Crazy for Butterkäse? You’re not alone

While social media is currently flooded with people trying a viral food trend: a baked sweet potato stuffed with Butterkäse cheese, we know that the recommended cheese lends itself to much more than this two-ingredient treat. But why does it work so well — and caught on so quickly — in this simple application? Butterkäse has a couple things in its favor here: It melts easily and beautifully, and its mild, creamy flavor offsets the rich, sweet taste of sweet potatoes.

Whether you’re indulging in this cheese for clout or because you love its buttery essence, Butterkäse can be hard to track down. When you do get ahold of some, why not enjoy it with a little more fanfare than just poking it into a potato and calling it good? Here, we take those two ingredients and elevate them to a meal-worthy dish — one that’s perfect for chilly winter nights. Try this sweet potato- Butterkäse gratin and you’ll be racking up “likes” at your own dinner table.

Butterkäse, while it could be swapped out for similar soft and melty cheeses like Bel-Aire or Gouda, really does make the dish here. It’s of German origin and often can even be spread rather than sliced. It’s relatively new to the cheese scene, but it’s universally appealing, with a mild, smooth flavor that sidesteps objections from those who “don’t like cheese.” These days, Germany still produces most of the Butterkäse eaten in Europe, and in the U.S., Wisconsin-based companies — like Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery — offer it locally as well as nationally.

Sweet Potato- Butterkäse Gratin

Ingredients

Five sweet potatoes, average-sized, peeled and sliced about 1/8-inch thick

1 cup whole milk and 1 cup cream or half-and-half

1 small white or yellow onion, sliced thinly

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

½ teaspoon poultry seasoning or combination of sage, rosemary, and thyme

Seven ounces Butterkäse cheese, chopped into small cubes

Fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 375° F. Mix the milk and cream/half-and-half with the salt, pepper, and seasonings. In a greased two-quart baking dish, or eight individual gratin dishes, layer the milk mixture, sweet potatoes, onion, and cheese, starting with the milk and ending with a sprinkling of cheese cubes. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and baked for 45 minutes. Uncover, garnish with parsley, and bake for about 30 minutes longer, or until the potatoes are fork tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Serves 8 as a side dish — goes great with a mixed leaf salad and a simple roast chicken.