Hessischer Handkäse / Hessischer Handkäs 
Hessischer Handkäse, also known as Hessischer Handkäs, is a traditional cheese from Germany. It is classified as a sour milk cheese, made primarily from sour milk quark through acidification without the use of rennet. The cheese is small, palm-sized, and typically weighs between 20 g and 125 g. It is produced in the low-fat category and can appear as a smeared acid curd cheese with or without lactic mould formation. The cheese has a smooth surface with a golden-yellow to red-brown appearance and a soft to firm consistency. It is known for its pure, spicy to piquant flavor. Hessischer Handkäse has been produced in the Hessen region for centuries and is a staple in local cuisine.
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | Germany |
| Specific Origin | Hessen |
| Protection | PGI (2007) |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Sour milk quark produced by acidification |
| Fat Content | 1-2.3% in dry mass |
| Moisture Content | 2-68.6% |
| Rind | Smooth surface with golden-yellow to red-brown spread; may have a white lactic mould layer |
| Texture | Soft to firm, even ripeness from the outside inwards |
| Flavor | Pure, spicy to piquant |
| Aroma | Pure, lactic sour |
| Colors | Exterior: golden-yellow to red-brown; Interior: white to slightly yellow |
| Forms | Smeared acid curd cheese (yellow cheese), smeared acid curd cheese with lactic mould formation |
| Age | Ripened for 2-3 days |
| Rennet Type | Not used |
How Does Hessischer Handkäse / Hessischer Handkäs Cheese Compare?
The most relevant cheeses to compare Hessischer Handkäse / Hessischer Handkäs against.
Get Hessischer Handkäse / Hessischer Handkäs delivered
Two retailers worth checking for Hessischer Handkäse / Hessischer Handkäs or a close stand-in.
Found something wrong on this page?
Suggest an edit