The calorie content of Boulet de Cambre cheese is 228-286 kcal per 100 g, of which
- Proteins - 21-23 g;
- Fat - 25-28 g;
- Carbohydrates - 0.5 g.
Vitamins A and E predominate in the vitamin composition. It should be noted that there is a high amount of B vitamins, which are necessary for the implementation of metabolic processes and the normalization of the function of the nervous system:
- B1 - thiamine, which maintains youth;
- B2 - riboflavin, “responsible” for visual function;
- B3 - niacin, which lowers the level of bad cholesterol;
- B5 - pantothenic acid, which accelerates the regeneration of the epithelium;
- B6 - pyridoxine, which normalizes blood pressure;
- B12 - cobalamin, which increases tone.
Minerals are represented by calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc. Do not forget about sodium, the amount of which is due to the manufacturing method - mixing the curd mass with dry salt. For 100 g of product - up to 680 mg of sodium.
The composition of the Boulet de Cambre cheese contains fresh herbs, so you should also take into account the substances that appear thanks to such useful flavors:
- Ascorbic acid, which supports immunity;
- Phylloquinone, vitamin K, which increases blood clotting;
- Biotin, vitamin H, which distributes carbon dioxide through the vessels.
In addition, plant components play the role of dietary fiber, which has a positive effect on the human body.
Note! The recommended daily dosage of Boulet de Cambre cheese is 80 g.
Benefits of Boulet de Cambre cheese
The main value of this variety is to increase the tone of the body. Breakfast with such a product helps to wake up quickly, restores energy reserves, accelerates blood supply, and increases blood pressure.
Benefits of Boulet de Cambre cheese
- Has a beneficial effect on the flora colonizing the small intestine. Normalizes the balance between beneficial and opportunistic bacteria, increases the content of lacto- and bifidobacteria. This effect increases the body's defenses, improves digestion, and accelerates the passage of feces. In addition, this variety contains herbs, which, in turn, increase immunity.
- It has an antioxidant and detoxifying effect, inhibits the development of pathogenic bacteria and fungi.
- Stimulates the work of organs that produce digestive enzymes - pancreas, stomach, gallbladder.
- Increases blood clotting.
- Replenishes calcium reserves, strengthens bones and teeth.
- Prevents the development of inflammatory processes on the mucous membranes and improves the condition of the skin, reduces the frequency of exacerbations of chronic dermatological diseases and prevents the development of new ones.
It is necessary to dwell separately on the influence of the Boulet de Cambre cheese on the nervous system. The pungent spicy taste stimulates the taste buds located in the mouth, and they transmit an impulse to the central nervous system. The pleasure received stimulates the production of serotonin, the hormone of happiness, which has a positive effect on overall well-being. The mood rises, irritating factors from the outside are more easily perceived. It is easier to recover from acute stress and endure unpleasant situations. It becomes easier to fall asleep, nightmares do not torment - accordingly, performance improves.
Due to the relatively low energy content of Boulet de Cambre cheese, this product can be added to a slimming diet. It provides long-term satiety, allows you to do without snacks before lunch. The likelihood of a breakdown of a low-calorie diet is reduced.
Read more about the benefits of Mascarpone cheese
Contraindications and harm to cheese Boulet de Cambre
This variety has a high microbiological hazard. This is explained by the manufacturing technology. The raw material is cow's milk, which is not pasteurized - it is not heated above 32 ° C. If farmers are not responsible enough to keep animals, they do not vaccinate on time, without stopping the collection of raw materials for cheese, they inject antibiotics, the use of the product can provoke infection with tuberculosis or the development of allergic reactions.
Damage from Boulet de Cambre cheese can occur if stored improperly. Even if it is short-term, but this is enough to activate Listeria or Salmonella, both those that are in milk and those introduced from the outside.
It is necessary to discard this product during pregnancy and lactation. You should not introduce it into the diet of children under 12 years old and people with reduced immunity.
