Brownness

Brunost has a very unique flavor—sweet and salty, with a hint of caramel. Its texture is smooth. When you first try this cheese, you might not know whether you like it or not, but over time, it becomes a favorite.

Along the way, I'll tell you how to prepare both Brunost and Musost, because they are prepared identically, the only difference is in the final stage and the final product.

What do we need to make Norwegian brown Brunost cheese at home? It's very simple: whey and cream. The fattier the cream, the milder the flavor. This time, I used 10%. For the Mysost version, you only need whey.

Pour the whey into a saucepan and place it on the fire, bring to a boil and leave to evaporate until the initial volume is reduced by 5 times.

If you can stir the whey, you can turn the gas up high. If not, you can let it simmer gently while you go about your business, but that will take longer to evaporate. Now the whey has evaporated.

To make Brunost, add cream and continue to simmer the whey, stirring frequently over medium heat. For Mussost, continue to simmer the whey without the cream until it thickens and caramelizes.

Cook the whey until it thickens. This photo shows the whey being boiled down with cream. I was a bit distracted and it started to brown, which is best avoided.

The next step is optional, but it’s best to do it: blend the cheese mixture until smooth.

Then place this mixture in a frying pan and, stirring constantly, cook until the mixture begins to form a lump.

Place the cheese into molds or one larger mold. Leave to cool.

Once the cheese has cooled and set, store it in the refrigerator, wrapped in parchment paper and placed in an airtight container.

Over time, the cheese's flavor changes, becoming more mellow. Homemade Norwegian brown Brunost is delicious with toast or whole-grain bread, and it's a true delight with coffee.

And of course, as a unique appetizer to pair with wine, in Norway they spread jam—blueberry or lingonberry—on bread, and top it with Brunost. Incredibly delicious, but very unusual.

A little more about the Norwegian brown cheese, Mysost. Boil the whey without adding cream until it reaches a light brown, thick consistency. You can then add various additives to this cheese—a little sugar or a tiny bit of salt, but be careful, as the evaporated whey is already salty. You can also add nuts or sesame seeds; I used black sesame. Pour the mixture into molds or pour it onto a silicone mat in one layer.

This is what it turns out like - more fragile than Brunost, but just as unusual and tasty.