When I think about cheese, the first thing that comes to my mind is a grilled cheese sandwich. Short of enjoying just the cheese on its own with maybe some nuts and just a touch of honey, a grilled cheese sandwich to me is the most filling way to enjoy cheese in an unadulterated manner.
When Milkana sent some of their dairy products my way, I immediately knew there was going to be some grilled cheese happening. And happen it did! But first let me just show you the Milkana loot I received:
Starting from the very left side, we’ve got some Milkana Shredded Emmental; and up top are some different yoghurts which I’ll talk more about in a bit. They also sent me a block of baking cream cheese, and two tubs of Cream Cheese spreads in Herbs flavour and Light. Let’s not forget the spreadable Creamy Processed Cheese triangles nestled inside those round containers, which would make a perfect bed for a smoked salmon open-faced sandwich!
But hey, we’re talking about grilled cheese today. For the feeling of eating the ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich, I knew I needed to add Milkana’s Cream Cheese Herb Spread on my sandwiches. I then used the Milkana Shredded Emmental in conjunction with mozzarella for a bit of ooze.
So shall I share some of my top tips for making a killer basic grilled cheese sandwich? These tips are really simple, and although I know the process of making grilled cheese varies from person to person, these are just the ones that I feel have yielded the best results for me! 🙂
Tip #1: Butter your bread evenly.
Some people put the butter on the pan itself but sometimes I find that tends to make the bread a little soggy and oily. I prefer spreading a thin layer on the bread itself, so that the bread toasts as evenly as possible.
I used olive oil instead of the traditional butter to make this a bit “healthier”, but let’s be real here: nothing beats tasty butter on a grilled cheese. So if you’re in the mood for a little indulgence I definitely recommend using butter.
As for the type of bread to use, crusty sourdough breads are great for grilled cheese because of their pronounced flavours and crunch when toasted, but regular sandwich bread does the trick too.
Tip #2: Add a little cream cheese into the mix.
Spreading one half of your bread with some cream cheese will give your sandwich a boost of flavour. Usually, I find that light cream cheese with a sprinkling of dried herbs does wonders, but since Milkana already has a cream cheese spread with bits of herbs in it I decided to use that.
Though it’s up to you how much you want to add, I suggest not piling the spread on too thick at the risk of it overpowering the rest of the sandwich. The cream cheese spread will melt and ooze out along with the other cheeses, giving the grilled cheese sandwich a light buttery tang!
Tip #3: Use a combination of cheeses.
Apart from the cream cheese, I firmly believe that using a combination of shredded cheeses rather than just plain old cheddar alone will create a yummier grilled cheese sandwich. I also find that shredded cheese melts more evenly rather than using strips of pre-sliced sandwich cheeses, and by the time your bread is toasted, the cheese will have melted too.
Just note that you shouldn’t add too much cheese to the point of drowning out the bread. This is still a sandwich after all, and the cheese to bread ratio should still be maintained. 😉
I used a combination of mozarella and Milkana’s Shredded Emmental. I tried using all Emmental but it doesn’t melt as much as mozarella or cheddar does, but it has a nuttier and earthier flavour compared to cheddar so it’s a nice cheese to use for grilled cheeses as well. Emmental actually has a lower fat content than cheddar, so it’s a good alternative or combination especially since we’re slathering cream cheese on this too. 😉
Tip #4: Smush while you cook.
The grilled cheese will cook for about 5 minutes on each side before becoming golden, but I like to give it a little press with my spatula every time I flip it over. This helps your sandwich “adhere” and the cheese melt a little over the sides. Yum! Using a nonstick pan helps. I cook over medium heat and no higher to avoid burning the toast.
Before the first flip, you can actually add jam or chutney to your bread as you cook. If you’re planning to do this, don’t cover the sandwich up with the other piece of bread yet. As you cook one side and the cheese begins to melt, add a layer of your jam or chutney before securing it all with another piece of bread. Then flip! (You can also add your jam before grilling the bread. It’s up to you!)
Tip #5: Get em while they’re hot!
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as cutting through a grilled cheese sandwich and seeing that cheesy perfection just ooze out of there!
While the bread is warm it’s nice and crunchy too, giving a nice contrast against the rich and creamy cheese inside. So so good! I love making this during the weekend because I feel this is definitely a treat that someone who has worked his/her butt off the whole week deserves!
And there you have a loaded yet super simple Milkana Grilled Cheese Sandwich!
Again, you can add more things on your sandwich rather than just cheese. A good suggestion is a fruity jam (I always pair my cheeses with strawberry jam), or a savoury jam like Onion Jam or Bacon Jam. Mmmmm. Chutneys and preserves work well too as they have bits of chewy pieces on there.
The ones I made are very basic versions, and just to show you, here’s the pure Emmental version, which you can see is melty but not oozing. It’s very flavourful still thanks to the Milkana Herb Cream Cheese!
As for the mixed Emmental and mozzarella version… Ugh. I can’t even think of words right now just looking at this photograph. Look at how the cream cheese just oozed out along with the mozzarella. The Emmental is in there somewhere within that glob of cheese!
Since cheese has a wide variety of flavours and textures, it’s nice to experiment combinations that work well together. Just remember to shred them instead of just adding in slices!
And if you want to cut through all that richness with something tangy, break open one of Milkana’s yummy yoghurts! I truly love these. This was my first time trying Milkana yoghurts and I found that they’re one of the most balanced out there in terms of taste. They’re not too sweet and have that tang I love!
From left to right: Milkana’s Kidz Up Vanilla Dairy Dessert, So Good Mixed Berries Dairy Dessert, Kidz Up Banana Dairy Dessert, and So Good Strawberry Dairy Dessert.
My only issue with these is the lack of fruit bits. I am addicted to berry yoghurts and the fruit bits in them are the best parts for me. This one didn’t quite measure up to my expectations in that aspect, as you can see from the photo below. You can’t see any fruit at all. But at least it tasted great!
By the way, I take complete responsibility for making you hungry as you read this post. I’m getting a little hungry myself. With all these yumminess to start my day with, it’s no wonder I love breakfast so much! 🙂
Full disclosure: Milkana provided me with products to sample, but all opinions written above are solely my own.
