Here is yet another version of Liptauer Cheese, for which so many variations have been devised. The rich flavor of this one is largely owed to the camembert, but don’t use a Camembert that is too ripe, or the mixture will be runny.
Serves 10 to 12
• 8 oz. Camembert cheese (medium ripe)
• 10 oz. hoop or farmer cheese
• 4 Tbs. soft butter
• 2 to 3 Tbs. dark beer
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1½ Tbs. minced capers
• 2 Tbs. minced onion
• salt
• black pepper
• ½ caraway seeds, crushed
Garnish
paprika
1. Scrape or slice the crust off the Camembert cheese and put the cheese in a bowl. Crumble the farmer or hoop cheese and add it to the Camembert, along with the soft butter. Mash the cheeses and butter together with a fork until the mixture is fairly smooth, then add a little beer, more or less depending on the consistency of the cheeses. With the addition of the beer, the mixture should be soft enough to spread but stiff enough to hold a shape.
2. Add the paprika, mustard, capers, onions, a little salt and pepper to taste, and the caraway seeds. Mix thoroughly and mound the cheese on a plate, smoothing it with a wide, blunt knife to a nice round or oval shape. Cover and chill for several hours, or until the next day.
3. Sprinkle the cheese with a little more paprika to decorate it and serve it with thin buttered slices of black bread.
