What is Almette
There are characteristic aspects that are inherent in this curd cheese. Almette is created without any synthetic ingredients in the composition; ingredients of only natural origin are used. The basis is whole milk (cream) of selected quality, this provides a familiar delicate consistency and pleasant taste. Most often prepared from milk, Almette creamy curd cheese is included by manufacturers as a separate variety in the product line.
On a note! The semi-finished product must be of high quality; to create 1 kg of curd cheese mass, up to 7 liters of milk are taken.
Cream is always used to produce this product. But there are more of them in the “cream” cheese line than in the “classic” cheese. This cottage cheese is loved for its delicate taste and nutritional value. Farm dairy ingredients are purchased for production - factories cooperate with trusted farms that ensure a flow of fresh milk to production points.
Peculiarities:
- Preparation begins with the creation of semi-finished fermented milk product or cottage cheese.
- Cottage cheese is prepared using our own technology. To obtain it, cream is added to the prepared milk. The creators of the Almette curd recipe developed mixing proportions so that it retains the noticeable taste of cream.
- The raw materials are subjected to temperature treatment - this is heating before the introduction of fermented milk starter. It initiates the formation of curd.
- The cream is added again to the mixture when the curd curd is ready. The separation of whey and semi-finished product mass is automated; it occurs in a factory machine. The cottage cheese is intensively whipped until an airy mass is formed.
The consistency is determined by the whipping time - it was developed by the technologists who created the recipe. Then additional ingredients are added to the mass. It can be herbs, vegetables or spices - depending on the recipe for a particular Almette.
Recipe with cream
This recipe is worth preparing a treat with herbs and garlic. Ready-made cheese is perfect for sandwiches, various snacks, filling shortbread/waffle tartlets, profiteroles. The result is a universal product that is perfect for a variety of dishes.
What ingredients will you need?
For the dish you need to take:
- soft cottage cheese – 270-300 g;
- heavy cream – 70-80 g;
- fresh cucumber – 1 pc.;
- fresh garlic – 1-3 cloves;
- dill – 3-4 sprigs;
- celery – 1 sprig;
- salt, cumin or allspice.
Step-by-step cooking process
The cooking process includes several stages:
- Cucumber can be used with the peel if it is not bitter. Just rinse the vegetable and remove the ends. The remaining part needs to be cut into small pieces and placed in a blender bowl. It will be interrupted until it becomes a homogeneous paste. The finer the mass, the better.
- At the next stage, the cucumber should be processed with washed and dried greens.
- Afterwards, the green mass must be mixed with heavy cream. Crushed garlic also goes there. It must first be ground with salt.
- The cottage cheese is separately whipped to an airy, creamy consistency. Only then is it mixed with the green mass from the previous step.
- The components must be mixed until uniform.
The resulting cheese can be tasted immediately. But it’s even better to let the mixture sit in a cool place for at least half an hour.
What can I add?
If desired, you can add other greens to the mixture. For example, it could be cilantro, chopped green onions.
Composition of Almette cheese
The products contained in Almette curd cheese are natural. It does not contain synthetic additives, taste and aroma enhancers. Taste qualities are justified by the proportions of the ingredients and proven production technology. The list of ingredients contained in the cheese is as follows:
- cottage cheese made from cream, milk and bacterial starter culture;
- milk serum;
- whey based protein;
- salt;
- citric acid;
- water.
In addition to the classic creamy product, there are varieties. The flavors of Almette curd cheese are determined by additional components - these are additives made from natural ingredients:
- greenery;
- vegetables;
- garlic;
- mushrooms.
European cheeses are produced with additional flavors - even berries are added to the mixture. The composition of Almette classic curd cheese is patented and the proportions of ingredients are strictly controlled
Recipe for cottage cheese with yogurt (sour cream) and mayonnaise
Curd cheese can be prepared even with the addition of yogurt/sour cream and mayonnaise. The result is a product that is different from store-bought creamy Almette, but also tasty and tender. It’s great if you can use homemade mayonnaise. It should be without unnecessary spices and additives.
What ingredients will you need?
For the dish you need to take:
- high-fat cottage cheese (18% is best, but most importantly – no less than 9%) – 270-300 g;
- processed cheese – 180-200 g;
- natural yogurt/sour cream – 30-40 g;
- homemade/store-bought mayonnaise – 30-40 g;
- salt.
Processed cheese must be of high quality. For example, “Friendship” with a fat content of 55-65%. If desired, mayonnaise or yogurt/sour cream can be omitted. It’s delicious to use Adyghe salt for this recipe. But sometimes it is possible to do without such an additive altogether. It happens that there is enough salt in the cheese components.
Step-by-step cooking process
The cooking process includes several stages:
- Cottage cheese and processed cheese must be taken in equal quantities. The first dairy product should have a consistency similar to curd mass. If the cottage cheese is ordinary with obvious grains, you should first pass it through a fine sieve. It is better to do this 2-3 times. It is important that the cottage cheese is not sour, and it should not contain whey.
- Cottage cheese with melted cheese should be thoroughly ground until smooth. Even a regular fork will do for this. But it is especially convenient to use a pestle.
- After the mass is homogeneous, all that remains is to add yogurt/sour cream and mayonnaise. Such components are necessary so that the cheese does not turn out too dry. You can adjust the amount of ingredients to achieve the desired consistency.
- All that remains is to add salt to the treat if necessary.
It is best to let the finished cheese brew under a lid/film. It tastes best when tasted chilled.
What can I add?
To make the cheese tastier, you can use pickled mushrooms or cucumbers. Any of these components is first finely chopped, after which it is poured into the total mass. Other options for tasty additions are grated garlic, dried herbs, olives, caraway seeds.
Dry paprika and a mixture of peppers are also good for treats. It is important not to use more than 1-2 fillers for one serving. For example, chopped gherkins and cumin seeds or fresh cucumbers and garlic. Additives should complement each other, but not overlap.
Calorie content of Almette curd cheese
Such food is not considered dietary. It contains a large amount of cream, which provides taste, milk is the base, which provides many calories. This explains the nutritional value of the product, which is suitable for a hearty breakfast. The calorie content of Almette per 100 g of weight is up to 235 kcal, some types of cheese give 215.
On a note!
This cheese is a high-fat product, which makes it impossible to make a dietary breakfast out of it (with the exception of the keto diet).
The fat content (20/100 g) is a reason to control portions and avoid overconsumption. The nutritional value is high. In addition to harmful calories, there are beneficial substances, especially calcium. In the absence of a period of weight loss or registration with a nutritionist-endocrinologist, it can be used for a snack or as a hearty breakfast.
The fat content of Almette curd cheese is high, so it is not recommended for consumption by people suffering from problems with lipid metabolism. The recommended consumption rate, which eliminates harm to the body and saturates it with useful substances, is 50 g/day.
Benefits and harms
The composition of Almette at the level of microelements shows a decent amount of strengthening substances. You can note the B vitamins that regulate basic reactions and mood. The product contains enough vitamin A, which affects the visual apparatus. Cottage cheese is rich in calcium, since it is a dairy product; adding cream during production increases the concentration of this useful substance; it also contains phosphorus.
These elements:
- strengthen muscles and skeletal system;
- good for joints.
Almette contains a lot of vitamins and beneficial microelements. The benefits of the airy curd delicacy include a large number of microelements and a range of vitamins. Cheese with herbs is healthy; herbal additives add their own elements that complement the main composition.
Almeta is a cheese rich in calcium, which strengthens bones - this applies to the entire line; phosphorus components maintain a beneficial effect on the musculoskeletal system. It has all the properties of selected milk, without the influence of chemical additives. The natural flavoring ingredients of one or another type of curd cheese add their characteristic microelements.
The weaknesses of Almette include a list of properties that justify caution in consumption. The list was compiled thanks to an independent examination, which has not been refuted. The main part is:
- High phosphate content for starch. These components are not listed in the main composition; it is believed that they arise during production and are not added from the outside.