It is recommended to limit or temporarily exclude Boulet de Cambre cheese from the diet
- with diseases of the stomach and intestines, both acute and chronic, and with a tendency to diarrhea - due to a laxative effect;
- with urolithiasis or gallstone disease - so as not to provoke colic;
- with kidney diseases - due to increased salinity, the function of urination is impaired, edema occurs;
- with hypertension, a hypertensive crisis may occur;
- with varicose veins - as the viscosity of the blood increases, the likelihood of blood clots increases.
Absolute contraindications for use are intolerance to milk protein or herbal supplements. If you are prone to an allergic reaction, when purchasing cheese, you should clarify which herbs are included in the product, so as not to provoke a deterioration in the condition.
Recipes with cheese Boulet de Cambre
This variety is not served on a cheese platter. It is eaten by itself, with freshly baked bread and crackers, sweet fruits and salads. Wash down with Beaujolais, homemade wheat moonshine and Burgundy.
It is not used as an ingredient in hot dishes and is rarely used in salads. Do not look in cookbooks for recipes with Boulet de Cambre cheese. But in the home kitchen, it can be baked for frying, or you can make a variety of sandwiches with it in a variety of flavors.
Cheese balls from Boulet de Cambre are usually eaten for breakfast. Boil rice so that it does not boil over. Beat eggs with salt and a little sour cream, stir in cheese and a little flour. Combine with rice, add seasonings - pepper, nutmeg. Small balls are formed and then deep-fried. The dish is served hot.
Types of sandwiches with soft Boulet de Cambre cheese:
- With tomatoes … The seasoned cheese is chopped, crushed garlic and a small amount of mayonnaise or sour cream are added. Lubricate pieces of baguette, spread a circle of tomato on top and bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes at 180 ° C or in the microwave at 800 watts.
- With lemons … To add energy to your breakfast, you can mix creamy Boulette de Cambre with a little oil, but you can also do without it. Eggs are boiled hard-boiled and cooled and also added to the spread, achieving a homogeneous pasty consistency. It is applied in a not very thick layer on rye bread, and on top is spread over a slice of lemon without a crust. You can sprinkle with herbs - to taste.
- With vegetables and anchovies … The onions are marinated in wine or apple cider vinegar, diluted 2/3 with boiled water. Cut the eggplants into pieces across, add some salt and leave to lie down for 15 minutes. This is necessary to remove the bitterness - there is enough of it in the cheese. Vegetables are baked in the oven on a baking sheet covered with parchment, or on the grill. Freshly baked soft bread is smeared with cheese, and a slice of eggplant and fresh tomato, 1-2 rings of pickled onions and a slice of canned anchovy are placed on top. Cover with a second slice of bread, oiled side. These homemade burgers are a hearty addition to any picnic.
See also recipes with Schabziger cheese.
Interesting facts about Boulet de Cambre cheese
The recipe for this variety has been known since the 12th century. It was "developed" by the women of the small town of Cambrai, located in the north of France, the region of Haute-de-France. Better and more mature cheeses were taken away as taxes, and a product was needed that was used only for their own needs. It was he who became Boulette de Cambre. Since it is required to eat it no later than 3 days after getting out of the cellar, cheese was of no interest as a commodity-monetary unit.
In the Middle Ages, the waste of the oil mill was used as a raw material - buttermilk, whey after the preparation of the more expensive and popular Marual, a mixture of several milk yields, fermented in a natural way, and pasteurized milk. It is this composition that explains the variety of additives that improve taste.
It is unlikely that this variety will ever receive a protected name. Even one farmer cannot find 2 heads with the same taste, because additional components are introduced by eye. In addition, all processes, including mixing, are carried out manually. However, Boulet de Cambre cheese is popular with the locals. In the Middle Ages, this valuable and tasty food product was the only source of animal protein, and now it is a pleasant addition to the diet and an opportunity to replenish the vitamin and mineral organic reserve.
