# Cheese Dip



## nicholas (Jul 22, 2004)

Hi! First up, a hello to everyone here. I've been browing this site for quite a while now, and it's been very informative. I like it here!

Anyway, does anyone have a recipe for the Cheese dip?

I've tried recreating the yummy gooey mass, by melting a block of sharp cheddar(grated) in the microwave oven, on a medium heat. I didn't get the same consistency which you can get in restaurants that serve up nachos with dips, and the squeeze it bottles.

What I got instead was melted cheese, and the oil, seperated from it.
And after standing for a while, it started to harden.
This dosen't happen to the cheesy dips that I've come to known and enjoy very much.

I'd really appreciate if anyone can help. 
Thanks!


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## jock (Dec 4, 2001)

Welcome to cheftalk Nicolas. You can introduce yourself properly at the Welcome forum. You'll get lots of friendly advice here. 

I've never made that stuff and there may be an actual recipe for it (I really don't know.) I think you have to use a processed cheese to get the consistency you want. Something like Kraft Cheese slices.

Good luck

Jock


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## nicholas (Jul 22, 2004)

Hi, thanks.
Hmm, processed cheese. That's a new bit of info. I'll look out for that the next time I head to the supermarket.
Thank you!


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

Do you mean a warm cheese dip like a fondue? That gets smooth but I believe it needs to be kept warm at the right temperature to keep from getting too stringy. 

I thought of a mornay sauce, too but I'm no expert. That would give you a smoother product, but it would congeal rather than staying gooey like the stuff in the cans. That commerical stuff has chemical junk in it, so don't try that at home!


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## nicholas (Jul 22, 2004)

I meant a cheese dip for tortilla chips.
I found a recipe on www.allrecipes.com that I can't wait to try. 
It's called "Queso Dip".

I figured that the cornstarch may have something to do with the smoothening / thickening of the cheese.
And the sour cream gives it a tangy touch.

Here's the recipe for anyone who may be interested.

From www.allrecipes.com
Queso Dip 
Submitted by: Heather Shevlin

1 tablespoon butter 
1 tablespoon cornstarch 
3/4 cup sour cream 
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 
1 tablespoon salsa

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Thoroughly stir in the cornstarch. Stir in the sour cream. When the mixture becomes hot and bubbly, mix in Cheddar cheese and salsa. Continue stirring until cheese has melted and mixture begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Yields 2 cups.


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## nancya (Apr 30, 2001)

I thought I'd find a dandy recipe for you in the Cheese Lover's Cookbook and Guide. It surprised me greatly to find 2 out of 3 recipes based on Velveeta (processed cheese). I don't actually object to Velveeta - it really makes a pretty decent nacho cheese dip in my opinion. But not everyone shares that opinion.

The book had one recipe that might suit. As with the recipe you found, it has cornstarch in it.

1 small onion, unpeeled and quartered
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
3 Anaheim chiles
3 jalapeño chiles
3 plum tomatoes
8 ounces Caciotta or Monterey Jack, shredded
8 ounces Cheddar or Longhorn, shredded
4 teaspoons cornstarch
salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon pure ground chile powder

Place the onion, garlic, chiles, and tomatoes on a baking sheet. Broil them 3 inches from the heat, turning with tongs as necessary until their skins are blackened on all sides. Remove from the broiler, place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to steam until cool.

Once they are cool enough to handle, remove the skins from the onion and garlic. Remove the blackened skins and seeds from the chiles and discard. Peel the tomatoes, cut in half, squeeze out the seeds and juice and discard. Place the onions, garlic, chiles, and tomatoes in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse to chop coarsely. Set aside.

Mix the shredded cheese with the cornstarch and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Combine the cream, cumin, and chile powder in a 2-quart saucepan and heat over low heat. When the cream is warm, gradually stir in the shredded cheese, handful by handful, wait for each handful of cheese to melt before adding the next. When all of the cheese is melted, gradually stir in the chopped vegetables. Add salt to taste.

Serve in a chafing dish or fondue pot to keep warm.


