Cheese Crowns Recipes

HOMEMADE CHEESE CURDS

Steps:

• Pour milk into a sterilized pot. Place pot into a larger pot filled with a few inches of water. Heat milk, stirring occasionally, to 90 degrees F (32 degrees C). Remove from heat.
• Dissolve calcium chloride in 1/4 cup water; stir into the milk. Sprinkle mesophilic culture over the surface of the milk. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir gently for 1 minute. Cover and let culture ripen for 35 minutes.
• Dilute rennet with 1/4 cup water. Stir rennet into the milk mixture for exactly 1 minute. Cover again and let sit until a knife can cut cleanly through the curd, about 45 minutes. Cut curd into 1/2- to 1-inch cubes directly in the pot. Let sit for 5 minutes.
• Cover curds and heat, stirring every 10 minutes, to 98 degrees F (37 degrees C), about 90 minutes. Squeeze curds together to check if they stick. Drain curds and transfer to a cheesecloth-lined strainer set inside a pot.
• Pour enough whey over the curds to reach about 3 inches at the bottom of the pot. Let drain for about 1 minute. Cover with cheesecloth and the pot lid. Heat the whey below to keep curds between 112 and 115 degrees F (44 and 46 degrees C); let drain for 10 minutes. Curds will stick together to form a slab. Cut slab in half, re-cover, and let drain for 10 minutes.
• Flip curds over and re-wrap. Drain for 10 minutes more, keeping the temperature still between 112 and 115 degrees F (44 and 46 degrees C). Cut the slab into smaller slabs and stack them inside the cloth. Return to the pot and cover. Continue draining, flipping and rearranging the slabs every 15 minutes at the same steady temperature, about 1 hour total.
• Unwrap the slabs and let them rest for a few minutes on a paper towel-lined plate. Cut into cubes and place curds in a zip-top bag. Add 1/2 of the salt; shake to coat. Add remaining salt and repeat.

CHEESE STRAWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet.
• In a large bowl cream butter and cheese. Stir in flour and salt; mix well. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/2 inch in thickness. Cut into 2 inch strips and sprinkle with ground red pepper. Place strips on prepared cookie sheet(s) 1 1/2 inches apart.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp.

CHEESE CROWNS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease bottoms and sides of 12 jumbo muffin cups, 3.5 x 1.75 in., or 6-oz custard cups with shortening.
• Place 1 sheet of could puff pastry on lightly floured surface. Cut into four squares. Press each square gently into muffin cup, pulling the four corners up and out of cup. Press corners down on muffin pan. Repeat with remaining sheets of puff pastry.
• Mix flour, pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut margarine into the mixture, then put a heaping tablespoon in the bottom of each pastry cup.
• Beat cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed about 2 minutes or until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Pour about 1/3 c of the cream cheese mixture into each cup (on top of the pecan mixture).
• Bake 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake 5 to 7 minutes longer or until pastry is golden brown. Cool 15 mins., then remove from pan. Refrigerate uncovered about 1 hr or until chilled; cover and continue refrigerating no longer than 48 hours.

CHEESECAKE CROWNS

Steps:

• Thaw three puff pastry sheets (save remaining sheet for another use). Unfold pastry; cut each into four squares. Gently press squares into greased jumbo muffin cups, pulling corners up and out of cups; press corners down onto muffin pan. , In a small bowl, combine the flour, pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle 1 heaping tablespoonful into each muffin cup. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs on low speed just until combined. Stir in vanilla. Spoon into pastry cups., Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until filling is almost set and pastry is golden brown. Cool completely on wire racks. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 1 hour or until set. , For glaze, in a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and enough water to achieve a drizzling consistency. Garnish crowns with fresh berries if desired; drizzle with glaze. Refrigerate leftovers.

COTTAGE CHEESE ROLLS

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the boiling water and potato flakes; mix well. Cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Beat in the sugar, salt, 1 egg and oil until blended. Stir cottage cheese into the potatoes; add to yeast mixture and mix well. Beat in 3 cups flour until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 24 pieces; shape each into a ball. Place 3 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Beat remaining egg; brush over dough. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Bake at 350° for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks.