Most cheese cooks well. Heat is where it goes wrong. These are the questions I get most about melting, shredding, fondue and baking, answered briefly.
Key takeaways
- Melt low and slow. High heat squeezes the fat and water out of the proteins.
- Grate your own cheese when it needs to melt smoothly. Bagged shreds are fine on top of nachos and casseroles.
- Mix an aged cheese for flavor with a younger one for a smooth melt.
- Brie and Camembert bake in about 15 to 20 minutes at 350°F (180°C).
Why melted cheese turns greasy or stringy
Cheese is a network of proteins holding fat and water. If the heat is too high or comes too fast, the proteins tighten up and squeeze out the fat and water, and you get an oily pool with rubbery clumps. Aged cheeses do it more, because their proteins have broken into smaller pieces and hold less fat.
- Melt low and slow, and stir gently. Don't let sauces boil.
- Grate the cheese first, so it melts quickly and evenly.
- Toss it with a little cornstarch before melting if you're making a sauce.
- Mix cheeses: an aged one for flavor, a younger, higher-moisture one (like mozzarella or young Gruyère) for a smooth melt.
- Try a pinch of sodium citrate, an emulsifying salt, to melt a natural cheese as smoothly as processed cheese.
Pre-shredded or block?
Bagged shredded cheese is usually tossed with anti-caking agents, so the shreds don't clump in the bag. Cooks widely report that these coatings keep the shreds from melting together smoothly. Pre-shredded is fine for nachos, tacos, casseroles and baked potatoes, where the cheese melts on top of other food. Grate your own for cheese sauce, queso, mac and cheese, grilled cheese and fondue. A block grates more easily when it's cold.
Fondue
The classic is Emmental and Gruyère, melted with dry white wine and a splash of kirsch, then thickened with a tablespoon of cornstarch. Grate the cheese rather than cubing it, toss it with the cornstarch, and melt it slowly over gentle heat. Wine adds acidity, which helps keep the cheese smooth, so if you leave it out, many people use unsweetened apple juice or a light broth with a squeeze of lemon juice instead.
Baking Brie and Camembert
It's one of the easiest cheese dishes there is, because Brie and Camembert melt so well. Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and unwrap the cheese (take off the paper and plastic). Cut the top of the rind off, season it, put the rind back on and score it, add a few sprigs of rosemary, a drizzle of olive oil and some sliced almonds. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, until soft and molten in the middle, and serve hot with toasted baguette. Honey, jam, nuts or herbs work as toppings too.
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