Apple cheese is a traditional Lithuanian treat made from slow-cooked apple purée. It's traditionally prepared in early autumn at the peak of apple season and eaten closer to Christmas. I have a great love for everything made from applesauce — I've already made Zefir, Belevskaya Pastila, and Apple Sambuk. This time I was handed a big batch of quickly-ripening apples that needed saving right away, and the result was this wonderful apple cheese. It's called a cheese because it's made on the same principle — pressed under a weight and then left to ripen — and it also resembles cheese in its firm, dense texture. Of course, flavor-wise it's really just a thick, slow-cooked marmalade, but an incredibly delicious one. I absolutely loved it — it's dense yet soft, fragrant, sweet-tart, and simply wonderful!
Ingredients:
- 2 kg apples (I ended up with 1.5 kg once prepped)
- 350 g sugar
- 80 g walnuts
- 1 tsp cinnamon
How to cook apple cheese
Core the apples and cut them into rough slices (do not peel). Place the apples in a large heavy-bottomed pot, add all the sugar, and stir. Adjust the amount of sugar to taste and depending on the variety of apples — mine were quite tart. Leave overnight so the apples release their juice. You can also cook them right away, but they will take longer to soften. I left them overnight — it was more convenient for me.
Place the apples over heat and bring to a boil. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The apples will become very soft but will still hold their shape. Set aside about 150 g of the cooked apple pieces — you'll fold them back into the finished mixture for a varied texture.
Blend the remaining mixture thoroughly with an immersion blender; if you don't have one, mash it well with a potato masher. Continue cooking for about 2–2.5 hours. Stir the mixture regularly, keep the heat as low as possible to prevent scorching, and do not cover with a lid at any point.
The mixture is ready when it turns dark, becomes very thick, and pulls away from the sides of the pot easily — pay attention to the consistency shown in the photo (I cooked mine for just over two hours).
Line a round container with damp, wrung-out cheesecloth, spoon in the apple mixture, smooth the top, and let it cool until just warm.
Press another board or a flat plate on top. Place a weight of about 3–4 kg on top (I used four 1-liter cartons of milk). Leave for 24 hours.
Remove the weight and carefully unwrap the cheesecloth. Leave for 24 hours. Then flip the cheese over to the other side. Leave for another 24 hours.
The apple cheese is ready when pressing your finger on the surface leaves no indentation. If you cooked the mixture down well, the cheese should be ready in 3–5 days. If needed, continue drying. Flip it to the opposite side periodically. Once it holds its shape well enough, you can place it on a wire rack so it dries on both sides at once. I sliced into mine on day 5 — it held its shape beautifully.
Apple cheese is wonderfully wholesome since it's completely natural, and it's a great treat for kids — my daughter absolutely loved it! She kept asking when she could finally cut into that "pie," as she called it. :) The cheese can be stored through the New Year, and according to some sources, even up to two years. Apple cheese pairs wonderfully with unsweetened crackers, and can be served alongside wine, tea, or coffee — or simply enjoyed on its own as a very healthy and delicious snack!
Comments