Fromage de Nazareth

Fromage de Nazareth (Belgian Fresh Cheese from Nazareth)

Fromage de Nazareth is a small, traditional Belgian fresh cheese from the village of Nazareth in East Flanders, made from cow's milk and typically flavored with cloves. It is a quick, home-style farm cheese with a soft, mild flavor and a smooth, creamy texture — not a press-cooked aged cheese.

Prep

20 min

Cook

40 min

Total

60 min

Serves

8 small cheeses (about 400 g total)

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •4 L (1 gallon) full-fat cow's milk, fresh, not UHT, for best flavor and curd set; raw or pasteurized both work
• •30 ml (2 tablespoons) fresh lemon juice, or use 2.5 ml rennet per L of milk for a more traditional set; amounts given here are for the lemon-juice version
• •1 g (¼ teaspoon) fine sea salt, adjust to taste
• •2 whole cloves, a defining flavor of the original; studded into the top of each cheese, or null if omitted

Steps

1. 1 Slowly heat the milk in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 35 °C (95 °F). Use a kitchen thermometer — overheating will toughen the curds.
2. 2 Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Let the milk sit undisturbed for 10–15 minutes; it should separate into pale curds and translucent greenish whey. If it does not set, add another 5 ml (1 teaspoon) of lemon juice and wait 10 more minutes.
3. 3 Line a large colander with a double layer of cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Ladle the curds into the cloth and let them drain for 10 minutes, then gather the corners and gently squeeze for about 1 minute to remove excess whey. Discard the whey (or reserve for bread baking).
4. 4 Transfer the curds to a bowl. Add the salt and stir gently to distribute evenly. Taste and adjust salt.
5. 5 Shape the curd into small rounds about 100 g (3½ oz) each, roughly 6 cm (2½ in) wide and 2 cm (¾ in) thick, by pressing gently with your hands or the back of a spoon in a small sieve or cheese mold. The cheese is traditionally served very fresh, so no pressing beyond gentle shaping is needed.
6. 6 Press a whole clove into the top center of each cheese. Cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to firm up.
7. 7 Serve cold, on rye or country bread, with a little butter and a sprinkle of black pepper. The cheese will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in a sealed container.
8. 8 Safety note: If using raw (unpasteurized) milk, this fresh cheese is intended to be consumed within a few days of making and is not safe for pregnant women, young children, the elderly, or anyone with a compromised immune system. If using pasteurized milk, this concern is removed, but the cheese should still be eaten within 3 days.