Quark

Quark Rezept / Recipe for Quark

What is Quark?
Quark is a versatile, lowfat redux of buttermilk, which can be used

instead of sour cream on potatoes,
instead of cream cheese in cheesecake and
instead of heavy cream in deserts involving sugared fruits or bananas
and more.

Quark is the German name for this edible wonder. It is also known in Russia and other Eastern European counties, I don't know under what name.
Visitors from overseas try in vain to find it in grocery stores in this country (USA).

This recipe is due to Angelika Faltings who circulated it among interested faculty wives in Princeton in the early 1990's.

Ingredients:

1 gallon of milk
1 quart of buttermilk (or less, if you want a sweeter tasting quark)
1/4 cup of water (cold)
1/4 tablet of Junket Rennet

Directions:

pour milk and buttermilk into a big pot and let stand for about 1 day at room temperature (66 F)
disolve the 1/4 of the junket rennet tablet in the 1/4 cup of water
stir the water with disolved junket rennet tablet into the milk/buttermilk combination and let stand until the milk sets (8-12 hours)
line a large colander (sieve) with a cheese cloth
spoon the set milk into this and let the whey run out into some container, (I do this in my garage in winter and in the fridge in summer)
this takes about 8 - 20 hours aswell (some people consume the whey in some form. I use it as very concentrated plant fertilizer)

This makes about 1 and 1/2 large yoghurt containers. Spoon the quark into the containers and smooth it with a handheld food processor.
It is now ready to eat and can be stored in the refrigerator for at least 1 week, longer in the freezer. (When you take it out of the freezer, you need to use the food processor again once it is defrosted.)

Good appetite!