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Cuajada
Sheep's milk junket with honey
Cuajada navarra: softly set sheep's milk junket with honey and walnuts
In the green valleys of northern Navarre, Ultzama and Roncal above all, sheep's milk is set into cuajada, a wobbly, faintly tangy junket that is eaten as dessert in village restaurants and sold in little clay pots at Pamplona's markets. Shepherds once warmed the milk by dropping a red-hot stone into a wooden pot, which is why some cuajadas taste lightly smoky. It is always eaten cold, with honey and walnuts. Most rennet is made from calves' stomachs; for a vegetarian cuajada use a microbial or vegetable rennet. Chef's tip: once the rennet is in, don't move the pots at all until they have set, or they turn grainy and weep.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 4 ¼ cups sheep's milkpasteurised, not UHT; whole cow's milk works but sets softer
- ¼ tsp liquid rennetmicrobial or vegetable for a vegetarian version; follow the bottle's dose for 1 litre
- 6 tbsp honey
- 2 ⅛ oz walnut halvesroughly broken
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What you'll need
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Set out 6 small clay pots, ramekins or glasses on a tray where they can stay undisturbed.
2 minStep 2: Warm the 4 ¼ cups sheep's milk in a pan over a low heat, stirring now and then, until it reaches 37–100°F: it should feel neither warm nor cool on the inside of your wrist. If you like a smoky note, let a thin layer catch very lightly on the bottom first, without stirring, then pour the milk into a clean pan.
10 minStep 3: Take the pan off the heat and stir in the ¼ tsp liquid rennet for 10 seconds, no longer. A common mistake is using milk that is too hot: above about 108°F the rennet stops working and the cuajada never sets.
1 minStep 4: Pour the milk straight into the pots and leave them alone at room temperature for 20–30 minutes until set: tilt one gently and the surface should come away from the side in one piece, like a soft custard.
30 minStep 5: Chill for at least 2 hours. Serve cold with the 6 tbsp honey drizzled over and the 2 ⅛ oz walnut halves scattered on top.
120 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cuajada take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sheep's milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
- What can I use instead of honey?
- Maple syrup or golden syrup, same amount.
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