Ingredients
Curd
- 3 litreswhole milk
- 1 tspliquid rennet, or 1 rennet tablet
- 100 gplain flour
Custard
- 300 mldouble cream
- 3eggs
- 150 gsugar
- 100 gground almonds
- 5bitter almonds, ground, or ½ tsp almond extract
- a pinch of salt
To serve
- cloudberry, strawberry or lingonberry jam
- lightly whipped cream
Equipment
- a wide ovenproof dish
Directions
- Warm the milk to 37°C (98°F), which is blood temperature and no hotter. Rennet works around body heat and it is destroyed above about 45°C, so an over-warm pan simply will not set.
- Whisk the flour into a little of the warm milk until smooth, then stir it into the rest. The flour is traditional and it helps hold the curd together, which is unusual and specific to ostkaka.
- Cut the curd into a grid with a long knife, right down to the base, and let it stand 10 minutes. Ladle the curd into a cloth-lined sieve and let it drain for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Drain it but do not press it hard. Pressed curd goes rubbery and ostkaka should stay soft and slightly grainy. Beat the eggs with the sugar, then stir in the cream, ground almonds, bitter almonds and salt. Fold the drained curd through the custard, keeping it lumpy.
- Keep the curd in visible pieces. Blended smooth, it becomes an almond custard and loses the texture that defines it.
- Pour into a buttered dish and bake at 175°C (345°F) for 50 minutes to an hour. It should be golden on top, set at the edges and still slightly wobbling in the centre.
- Warm is the point. Ostkaka served cold is dense and much less good, and Swedes will tell you so. Spoon it into bowls and top with jam and softly whipped cream.
Technique
- Cloudberry jam is the most prized topping and strawberry the most common.
- It reheats well, covered, in a low oven.
- Bitter almonds contain amygdalin and are used in very small quantities; almond extract is the safe and easy alternative.
Substitutions
- Almond extract in place of bitter almonds.
- Ready-made ostmassa, curd, sold in Swedish shops.
Variations
- The Hälsingland version, which is baked longer and firmer.
- Made in individual dishes.
- With a splash of brandy in the custard.
History
A Småland speciality made by curdling milk with rennet, celebrated with its own day each November.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ostkaka?
Ostkaka is a dessert from Sweden: warm baked curd cake served with jam and cream. A Småland speciality made by curdling milk with rennet, celebrated with its own day each November.
How long does Ostkaka take to make?
Ostkaka takes 30 min of preparation and 1 hr of cooking. The recipe makes 8 servings. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Ostkaka?
Yes, within limits. Almond extract in place of bitter almonds. Ready-made ostmassa, curd, sold in Swedish shops.
What is the most important thing to get right in Ostkaka?
Drain it but do not press it hard. Pressed curd goes rubbery and ostkaka should stay soft and slightly grainy. Beat the eggs with the sugar, then stir in the cream, ground almonds, bitter almonds and salt. Fold the drained curd through the custard, keeping it lumpy.
