Easy Requeijão Cremoso| Requeijão (Brazilian Cream Cheese)

Requeijão Cremoso, or simply Requeijão, is the Brazilian cream cheese made with just 4 ingredients at home without any preservatives or addition of starch. It is super creamy and delicious and you can add to many recipes such as this macarronada com requeijão (Brazilian mac and cheese).

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Requeijão 

Here are a few things that you need to know about requejão before making the recipe.

What is requeijao or requeijao cremoso?

Requeijão cremoso (or simply requeijão) is the Brazilian Cream Cheese Spread which is not the same thing as the American cream cheese. The Spanish term is requeijón!

Both are milk-derived products, mild-flavored, and white in color, but their texture is totally different. That’s right!

The Brazilian cream cheese has a consistency similar to that of condensed milk, and is usually sold in Brazil in glass jars, plastic cups, or a pot of cream.

Its mild taste varies from brand to brand, with Catupiry being the most famous brand in Brazil. Their product is made with Catupiry cheese. Another famous popular manufactured creamy cheese is the Itambe requeijao.

The orginal requeijao recipe has its origins in the state of Minas Gerais, a major producer of dairy products in Brazil, or dairy-derivatives such as pão de queijo.  It's one of those easy Brazilian recipes that you must try!

English Pronunciation 

Requeijão cremoso is pronounced in English as heck-ay-ZHOWN cray-MOH-zoo -- where the ZH sound is the sound that “s” makes in the word “measure”.

What to serve with Brazilian cream cheese?

It is a versatile product as follows:

• It can be used as a spread on toast or in Brazilian tapioca.
• As an ingredient in pasta dishes such as macarronada (Brazilian mac and cheese).
• In a ham and cheese baked rice (arroz de forno).
• As a substitute for mornay sauce in this baked cod and cauliflower mac and cheese or Mexican crema or heavy cream in this shrimp gratin, broccoli gratin, and corn gratin.
• As a replacement for creamy ricotta in this baked zucchini casserole
• In other casseroles such as chicken shepherd’s pie and baked kibbeh as one of the cheese layers.
• Incorporated into stews (morangas),
• Dolloped and stirred into mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes to make them creamier.
• As a filling for  pão de queijo recipe or gluten-free breadsticks.
• As a companion for serving along with guava paste (Romeo e Julieta), among other uses.

Where to buy

Well, from now on you won’t have to go to a Brazilian or Middle-Eastern market (Puck brand) in order to buy this amazing Brazilian cream cheese. You can make it in the convenience of your own home with only 4 ingredients from your pantry and fridge!

Is requeijão cremoso a creamy cheese?

Yes! It is more than soft cheese. It is creamy cheese – creamier than a regular cream cheese with a spreading consistency that many soft kinds of cheese such as feta don’t have. You can slice brie or goat cheese, and crumble feta but you can’t slice requeijão cremoso because it is simply a spread.

Can you use cream cheese instead of ricotta?

Yes and no! Both are soft cheeses like cottage cheese. However, cream cheese is a spread. On the other hand, ricotta is sold in pots (as a spread) so you can replace it with cream cheese, and as regular cheese (in the shape of wheels). The latter does not have the same consistency as creamy ricotta or a ricotta spread. In other words, it is not spreadable!

The replacement or substitution depends on the type of ricotta and what type of recipe it will be used!

Requeijão Cremoso vs. Requeijão de Corte

One must take care not to confuse requeijão cremoso with a different product known as simply requeijão de corte, a cow’s milk-based, artisanal, light yellow food product whose appearance could easily be confused with that of yellow cheese. It is soft as requeijão cremoso but not as creamy. “Corte” means that you can slice it as if it was a regular cheese. On the other hand, it cannot slice requeijão cremoso because it is a spread.

Requeijão de corte is a component in the regional cuisines of the Brazilian states of Goiás, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Bahia. It is similar a queijo catupiry (catupiry cheese).

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Milk: For a thicker consistency, use full-fat or whole milk (pasteurized). But if you prefer something lighter, you can use reduced-fat milk (2%).
• White vinegar: you can replace it with lemon juice. This acidic ingredient is essential to curd the milk.
• Unsalted butter: Need to add creaminess. I prefer to use unsalted butter because you can control the amount of salt better which varies according to the brand. The ones with less water content are better such as Irish or European butter.
• Salt: It is the flavoring ingredient and you can add more or less than the amount called for in the recipe depending on your needs and wants.
• Mozzarella cheese: It is optional but it works like a thickening agent! If you are in a hurry, add it to the recipe because it will make this Brazilian cream cheese ready to eat faster. You will have to chill the requeijão cremoso in the fridge for fewer hours if using the mozzarella in the recipe. Some recipes call for cornstarch or all-purpose flour but not ours.

How to make requeijão cremoso or requeijão

1. Reserve about ½ to ⅔ cup of milk. In a large saucepan, bring the remaining milk to a boil over medium-high heat. Then, turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Once curds form, ladle the content of the pan into a strainer placed over a large bowl, wash curds well with running water (to eliminate the vinegar sour taste), and press down on the strained curds with a large spoon to eliminate any excess liquid. Only curds (not liquid) should be in the strainer. This is key to NOT make your requeijão watery!
2. In a blender, blend together curds, butter, salt, cheese (optional), and some of the reserved milk (add as little or more as needed to get a creamy consistency. The milk must be cold if the curds are cold or warm if the curds are still warm) for about 2 to 3 minutes on high speed or until mixture is very creamy and smooth. NOTE: For a softer consistency, add a bit more milk. If you are adding mozzarella, you will need more of the reserved milk.
3. Gently pour homemade cream cheese into sterilized and dried glass jar(s) or container(s) with a tight lid(s). Store in the fridge for at least 4 hours before using as a spread for toast.

NOTE: Both the taste and texture of this homemade Brazilian cream cheese (called requeijão caseiro in Portuguese) are similar to the one sold under the brand Tirolez.

 Storage

Store requeijão cremoso in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Do not freeze it; otherwise, it will alter its creamy consistency!

Other cheese recipes:

• Grilled cheese sticks

• Microwave mac and cheese

• Mac and cheese carbonara

PIN & ENJOY!

, requeijao!PIN & ENJOY!jaPI

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