Decadent Baked Vacherin Cheese (page 2 of 2)Home >> Recipes
Page: 1 2 Previous Page
The usual way people bake Vacherin Mont d'Or in Switzerland is 20 minutes in a 210C oven. Now this will work but the laws of thermodynamics apply even to blissfully ignorant cooks and you may very well end up with a cheese that has split on top and is still lukewarm inside. So you could instead use a more scientific method and place it 30 minutes in a 65C oven. I reckon that most vacherin have a melting temperature of around 65C (150F) at most. Vacherin makers' recipes usually recommend to make holes in the vacherin and drizzle dry white wine on top, which makes little sense to me as most wine escapes through the sides. I prefer to drizzle whatever sweet wine is left from the soaking, and only when the cheese comes from the oven. The new FX bravely confronts Swiss tradition as you can see! Whichever baking method you choose, make sure the cheese is both melted through and warm enough even in the center, by stabbing it with a metal skewer in the cheese from time to time and rub it on the exterior of your upper lip, that part of your body most sensitive to heat. Or least among those body parts usually involved in cooking! When the skewer comes out lukewarm to warm, as you prefer, and with melted cheese attached to it, you can bring the cheese out of the oven and summon the guests around the table. As it is decadence we are after, we melt yet another piece of butter... ... and pan fry bread slice instead of toasting them. You could sprinkle some crushed spice on the bread to make it more interesting, such as mahlab (prunus mahaleb pits) for instance. Depending on how old your Vacherin is, you may prefer to scrape and discard the top rind. After a week or so in the fridge, the lactic bacterias constant defecation may give off an ammonia smell that the heat will increase. But many people here eat a young vacherin's crust. If using the traditional, hot-oven technique the ammonia will have evaporated. Spoon the apples on top until the cheese is covered by a continuous layer... ...then add the dark cherries... ...and start placing the toasted walnuts one by one. Top with the cranberries or other dried fruit you chose. Voilà! Spoon this over the toasted bread. This is like a simple and yet gastronomic fondue you can make very easily as soon as you get your hands on one of the prized cheeses. This is far from the usual, boring, vacherin au four that people eat in my parts, with a lot more crunchiness, surprise and color to complement the oozing richness of the melted cheese. In the middle of winter, those ingredients hailing from warmer climates bring a little sunshine into my heart. 151323 views Did you like this article? Leave me a comment or see my most popular articles. Related Articles Swiss Raclette ** Popular Pear, Walnut and Gorgonzola Bruschetta ** Copyright FXcuisine 2024 - all rights reserved. |
|
34 Comments
- #1
- Comment by Clement
Wow !!! This looks so good. If only I could eat at your table !!!- #3
- Comment by don siranni
Francois,This has some rememberances of the swans stalebread,apple etc No trouble for me to recall since I make them all winter long. Maine has long winter. This reipe reminds me of fondu.Have you ever posted your version of alpine style fondu? If not could you add it to the "to-do" list? I will be able to get the cheeses,even here in Maine.- #5
- Comment by MAB
Dear FX,THRILLED you're back. And so excited to see not one but TWO new postings already!
Please join Twitter so we can spread the fxcuisine love!
MAB
- #7
- Comment by lina
Oh my goodness, you're back! Not dead after all! So thrilled!- #9
- Comment by cynthia
The Vacherin recipe sounds heavenly. I will try it and I will follow your blog!!!- #11
- Comment by Chiffonade
So happy you're back! So many schlocky blogs by people who do not know good food and fancy themselves as writers. I want to be a permanent part of this list. Do NOT go away again!!- #13
- Comment by LB
So pleased you're back FX.- #15
- Comment by Catalina
Very, very happy that you are back. And will try this for sure (when I will find the proper cheese).- #17
- Comment by Brindusa
Please don't leave us again! Thank you for coming back.- #19
- Comment by Angenita
So excited that you've returned!! Welcome back and please don't leave us again :-)- #21
- Comment by Angenita
Now i have to look into whether vacherin is available in New Zealand! (And start saving my pennies as it is bound to be horrendously expensive!)- #23
- Comment by Kyle
Welcome back to the interwebs, FX!It is just me, or does pairing this (sans Walnuts) with a slice of smoked ham sound good? Ham and cheese, indeed!
- #25
- Comment by Titania
welcome back FX; recipes are wonderful, love vacherin, the search begins here in A.- #27
- Comment by Richard Hadsell
The vacherin recipe is my introduction to your blog and I'm hooked. Please keep me on your email list. Your construction of the recipe with detailed explanation of technique and images is really outstanding.- #29
- Comment by kurzhaar
Hallo François, so very relieved to find that you are well and posting once more...I see from the many comments that I have not been alone in feeling deprived of your recipes and photos and musings on food and life. Welcome back!- #31
- Comment by Kate
You're here!!! And posting amazingness once more. Fabulous. I love baked soft cheese but haven't tried it with additions as you have done above. Thank you for being inspiring.- #33
- Comment by Ashleigh Haze
I do love seeing your gorgeous cheeses-I've been inspired to seek many out in your absence. Tell me, do you still shoot with a Nikon D300?Tell me what you think!
Write a comment below to let me know what you think about my article or ask any question you may have.