Faisselle

Faisselle (Fresh French Curd Cheese)

Faisselle is a soft, fresh farmhouse cheese from southern France, traditionally eaten for breakfast or dessert with fruit, sugar, or jam. It is made by draining warm curds only briefly, leaving a tender, milky white cheese with a delicate, mildly tangy flavor.

Prep

20 min

Cook

60 min

Total

80 min

Serves

Makes about 1 kg (2.2 lb)

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •8 L (2 gallons) whole cow's milk, raw if legally obtainable; otherwise use the freshest pasteurized (not UHT) whole milk for flavor and a good set
• •mesophilic starter culture, ¼, e.g. Flora Danica or a buttermilk blend; skip if using raw milk with native flora
• •1 drop liquid rennet (or ¼ tsp single-strength), diluted in 30 ml (2 Tbsp) cool non-chlorinated water
• •10 g (⅓ oz) fine sea salt, added to the curds; or use a lighter hand and salt at the table instead

Steps

1. 1 Sanitize all equipment (pot, slotted spoon, ladle, thermometer, faisselles/perforated molds or a colander lined with butter muslin) with boiling water.
2. 2 Heat the milk gently to 32 °C (90 °F). Hold at this temperature for 5 minutes, then stir in the starter culture. Cover and rest 45 minutes to ripen (skip if using raw milk).
3. 3 Add the diluted rennet, stirring gently for 1 minute to distribute. Cover and let set undisturbed at 30–32 °C (86–90 °F) for 1 to 1.5 hours, until the curd gives a clean break when nudged with a finger.
4. 4 Cut the curd into rough 2 cm (¾ in) cubes with a long knife and let the whey rise for 5 minutes. Do not cook the curds — faisselle is an uncooked cheese.
5. 5 Ladle the curds gently into faisselles (traditional perforated clay molds) or into a colander lined with butter muslin. Drain at cool room temperature, about 18–20 °C (65–68 °F), for 30–60 minutes for the classic loose, creamy texture, or up to 4–6 hours in the refrigerator for a firmer result.
6. 6 Unmold and salt the surface lightly with the fine sea salt, or salt individual portions at the table. Consume within 48 hours for peak freshness, or refrigerate up to 4 days. Doneness cue: the cheese is ready when the surface is smooth and a clean disc slips out of the mold; the interior should be pale ivory, soft, and glossy, never runny.
7. 7 Serve very cold, traditionally with fresh figs, strawberries, or cherries, a dusting of sugar, a spoon of confiture de lait, or a trickle of chestnut honey and a grind of black pepper.