Cheese Neuchatel: recipes and cooking at home

2024 Author: Arianna Cook | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:23

Review of Neuchatel cheese, production, composition and calorie content. Benefits for the body, restrictions when introduced into the diet. What dishes can be prepared from this variety, its history.

Neuchâtel is a soft cheese of France, or rather Normandy, made from cow's milk. Texture - soft, delicate, creamy; smell - sour, yeast, with a tinge of mold; taste - soft, salty-sweetish, with a mushroom note; color - milky white in the middle, straw and yellowish closer to the surface; the crust is natural, smooth, light, covered with a fluffy whitish moldy fluff. Different head shapes - heart, barrel, briquette, weight - from 100 to 600 g.

How is Neuchatel cheese made?

Neuchatel cheese is made seasonal - from April to November. This is explained by the fact that milk from cows grazing on pastures is used as a raw material. Meadow grasses give it a special taste.

To prepare 600 g of the final product, mix 4 liters of pasteurized milk with the same amount of heavy cream - over 25% fat. A complex of starter cultures - mesophilic culture and mold Penicillium camemberti or Penicillium candidum, for curdling - calf rennet. The preservative is coarse salt. Some cheese makers additionally add calcium chloride.

How Neuchâtel cheese is made:

The feedstock is heated to 27 ° C, calcium chloride is poured in, the starter complex is poured in.
Stir, add the diluted rennet, wait until the kale is formed. Stage duration - up to 20 hours. It is necessary to maintain a constant temperature at 20-23 ° C.
The serum that has risen to the surface is carefully drained. The curd curd is not cut or split. It is carefully, trying not to break, transferred to a sieve, the surface of which is covered with muslin or gauze, folded in 3-4 layers.
Tie the gauze in a knot and hang. Curd is made according to the same principle. It takes up to 10 hours to separate the whey, the mass should become dry at the edges.
The cheese mass, after removing the whey, is transferred to a dry cloth, placed in a saucepan and oppression is set. The weight of the cargo is 0.5-1 kg per 200-600 g of the final product.
The pot or container is covered with a lid and placed in a chamber or refrigerator. To prepare Neuchâtel cheese, as in the original recipe, you need to create a microclimate for pressing - 90% humidity and a temperature of 5-6 ° C.
After 12 hours, they switch to salting. The released liquid is drained, the cheese mass is mixed with salt, transferred to molds. Can be prepared immediately in the shape of a heart or made into briquettes.
A drainage mat is placed at the bottom of the pan, and prepared forms are placed on it. Close, put in a refrigerator for a day.
The next day, the hardened heads are transferred to a holding chamber. Temperature - 10 ° С, humidity - 90%. Turn the head over 2-3 times daily and remove moisture, both under the drainage mat and on the walls of the chamber.
After 7-10 days, a soft, light crust with mold will form. To stop the vital activity of the fungal culture, the cheese is wrapped in waxed paper and put back into the chambers.

At this stage, you can already taste what happened, but the taste has not yet been fully revealed. He's still very gentle. The desired piquancy can be obtained after aging for 10 weeks. Gourmets believe that the most delicious "cream" is if, when pressed into the center, softness is felt and the crust is pressed through.

Composition and calorie content of Neuchâtel cheese

The fat content of the product on dry matter is low - 20-33%. But this variety is made not only in France, but also in the USA. For the American version, this parameter can reach 63%.

The calorie content of Neuchatel cheese is 253 kcal per 100 g, of which:

Proteins - 9.2 g;
Fat - 22.8 g;
Carbohydrates - 3.6 g.

Vitamins per 100 g:

Retinol - 0.239 mg;
Beta Carotene - 0.027 mg;
Vitamin B1, thiamine - 0.022 mg;
Vitamin B2, riboflavin - 0.155 mg;
Vitamin B5, pantothenic acid - 0.575 mg;
Vitamin B6, pyridoxine - 0.041 mg;
Vitamin B9, folate - 14 mcg;
Vitamin B12, cobalamin - 0.3 mcg;
Vitamin E - 0.7 mg;
Vitamin K, phylloquinone - 1.7 mcg;
Vitamin PP - 0.21 mg.

Macronutrients per 100 g:

Potassium, K - 152 mg;
Calcium, Ca - 117 mg;
Magnesium, Mg - 10 mg;
Sodium, Na - 334 mg;
Phosphorus, P - 138 mg.

