Muenster

Muenster is a cheese from the United States, not to be confused with the French variety, Munster.
Nondairy Muenster has a semi-soft texture with an orange “rind” and a slightly ripened, buttery flavor. The
coloration of the “rind” is created by rubbing the exterior of the cheese with sweet paprika. Slices are ideal
for cold sandwiches and for melting on burgers or other grilled sandwiches.

Ingredients
nn Nonstick vegetable oil spray
nn 1 teaspoon (2.5 g) sweet
paprika
nn 2 teaspoons (10 g) organic
raw apple cider vinegar
nn ¼ teaspoon (1 g) lactic acid*
nn ½ cup (114 g) organic
purified coconut oil*
nn 1½ cups (360 g) filtered
water
nn ⅓ cup (32 g) organic soy milk
powder*
nn ¼ cup (30 g) organic tapioca
starch*
nn 2 tablespoons (6 g) organic
nutritional yeast flakes*
nn 1 tablespoon (7 g) kappa
carrageenan*
nn 1¼ teaspoons (8 g) fine sea
salt or kosher salt
nn ¼ teaspoon (1 g) ground
mustard
nn ¼ teaspoon (1 g) onion
powder
Preparing
Lightly mist the interior of the cheese form with nonstick spray. Add the paprika and
turn to dust the interior with the spice. It’s not essential to coat it evenly, just do the
best you can. Discard any loose spice by inverting and tapping the container. Set aside.
Measure the vinegar into a small dish. Add the lactic acid and mix with the vinegar until the
powder dissolves (a small amount of sediment may remain). Set aside near your cooking
area. The vinegar solution will be added to the cheese mixture after cooking.
Next, melt the coconut oil. To do this, remove the lid from the top of the coconut oil
and place the bottle in a microwave. Heat until the solid oil liquefies, 30 seconds to 1
minute. If you do not have a microwave, set the sealed bottle in a container filled with
very hot water until the oil has melted (do not heat on the stove). Measure ½ cup and
set aside.
Now, combine the filtered water, soy milk powder, tapioca starch, nutritional yeast,
carrageenan, salt, mustard, and onion powder in a blender. Process the contents briefly
until smooth, stopping as necessary to dislodge any powder from the sides of the blender
with a flexible spatula. Pour the mixture into a small saucepan.
Stir the coconut oil into the mixture in the saucepan. The coconut oil will not blend at
this stage; this is normal.

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 Equipment
nn blender
nn 1- to 2-quart saucepan
nn flexible spatula
nn Druids Grove cheese form or
glass, ceramic, metal, or BPA-
free plastic container to hold
at least 2 cups of liquid
Important!
If the oil begins to
separate from the mixture
after it has emulsified,
immediately remove the
saucepan from the heat
source and continue
stirring vigorously until
smooth. This can occur
if the heat is too high
and the mixture is being
heated too quickly. Once
recombined, finish the
cheese according to the
directions.
If the mixture will not
recombine (a broken
emulsion), insert an
immersion blender,
process the mixture
until recombined, and
then finish the cheese
according to the
directions.
*This recipe was
formulated using
Druids Grove brand
products. If you
substitute another
brand for these
ingredients, your
results cannot be
guaranteed.
DruidsGrove_Muenster_RecipeSheet.indd 2
Cooking
Place the saucepan over medium-low heat. The temperature is extremely important
since using high heat or heating the mixture too quickly can cause problems with the
emulsification. It is better to err on the side of the heat being a little too low rather than
too high, as the heat can simply be increased if needed. If using an electric stove, note that
initial heating will take a little longer than when using a gas stove.
Slowly and continually stir the mixture with a flexible spatula (a whisk is not recommended,
as the cheese mixture will become very thick, and it is not as effective for scraping the
sides of the saucepan as the mixture cooks). Stir gently to avoid splashing the oil from the
saucepan. As the mixture heats, it will begin to thicken and form lumps. This may take a
couple of minutes, or longer if using an electric stove. If the mixture is taking an excessively
long time to thicken, increase the heat slightly.
Begin stirring vigorously once the oil has incorporated. Vigorous stirring (whipping the
mixture with the spatula) is essential in order to completely emulsify the mixture. Scrape
the sides of the saucepan with the spatula while stirring. Continue to cook and stir until
any lumps disappear and the mixture has transformed into a smooth, glossy, gooey mass
of melted cheese. If nonstick cookware is used, the cheese will pull away from the sides
of the pan. When it has reached this stage, cooking is complete. The melted cheese
should have a thick and somewhat stretchy consistency.
The entire cooking process should not take more than 5 or 6 minutes, sometimes less
(and sometimes a few minutes more if using an electric stove). It is very important
that the mixture be heated sufficiently to activate the carrageenan. If in doubt, use an
instant-read thermometer; the cheese is finished when the temperature reaches 175°F
(79°C).
Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately fold in the vinegar solution.
Vigorously whip the mixture with the spatula to ensure that the vinegar is blended
thoroughly into the melted cheese.
Immediately and quickly use a spatula to transfer the melted cheese to the form before it
begins to set. Do not attempt to smooth the surface, as the cheese will be very sticky; allow
it to settle on its own. If the procedure was done correctly, the surface will begin to set
almost immediately.
Let the cheese cool for 20 minutes and then cover with BPA-free plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours to firm the cheese completely before removing
from the form.
Finishing
After the cheese has been chilled and firmed completely, invert the form, covering the
opening with your hand, and sharply shake the form to loosen and remove the cheese. If the
cheese does not loosen easily, run a table knife around the interior perimeter of the form to
loosen the cheese. Gently rub the cheese to distribute the paprika evenly. Any excess can be
removed with a pastry brush or by gently brushing with a crumpled paper towel.
Wrap the cheese snugly in a paper towel and then wrap tightly in plastic wrap or seal
in a zip-top bag. Refrigerate for 24 hours. The paper towel will absorb any moisture
released from the cheese during refrigeration and contribute to a firmer, drier texture.
Remove the paper towel and slice or shred the cheese as needed. Store the cheese in the
refrigerator wrapped in a dry paper towel and then plastic wrap or a zip-top bag (squeeze
out as much air as possible before sealing). Replace the paper towel every few days. The
cheese will keep up to 3 weeks when properly refrigerated and longer if vacuum-packed.
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