- Soft consistency – high friability in comparison with the generally accepted standard for curd cheeses.
- Discrepancies in the actual nutritional value and those indicated on the packaging - in fact, Almette turned out to be less nutritious than expected.
- High price. The weight of Almette curd cheese in a jar seemed to experts to be too small for its cost.
Attention!
Weaknesses also include a list of contraindications - creamy curd Almette should not be consumed if you are lactose intolerant.
It is very high in calories and is not allowed on the menu for most diets. High fat content per 100 g. May be harmful for liver diseases; if consumed excessively, cause serious illness. The calcium concentration is high and regular consumption in large quantities will result in an excess of this element, therefore it is a contraindication for patients with urolithiasis.
Cheese flavors
Almette has many different tastes. Some can only be found outside of Russia; in domestic stores you can find the familiar classic and creamy ones - they are produced the most. Other flavors of Almette curd cheese:
- greenery;
- horseradish;
- garlic;
- pickled cucumbers;
- mushrooms;
- cheese;
- with yogurt;
- with tomatoes.
In rare stores or abroad there are flavors such as paprika or berries. Strawberry Almette resembles sweet curd.
general information
How does Almette (curd cheese) end up on Russian tables? The manufacturer of this cheese, Hochland Russland LLC, has been involved in the food industry in the Moscow region since 2000, and during this time managed to acquire a number of quality awards.
The technology is not distinguished by the abundance of stages and components. Curd cheese is made from milk, after which the still fresh product is mixed “in the heat of the heat” until smooth, and then whipped - thanks to this, a delicate, melting consistency is achieved.
Use in cooking
Due to its properties and pronounced taste of cream, Almette curd cheese is added to a variety of culinary recipes - desserts or snacks, first and second courses. It adds a delicate taste to sauces for meat and salads. You can bake meat and fish with Almette. It is added to taste in batter and dressing; different housewives come up with a signature recipe with cheese. The composition of Almette allows you to complement a dish with seafood to balance the healthy elements in the dish. The product is often used in sauce - the cheese is melted, melted, enriched with its own additives and spices for seasoning hot food.
The curd delicacy is also added to first courses:
- It provides a delicate aftertaste for a variety of cream soups.
- Almette will make sweet soups taste creamy.
- Add the curd at the final stage of cooking the soup, before making it homogeneous. Otherwise, the aftertaste of the cheese will be lost.
Desserts with the addition of Almette cream cheese are common, as are hot dishes based on it. Creams and baked goods with cheese turn out more tender, the whipped cream holds its shape well - the consistency of the cheese is denser than whipping cream. Almette is used for:
- fillings for cakes and pastries;
- making cheesecakes.
Curd cheese can be added to the dough for cheesecakes and muffins. It is suitable for desserts, baked goods and as a filling element.
Chefs use Almette for salads - hot and cold, as a dressing or part of a mixture. It is universal - complements the taste of seafood, vegetables and meat products. This is an addition to spicy salads that balances the heat and makes the dish more enjoyable. The variety of flavors allows you to experiment with the additive - vegetable and garlic Almette can be included in meat salads. Curd cheeses with mushrooms and herbs enhance the taste and aroma of classic salads. Fish products are complemented by the flavors of pickled cucumbers.
Useful tips and tricks
To prepare delicious Almette cheese, you should use the tips published below in the article:
- if the recipe includes butter, you will need to remove it from the refrigerator in advance so that the product has time to soften and make it easier to work with;
- the butter should not be frozen, otherwise it will not be possible to obtain a homogeneous cheese in the end;
- You should definitely choose cottage cheese without obvious hard grains, as well as non-acidic and tender;
- A too dry dairy product is not suitable as a base, otherwise the treat will end up with a rough consistency.
Almetta manages to prepare delicious creamy curd cheese on her own at home. To do this, you can choose a recipe with butter, cream and even mayonnaise.