Microelements per 100 g:

Iron, Fe - 0.13 mg;
Manganese, Mn - 0.011 mg;
Copper, Cu - 27 μg;
Selenium, Se - 3 μg;
Zinc, Zn - 0.82 mg.

Leucine and lysine predominate among the essential amino acids in Neuchâtel cheese, while glutamic acid and proline prevail among the non-essential amino acids.

Carbohydrates per 100 g:

Starch and dextrins - 0.5 g;
Mono- and disaccharides (sugars) - 3.19 g;
Lactose - 3.19 g.

When introduced into the diet, an unusual complex of nutrients should be taken into account. For fermented milk products of this type, a relatively high content of milk sugar.

The consumption of 100 g of this variety replenishes the organic reserve of phosphorus by 17%, by 11.7% calcium, by 27% retinol and by 11.5% pantothenic acid.

Burning calories converted into energy after eating a 100g bite is easy enough. You need to run or jump for 1 hour, swing abs or ride a bike for 28 minutes, or have sex for 1 hour and 43 minutes.

Useful properties of Neuchatel cheese

The chemical composition of the product is rich: it contains a high amount of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, organic compounds. But the use of Neuchatel cheese is useful only when the recommended dosage is observed - no more than 60-80 g per day.

The work of the intestines improves, favorable conditions are created for the existence of lactobacilli. This increases the general immunity of the body and suppresses the vital activity of pathogenic microorganisms. The production of digestive enzymes and bile acids is stimulated. The digestion of food is accelerated, the development of putrefactive processes stops.

Due to the stimulation of the taste buds located on the mucous membrane of the tongue, more saliva is secreted. This prevents the development of caries, periodontal disease and gingivitis, stops the introduction of viruses and bacteria from the outside, and suppresses the activity of the fungal flora.

Due to the assimilation of the complex of calcium and phosphorus, the skeletal system becomes stronger, the development of osteochondrosis stops and osteoporosis is prevented, and the work of the hematopoietic system improves. When administered 3-5 times in the daytime menu in the morning, the general tone and blood clotting increase, you can forget about the "jumps" in blood pressure. Precious moisture remains in the body, and age-related changes recede.

Contraindications and harm of Neuchâtel cheese

Despite the fact that the raw material is pasteurized milk, the microbiological hazard remains due to the content of white mold. An overdose can provoke dysbiosis, intestinal disorders, and negatively affect the general immunity. You should not get acquainted with a new taste if you have a history of bronchial asthma, a tendency to allergic reactions, exacerbation of dermatitis. Penicillin does not function as an antibiotic, but with a decrease in the body's defenses, it inhibits the activity of the intestinal flora.

Eating cheese Neuchatel can cause harm in obese people with exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis, peptic ulcer, biliary dyskinesia. You should temporarily abandon the tasty product for inflammatory processes of the kidneys, limit the daily portion for gout, a tendency to edema or with bouts of increased pressure.

This variety cannot be introduced into the daily menu if you need to recover from infectious diseases and abdominal surgeries.

Neuchatel cheese recipes

When tasting, the pieces are served with a crust. Despite the white mold that covers it, everything is edible. But the crust can be cut off - this action does not shock anyone.

Many recipes have been developed, the ingredient of which is this variety. But it is also served on its own, with fruit or red wines - for example, with cold cider, Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône.

Neuchatel cheese recipes:

