- Kaymak mass – what is it?
- Health-promoting properties of kaymak mass
- How to prepare a traditional kaymak mass?
- Kajmak mass in the kitchen
- Is it worth eating kaymak mass?
Kaymak mass – what is it?
Kajmak mass is a very sweet, thick and stretchy mass, prepared on the basis of milk (or cream ) with sugar , which hardens over time. It tastes like the popular fudge candies or caramel . It can be prepared in two ways. The first is to boil milk or cream with butter and sugar while stirring vigorously. The second way is to cook (about 3-4 hours) a can of sweetened condensed milk. In both methods of preparing kaymak mass, the right cooking time is of great importance. To diversify the taste, you can add a vanilla pod , coffee , chocolate , cocoa to itor even sea salt .
Kaymak mass appeared on Polish noble tables in the 18th century, during the reign of King Stanisław August. At that time, sugar was a luxury commodity, and the passion of the Polish nobility for sweets developed under the influence of contacts with the cuisines of the East. Later, kajmak took the form of a golden brown, thick and hardening mass. In this form, it was used (in the 19th and 20th centuries) as a filling for Easter mazurkas and as a filling for small shortbread muffins.
After World War II, under the influence of the fall in sugar prices, kajmak spread in Poland among other professional and social groups. Then, in addition to sweet cream and sugar, fat began to be added to its production, vanilla and chocolate. Nowadays milk is used instead of cream. Kaymak mass has found a special place in Polish borderland cuisine. Since October 1, 2007, a product called “Kajmak” has been included in the list of traditional products of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship.
Health-promoting properties of kaymak mass
It may seem that this type of sweet product may not contain any nutritional value, but only empty calories . Kajmak mass contains a number of important vitamins and mineral salts necessary for the proper functioning of our body . One of them is potassium – an element that has many important functions. Among other things, it enables the generation of electrical impulses in the cells of our body, including the cells of the heart muscles , i.e. it affects every heartbeat. In addition, potassium is involved in the processes in which cells synthesize proteinswhich, in turn, are the building blocks of muscles. In addition, this element helps to maintain the appropriate acid-base balance, and thus maintain proper homeostasis of the entire body.
Another mineral ingredient hidden in kaymak mass is calcium . Its correct level ensures health, vitality and well-being, so it is worth taking care of a proper diet that will provide a large amount of this valuable element. Calcium forms the basis of connective tissue , bones and teeth. It also participates in the blood coagulation process , the regulation of certain hormones, contraction of skeletal muscles and the heart, conduction of nerve impulses, the process of cell division and regeneration. It ensures homeostasis, i.e. the proper functioning and balance of the body, and also increases the assimilation of vitamin B12 , which is also a component of kajmak mass.
Vitamin B12 is a chemical compound that acts as a regulator of red blood cell production in the body . In addition, it participates in fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism. It also determines cell division and the synthesis of DNA and RNA nucleic acids and proteins that participate in their construction. What’s more, regular intake of this vitamin improves functioningnervous system , stimulates appetite, prevents osteoporosis , and also affects our well-being.
What else can we find in the composition of kaymak mass? Sodium , which is an essential element for the proper functioning of the body. Thanks to it, as well as other electrolytes , the heart can work efficiently and blood pressure is at the right level. What’s more, it regulates the body’s water balance by retaining water in the body. Sodium is also involved in the active absorption of many nutrients, for example glucose and amino acids .
Ingredients:
- ½ milk 3.2% or heavy cream
- 150 g cane sugar
- 50-125 g of butter – depending on the fat content of milk or cream: 50 g for cream, 100 g for condensed milk, 125 g for 3.2% milk
Preparation:
Place the smaller pot in the larger one, filled with hot water. water bath. Cook the milk with sugar and butter over high heat until the mass thickens, stirring often. You have to be careful, because the mass cannot be pourable, but on the other hand, it cannot crystallize and burn. We take the mass off the fire.