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

There are two schools to making a cheese sauce/dip. The first is the "fondue" style that often uses wine or other acidic ingredient to help keep the cheese in an emulsion (nice and smooth, where the oil doesn't separate out). Not sure of the exact chemical reaction that creates this, but melting cheese in such a liquid helps to keep it nice and smooth. The other way is the "Mornay" Sauce method (these names are arbitrary, that I made up to differentate the two) where the cheese is whisked into a thickened base, often thickened cream. The base is usally thickened by either cornstarch or by a roux. Most cheese dips, in this country are based on the second style. Once you have the basics down, it is easy to experiment with different cheese, ingredients, and additions. Making "Nacho Cheese Sauce", "Artichoke Dip" or "Cheddar Ale Dip" all start basically the same way. The one thing you must keep in mind though, is that after you add the cheese, you shouldn't let the mix come to a boil again. This can cause the cheese to curdle and separate. Here's my recipe for Artichoke Dip:

1 Onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can Artichoke Heats, roughly chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1 pint Heavy Cream
1 cup 1/2 & 1/2
1 cup Swiss Cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan (the good stuff, not the stuff in the green can)
1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
Roux (made with 1/4 pound of butter)
Tabasco
Salt 
Pepper
Sweat the onion and garlic in a heavy bottomed pot, in butter, until soft. Add wine and reduce by 1/2. Add cream and 1/2 & 1/2. Add roux and whisk. Bring to a boil and add nutmeg and dry mustard. Whisk to incorporate then reduce to a simmer and add cheese. Stir until fully melted and remove from heat. Add a splash or 2 of tabasco (or more if you like) and check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed. Keep warm and serve with tortilla chips or toasted pita triangles.


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## nicholas (Jul 22, 2004)

nancya: I normally use kraft cheese, as velveeta is only available in several supermarkets. Thanks for the recipe, it looks like it'll make a spicy and interesting dip, neat!

Pete: Yea, I thought that adding cornstarch would be a popular choice, well at least thats what seemed to be in most recipes I find online. Thanks for the information and the "Artichoke Dip" recipe, hmm, I oughta try Artichoke sometime, I have never tried it.


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## chefemad (Jan 27, 2013)

Hi Nicholas

Try this

6-8 OZ Dubliner cheese shredded 

6-8 OZ Velveta cheese cut in cubes

3/4 cup stout or any dark beer

1/2 cup water or use cream/milk 

Add all  in a double boiler and stair until melted and smooth keep working it till its hot add more liquid if you need 

do not use the micro wave enjoy with pits of rustic bread or nachos chips  etc.you can use it for mac+cheese 

you may choose any of your favorite Cheddar cheese in compo with velveta or any processed cheese and if you don't like the beer use cream /milk


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## kimmit (Feb 28, 2013)

Hi Nicholas - I found this recipe for Fromage Fort on one of the cooking blogs I follow and it is really good! 

1 lb left over cheese (combination of hard and soft; basically anything you have in the fridge)

a little butter

1 small clove garlic

1/2 to 1 cup of white wine

1 tsp fresh herbs: chives, rosemary, thyme

Season to taste.

You basically whizz it all up together and it is more a spread than a dip, but you could probably add cream or more wine to make it into a dip.


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## michaelga (Jan 30, 2012)

This is the way that the big companies make and can/jar it for resale. Check out the link - it explains the science behind it all.

A James Beard nominated blog "The Food Lab" for this year too! Great information, well presented and tested. (the author used to work for Cook's Illustrated but found it a tad limiting)

Simple to make also.

Straight from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

8 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese (not pre-grated)

1 tbs corn starch

1 (12 ounce) can of evaporated milk (you don't use all of it - just 1 cup)

2 tsp Franks Hot sauce

Grate the cheese and toss with the corn starch.

Combine cheese and 1 cup evaporated milk and Franks hot sauce in sauce pan, cook over low heat stirring constantly.

Once heated and cheese is fully blended you can thin it to your desired consistency with the remaining milk and adjust heat level as you like.

Serve immediately or hold in small crock-pot or low chafer. Cover with parchment to avoid cheese skin.


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## maker (May 24, 2013)

Here is a recipe that has worked well for me: http://www.cooking-mexican-recipes.com/white-cheese-dip.html

Of course you can add to it or leave out (most) anything you want, but I think this recipe gives you a strong basis with which to experiment. The kicker is you can use real cheese...


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## michaelga (Jan 30, 2012)

Maker said:


> Here is a recipe that has worked well for me: http://www.cooking-mexican-recipes.com/white-cheese-dip.html
> 
> Of course you can add to it or leave out (most) anything you want, but I think this recipe gives you a strong basis with which to experiment. The kicker is you can use real cheese...


Did you actually read the recipe?

It uses 8oz of cheese to ...approx 50oz of other stuff...

Use the recipe I posted above for real-cheese flavour it's pretty much 8oz to 8oz.


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