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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Soft => Topic started by: Gürkan Yeniçeri on January 03, 2010, 04:29:35 AM

Title: HarzerKase
Post by: Gürkan Yeniçeri on January 03, 2010, 04:29:35 AM
I found this little interesting German cheese in the shops. It is very crumbly and good accompany for pasta.
Title: Re: HarzerKase
Post by: DeejayDebi on January 03, 2010, 04:58:55 AM
Interesting little cheese. I think I read something somewhere online about German Hand cheese. I will see if I can find it again.
Title: Re: HarzerKase
Post by: Cheese Head on January 06, 2010, 11:57:48 PM
Looks like those packages of mini donuts you can buy in a vending machines, which of course I have never bought ::).
Title: Re: HarzerKase
Post by: FarmerJd on January 07, 2010, 04:28:19 AM
That is exactly what I was thinking John. :)  I love those donuts. Interesting cheese, Gurkan. Why is it called hand cheese, I wonder?
Title: Re: HarzerKase
Post by: Gürkan Yeniçeri on January 07, 2010, 04:34:45 AM
It is hand made apparently and imported frozen to Australia. It looks like a side product maybe something that made from left over whey? It has a distinct stink and very crumbly texture.
Title: Re: HarzerKase
Post by: Johanyrh on January 07, 2010, 05:35:28 AM
Hi All

You don't want to board a plane with this cheese in your hand laguage! ;D My father used to love it, the rest of the family would flee when he opened the package.

The following found on the net:
Quote
Harzer is often small and round, in which case it is called Handkäse or Taler, or cylindrical, in which case it is called Stangenkäse. Frequently, the small and round variety is sold in a cylindrical package, which is then called Harzer Roller.
Apparently it is a sour milk cheese.

Regards

Johan
Title: Re: HarzerKase
Post by: DeejayDebi on January 08, 2010, 12:38:41 AM
I am glad someone got this thread going again I tried last night but could not find it to save my life! Anyway I found the source for the "Hand Cheese" recipe I was looking for - it is from a very old book - like 1910 or something and I copied the recipe I found there. Hopefully this is close to what you are looking for.

HAND CHEESE. (Hand Kase.)
as made in modern German creameries in 1898.

The separator skim milk is set in a heavily tinned vat or kettle and the buttermilk from that day's churning is added; as a rule the temperature will be about 90°F and the milk is left alone 12 to 18 hours. The next morning the milk is heated to 122°F while stirring it carefully so that the floating curd does not sink and yet enough to secure a uniform' heat in the whole mass. After it has been heated for one to one and a half hour, the curd is left for about 2 hours more, after which the whey is drawn off by a siphon. When the whey is drawn the curd is spread in a large trough to cool, whereby it loses its sticky character.

It is next run through a curd crusher to reduce it to uniform size.
The crusher or mill has wooden or stone rollers which may be regulated.
While it is being ground, salt at the rate of from 3 to 5 per cent, and caraway or other spices are mixed with the curd and this is carried from under the mill by an endless cloth belt to the press. The press consists of a large square box, perforated and lined with slats inside these are covered with a heavy press cloth and the pressure on the cover is secured by a combination of lever and screw which explains itself. The curd is pressed, as a rule, for one day, but must not become drier than it will stick tog ether again if squeezed to a ball in the hand.

The molding of the cheese is done by simply having metal (hoops) rings of the desired size and placing these on a board, then filling them with a lump of curd and smooth it off with a wet knife and remove the
ring, leaving the cheese on the board.  Or, the simple device similar to a hamburger press may be used.
Title: Re: HarzerKase
Post by: Gürkan Yeniçeri on January 08, 2010, 12:49:54 AM
Thanks Debi,

Looks like it requires a lot of machinery  ;D
I will just pay AU8$ to get it then.
Title: Re: HarzerKase
Post by: DeejayDebi on January 08, 2010, 01:23:58 AM
Sounds fairly simple - make the cheese and they just mill the cheese curds and press it to me.
Title: Re: HarzerKase
Post by: iratherfly on January 11, 2010, 06:09:26 PM
This funny packaging does not send a good message of quality about this cheese indeed.

As I was looking at the package to see how processed it is, the ingredients on the package were very surprising and didn't seem processed at all: 1% Milk, Enzymes, CaCo3 (Calcium - much harder and CaCl, more like stone/lime you get in water) and ...BAKING SODA???  Is that common in cheese?
Title: Re: HarzerKase
Post by: PeterNZ on April 12, 2011, 04:11:47 AM
I am looking far and wide for a recipe to make this cheese. This is a traditional Cheese from my Hometown Frankfurt. And yes, it is traditionally sold wrapped in cellophane (Note: Not plastic wrap!). Don't judge a cheese by its wrapper, LOL.

There is only one true way to eat it which is called "Handkaes mit Musik" Hand cheese with music. Put one or two of the cheese sin a deep plate, add vinegar and oil, put some onion rings on top and let rest at room temperature. It depends how strong you want the cheese. The longer yo leave it the more it develops. We used to eat it when the cheese was basically filling the whole plate. Yummy! Eat it with German sourdough bread and butter. By the way, the "music" comes later from the vinegar/oil/onions - I let you figure that one out! LOL

So if anyone has a reliable recipe (they must have made them in the old days without a whole building full of machinery!) I would be very interested. Otherwise here is a recipe and also a description how to eat it: http://www.helium.com/items/1725913-how-to-cook-german-speciality-handkaes (http://www.helium.com/items/1725913-how-to-cook-german-speciality-handkaes)

Having handkaes with pasta - arrrggghhhh, no way!

Cheers

Peter
Title: Re: HarzerKase
Post by: linuxboy on April 12, 2011, 04:26:37 AM
Peter, harzer kase is just quark with baking soda and salt added to it, and sometimes caraway.

Salt content is about 2-3%. So for 1 Kg quark, add 20-30 g salt, and a teaspoon or so of baking soda. Quark should be fairly dry, drained for 1-2 days.

Do you need a recipe for quark? I have one for tvorog on my site, same thing.
Title: Re: HarzerKase
Post by: PeterNZ on August 03, 2011, 04:45:39 AM
Sorry for the late reply. The baking soda was news to me. I'll give it a go. And thanks, we made quark before. But I'll check out your webpage anyway. I am sure I can learn heaps.

Cheers

Peter
Title: Re: HarzerKase
Post by: DenMike99 on August 31, 2017, 11:30:09 PM
I know this is a super old thread, but I have been looking everywhere for a recipe and this thread popped up several times.
So I just want to let other searchers know that it turns out that the recipe for Handkase or Harzerkase is in "20 easy homemade cheese recipes" by Debra Amrein-Boyes.