Quark is a traditional, creamy, unripened cheese tracing its origin to German-speaking and eastern European countries. Quark is said to be a cross between yogurt and cottage cheese.
This fresh, soft, white cheese is prepared from pasteurised cow’s milk with a small amount of acid added to achieve a good, firm curd. However, traditional quark is a purely fresh dairy product and does not make use of acid.
It is moist, snowy white in color with a subtle taste and smooth and soft texture. Its texture is similar to that of cream cheese, pot cheese or ricotta with a fat content ranging from low to medium. Quark is usually sold in plastic tubs with most or all of the whey. The flavor is reminiscent of sour cream with the seasonings of herbs, spices or fruits. The cheese makes a great base for many recipes such as cheesecake, pastas, creamy sauces, sandwiches, salads and desserts.
Ingredients:
2 liters milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
Preparation:
- Fill the milk into a bowl, stir in the lemon juice and let stand on the kitchen counter overnight, about 16 hours.
- After 16 hours, it should have turned into soured milk.
- Slowly heat the soured milk to no more than 122° F (50° C) until the whey starts to separate from the solids.
- Let cool and pour into a sieve lined with a cheesecloth.
- Let drip for 12 hours, then press out any remaining liquid and strain the quark through a sieve (it get smoother then).
