Author Notes: Recipe adapted from a New York Times recipe by Kay Rentschler published in 2007. According to Kay, “Gjetost (pronounced YEH-toast) is more like fudge than cheese. A product of Norway, it is made by boiling the whey left over from traditional cheese production. It is stirred and condensed over heat until reduced to one-quarter its original volume. The sugars in the lactose caramelize, and the cheese becomes thick enough to pour into rectangular molds. The finished gjetost emerges from its wrap squeaky clean, with an all-body tan and shiny creases on the face. Its semi-firm compact texture, which bears a trace of peanut butter’s sullen mouth feel, has a rich salty-sweet caramel finish.”
Over ten years of hosting an annual fondue party, I’ve tried many dessert fondue recipes and this one has become the most-demanded of all. —STB13
Serves: 6
Ingredients
-
1 1/2
tablespoons sugar
-
4
teaspoons brown sugar
-
1/4
teaspoon cinnamon
-
4
ounces gjetost, preferably Ski Queen, in thin slices
-
2
tablespoons heavy cream, plus more to thin
-
1/2
teaspoon Cognac plus 1/2 teaspoon water (or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract plust 3/8 teaspoon water)
-
20
pecans, toasted
Directions
- Combine sugars and cinnamon in a small bowl and stir well.
- Combine cream, Cognac, gjetost and sugar/cinnamon mixture in a pan over low heat, stirring as the cheese melts, thinning with additional cream.
- When cheese has completely melted, transfer to fondue pot, set over low heat, and top with toasted pecan pieces.
- Serve with gingerbread chunks, bananas, strawberries.