Cheese cream … Ideal for a sweet, energizing breakfast. Mix the pasty delicate Neuchâtel, 90 g, with 1.5 tsp. liquid honey and 2/3 tsp. orange peel. After the toasts have been greased, you can put strawberries, apples, grapes cut into thin slices.
Shortcrust Tuna Pie … Knead the dough. Melt half a pack of butter, mix with flour - whatever it takes, drive in an egg yolk, add some salt and add a little water. As soon as the batch stops sticking to the hands, it is wrapped in plastic wrap and allowed to "rest" in the refrigerator for 30-40 minutes. Beat 4 eggs in a deep bowl, knead 300 g of canned tuna in their own juice in the same place, after having drained the liquid. Tomatoes, 600-700 g, are peeled from thin skin by immersing in boiling water for 2 minutes. Cut, press down to remove juice, dry on a grill or baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 200 ° C. The mold is greased with sunflower oil, a layer of dough is laid out, high sides are formed. Lay out tomatoes, pieces of cheese, tuna stuffing. You can make a lattice of dough and form the sides. Bake for 30-40 minutes. 10 minutes before cooking, sprinkle the surface with Neuchâtel cheese. Garnish - green salad with cherry tomatoes, seasoned with balsamic vinegar and hazelnut or hazelnut oil.
Gratin 3 cheese … Knead the dumpling dough. It should be soft, slightly thicker than when the pancakes are cooked. Mix flour with a little salt, drive in an egg, add a little water. Boil the dumplings until tender in boiling salted water and discard in a colander. Turn on the oven regulator up to 180 ° C. In a hot frying pan, which can later be used as a baking dish, bacon is fried, 150 g, to melt the fat, add boiled dumplings, stir to make a golden brown crust. Pour in 100-150 g of different types of cheeses - Neuchatel, Mozzarella and Gruyere, pour heavy cream, half a glass. Bake until golden brown. Serve hot.
Cheese with jelly … Prepare the oven - temperature 180 ° C. A heart-shaped head, along with a fluffy crust, is cut, the holes are filled with dried fruits - of your choice, after cutting into small pieces. You can mix the fruits with crushed almonds. A grid of red marmalade is applied on top. Bake until the cheese starts to spread and the edges are browned.
Pear dessert … First, a complex filling is prepared. 3-4 tbsp. l. Neuchatel without a crust is mixed with 1, 5 tbsp. l. honey, 2 chopped dry figs and a few seedless chili rings. Season with thyme, rosemary and lemon juice, pour in 1 tbsp. l. brandy and mix everything. The cores are cut from large pears, sprinkled with lemon juice, baked at 180 ° C until half cooked and filled with the prepared mixture. Place it back in the oven and leave until the fruit is tender and the cheese is melted. You cannot leave pears in the oven for a long time - otherwise they will crumble.

See also recipes with Weisslacker cheese.

Interesting facts about Neuchatel cheese

This is one of the oldest varieties of fermented milk products, which began to be made in Normandy as early as 1050. This is documented. One of the monks accompanying the English soldiers during the Hundred Years War described how the girls presented heads made in the shape of hearts as a sign of love. Interestingly, the monks interpreted the shape of the heart as an "angel's wing" and called this cheese "Angelot". But this name was given to a different variety.

Already at that time, Neuchâtel cheese was produced not only in this form. The following options could be purchased:

Carre - square in shape, the easiest to prepare. Weighing 100 g. They were made for their own needs. Sizes - 6, 5x6, 5x2, 4 cm.
Briquette - literally translated as "briquette", but in fact, they are designed as a pole, 4.5 cm in diameter and 6.5 cm in length, with the same weight.
Bondard is a double barrel, with a height of 8 cm and a diameter of 5.8 cm. It weighs 200 g. They also make “barrels” in 2 times less.

But the most popular hearts are still single and double. These are the largest heads of the delicacy - 200 and 600 g each.

In the reports of the Abbey of Saint Amanda, located in Rouen, cheese is mentioned as one of the foods that the monks had to eat. During this time, the number of farmers making it increased. At that time, Louis XIV thought about increasing the number of livestock, and for this it was necessary to expand the area of land for grazing. In Rouen, swamps were drained and Norman cows were raised, which made it possible to produce many types of cheese. Since the 17th century, the variety began to be supplied first to Paris and Rouen, and then for export - not only to the countries bordering on France, but also to the United Kingdom.

Norman cheese making was encouraged until World War II. And the increase in production was stimulated by Napoleon III. Having received a basket filled with Norman cheeses as a gift, he singled out this particular variety.

In 1880, the cheese had already received not only the recognition of the French, but also the quality mark. This is entirely the merit of the farmer and cheese maker Isidore Lefebvre, who built a cheese factory in the village of Neuchâtel-en-Bre. He not only made cheese from milk himself, but bought ready-made cottage cheese from neighboring farms, thereby increasing production. By the way, he was the first to offer a label.

The manufacturing technology was patented only in 1957, and the variety received protection by origin in 1969. Later, large food factories were taken over by private cheese farms. However, private farms did not abandon Neuchâtel. In 2006, it was produced by 23 farmers and 4 dairies. It is very important to purchase raw materials from a local manufacturer. When studying the composition of milk, it was found that it contains an increased amount of milk protein.

Now Neuchâtel is made not only in Upper Normandy, but also in the USA. True, the recipe was slightly changed. The Chester milkman, who lives in New York, began making cheese in 1972, to which he added cream. In this connection, the fat content increased to 63%, and the consistency became even more tender. The new cream cheese is as popular as the French one.