Kalvdans

Kalvdans (lit. 'calf dance') is a classical Scandinavian dessert. It is made from unpasteurized colostrum milk, the first milk produced by a cow after giving birth.[1]

Kalvdans

Type	Dessert
Place of origin	Scandinavia
Main ingredients	Colostrum milk, water
Cookbook: Kalvdans

Kalvdans has a long tradition in Swedish cuisine. It is mentioned in the encyclopedia Project af swensk grammatica from 1682. The encyclopedia mentions 'kalvost' (lit. calf-cheese) as an alternative name.[2] The name kalvdans refers to the jiggly pudding-like consistency of the dessert.[3] Swedish emigrants brought the tradition of kalvdans to North America, as well. It is however rarely consumed today, as very few families keep cows of their own.[4]

In preparing the dessert, the colostrum milk is mixed with water and cautiously heated.[1][5] Due to the high levels of protein in the colostrum milk, it coagulates and hardens when boiled (much like eggs do). Thus the dessert gets a pudding-like consistency.[6]

Due to Swedish health regulations, unpasteurized milk may only be sold directly from the farms. Thus the capacity to produce kalvdans is somewhat limited.[6] As a consequence kalvdans is very rarely prepared in Swedish households today.[2] In 2008 kalvdans, along with four other Swedish dishes, was included in the 'Ark of Taste' of the Slow Food movement.[7]

A related dessert is råmjölkspannkaka.[2] Similar desserts like kalvdans exists in other countries. In Iceland, a pudding called ábrystir is made out of colostrum milk. A similar Finnish version is called uunijuusto (oven cheese). In England colostrum milk, or beestings as it is called locally, was traditionally used for puddings. In India Junnu is a dessert made out of colostrum milk from buffaloes.[6] In Norwegian and Danish dialects, the word kalvedans sometimes refers to a type of jelly made by veal meat.[3][8]