Marble cheese has a short history. It appeared on the shelves of Soviet stores in the 80s of the last century and began to rapidly gain popularity among cheese lovers. Today it is produced on an industrial scale in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. Such popularity of this fermented milk product was ensured primarily by its unusual color. Beautiful stains of white and orange are exquisitely intertwined, reminiscent of a cut of marble.
The taste of this cheese also does not lag behind its expressive color: according to experts, the product has a delicate sweet cheese taste with creamy and spicy notes. In fact, marble cheese is a mixture of two rennet sour-milk cheeses, one of which is colored orange with a natural dye. It is made from cow’s milk. The output is a semi-solid product of medium fat content (not more than 45%).
Composition of the product
Marble cheese is a healthy and tasty fermented milk product. The composition of the product includes milk proteins and amino acids, fats, enzymes, organic acids, minerals, vitamins. Cheese fats are mostly saturated, but also contain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E).
The mineral composition of cheese is represented by calcium, phosphorus, sodium, chlorine, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc. The calorie content of this type of cheese is 326 kcal per 100 g.
Do not forget that cheese contains dyes and other food additives. The color standard for cheeses is saffron, turmeric, or annatto extract. These are dyes of plant origin, which are approved for use in the food industry.
Useful Properties
The use of this product in moderation is indicated for children, women during pregnancy, breastfeeding, athletes, workers engaged in mental and heavy physical labor. In very limited quantities (no more than 30-50 g per day), it is recommended to include it in the menu of the malnourished, the elderly and the elderly.
The benefits and harms of marble cheese are due to its composition. This type of cheese
- contributes to the fusion of bones after fractures (due to the high content of well-assimilated calcium and phosphorus);
- normalizes brain activity (due to the content of proteins, fats, vitamins);
- improves skin condition (due to the content of a large amount of vitamins E and group B);
- strengthens nails and hair (due to the presence of fat-soluble vitamins and minerals);
- promotes digestion (as a result of the presence of enzymes);
- restores intestinal microflora (due to the content of lactic acid and vitamins);
- normalizes vision (due to the large amount of vitamin A in the product);
- reduces blood viscosity (due to the presence of omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids).
The balanced composition of marble cheese makes it an indispensable product in the therapeutic diet menu for various diseases (heart and blood vessels, digestive organs, kidneys, nervous system, musculoskeletal system).
Possible harm
In addition to useful properties, marble cheese can also exhibit negative qualities. The high calorie and fat content of this product makes its use undesirable for overweight problems, as well as for those who are on a diet.
Marble cheese contains a lot of protein, and protein is a source of purine bases. In the process of metabolism in the human body, uric acid is formed from purines. In case of violation of purine metabolism, which is observed in gout, the use of this product is prohibited.
The fact that dyes are included in this type of fermented milk product should alert those cheese lovers who suffer from various types of allergies (food, household, medicinal). Dyes, even natural ones, can provoke allergic manifestations (rash, itching, burning) or even anaphylactic reactions (Quincke’s edema, anaphylactic shock) in people with such a predisposition.
Cooking application
Marble cheese looks beautiful on a plate and is often used for cutting on a festive table. The cheese melts well, so it can be used to make hot sandwiches. Use this product for baking with vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, cooking soups, salads, snacks, pasta and other side dishes. It can be used alone or together with other components for filling zrazy, croquettes, pastries.
On the Internet and cookbooks, you can find many recipes with this product, but among them dishes deserve special attention, after cooking which the unique color of this cheese remains visible.
Cooking at home
To be sure of the naturalness of marble cheese, you can try to cook it at home. For this you will need the following ingredients:
- cow’s milk – 10 l;
- boiled water, cooled to + 50 ° C – 6 l;
- cold boiled water – 0,2 l;
- enzyme for marble cheese – 2 sachets;
- sourdough for marble cheese – 2 bags;
- turmeric (saffron or other food coloring);
- salt – 180
In addition to edible components, containers and accessories are also required: 2 six-liter pots, 7 jars with lids (preferably 2-liter), a household (kitchen) thermometer, 4 cups, a skewer, a thermal bag, a mold (for ripening cheese) per 1 liter. Ice baths should also be prepared to cool the milk quickly. To do this, pour cold water into a bowl and pour pre-frozen ice into it, then put chilled sterilized jars into ice water.
The technology for making homemade marble cheese consists of several successive steps that must be repeated exactly:
- Pasteurization and maturation of milk. Sterilize jars with lids and cool. Leave to cool in the refrigerator. Heat 3 liters of milk to +70°C, pour equally into two jars in an ice bath. Put in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Repeat the same steps with the remaining milk.
- Sourdough preparation. Heat 0,5 l of milk (from pasteurized), divide in half. Add a sachet of starter to each half of the warmed milk, leave for fermentation in a warm room for 40 minutes.
- Foundation preparation. Pour the remaining milk into pans equally, heat to 32-34 ° C. In two clean cups of boiled cold water, add a sachet of enzyme.
- Preparation of the yellow part of the mixture. In one of the saucepans, add the enzyme dissolved in water, milk with sourdough and add food coloring. After mixing, the mixture should be left for 45 minutes.
- Preparation of the white part of the mixture. In another saucepan, add another enzyme dissolved in water and milk with sourdough, after which the mixture is also left for 45 minutes.
- Clot cutting. After 45 minutes, the clots are cut into small squares with a skewer, reaching to the very bottom. Leave for another 10 minutes, after which 100 ml of serum is drained.
- Ripening of cheese. The cheese mass in pans is heated to 38°C, after which 1,5 liters of whey is drained from each pan. Instead, warm boiled water is poured into the pans. The contents of the pots are heated again – up to 42 ° C. The cheese mass turns into grain. The cheese grain is left to ripen for 0,5 hours.
- Cheese mixing. The grain from both pans is mixed, laid out in a mold, put under pressure (4-5 kg) for 1,5-2 hours.
- Cheese maturation. A brine is prepared, in which the head is immersed for 12-16 hours. After that, it is taken out and dried in the refrigerator (on the bottom shelf) for two days. After drying, the head is placed in a thermal bag. Withstand 10 days on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, then 10 days at a temperature of +10 + 15 ° C and another 5 days on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. In this case, the head must be turned over 2 times a day and the temperature monitored.
As a result, at home, a delicious, beautiful and completely natural cheese is obtained. And most importantly, safe! Store this cheese in the refrigerator in a plastic bag or parchment for 2 months.
Marble cheese not only looks beautiful and fashionable, but is also a valuable food product. Any cheese, including marble, must be consumed in moderation, avoiding excesses. In the evening, it is better to refuse it, but it is useful to include this product in the morning menu: it energizes you for the whole day and at the same time does not contribute to the deposition of excess weight.