Ostkaka (Swedish Cheesecake)

1. Mix 1 cup of cold milk with 3/4 cup of flour and stir to make a soft paste. Set it aside.

2. Dissolve the 1/2 tablet of rennet in water. Set it aside.

3. Heat the rest of the gallon of milk to lukewarm, 98 to 102 degrees F (36 to 39 degrees C). Remove from heat. Add the soft paste mixture and stir in the dissolved rennet. Stir often until milk begins to set; cover and let stand until firm, about 1 hour.

4. Break up the milk mixture and remove the whey. Do not make the curd too dry and treat with gentle hands so as not to break up the curds too much.

5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon butter.

6. Mix together eggs, sugar, and whipping cream. Add this cream mixture to the strained curd and mix. Pour combined mixture into the prepared baking dish and softly spread it out so that the top of the dessert is flat.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Continue to cook until set and browned on top, about 30 minutes more. Let cool before serving and refrigerate when stored.

Cook's Notes:

Be careful while handling the curds while removing the whey, otherwise it will make it almost impossible to remove. But do not take out so much where the curd becomes too dry. Then the ostkaka will be too watery. It's supposed to be moist, but definitely not runny. It takes some time to make and it can be a little stressful, but practice makes perfect. There is a reason this stuff is only made by Swedish grandmothers.

Also, use a thermometer when heating the milk to lukewarm. Doing this step is extremely important because it activates the rennet enzyme and allows you to know if you are doing it right.