Cancoillotte: the light cheese for creamy gratins

Anyone who loves gratins will recognise the dilemma: plenty of cheese brings plenty of enjoyment, but it can also add a great many calories very quickly. Popular choices such as mozzarella and full-flavoured hard cheeses can soon turn an otherwise modest vegetable or pasta dish into a calorie-laden meal. Yet an unassuming cheese from eastern France proves there is another way – and that a creamy gratin does not automatically have to feel heavy.

Why traditional gratin cheese can quickly add calories

With a gratin, attention usually goes straight to the topping: a thick, beautifully browned layer of cheese over potatoes, pasta or vegetables. It may sound like comforting home cooking, but it often contains more energy than people realise.

The cheese itself is the reason. Varieties including Comté and Beaufort, along with many other hard and semi-hard cheeses, commonly contain around 380 to 420 kilocalories per 100 grams. Their lengthy maturation removes a great deal of water, leaving behind a concentrated food: high in fat, high in protein and very energy-dense.

Sprinkle a generous handful over sliced potatoes, broccoli or pasta and the calories soon mount up on the plate. Even where the main dish – such as a vegetable gratin – was intended to be fairly light, the cheese can substantially raise the final total.

Fresh and soft cheeses fare somewhat better because they contain more water. Mozzarella therefore already has noticeably fewer calories than typical hard cheeses. Even so, this favourite gratin topping remains considerably more energy-dense than necessary when the aim is to cook more lightly.

“Anyone wanting to cut back in a gratin does not need to give up cheese – they simply need to choose the variety carefully.”

Cancoillotte: the surprisingly light cheese for gratins

The little-known star of lighter gratins is called Cancoillotte. This speciality from the Franche-Comté region is still relatively unfamiliar in Germany, while in eastern France it appears on many tables, often served warm and runny.

Cancoillotte is made from skimmed milk that is first turned into a firm base cheese. It is then melted again with water and a little fat to create a spreadable, pourable mixture. The result is an exceptionally creamy, almost liquid cheese with an intense, gently savoury flavour and a very low energy content.

At around 130 kilocalories per 100 grams, Cancoillotte comes in at roughly half the value of many mozzarella varieties and far below most hard cheeses. At the same time, it tastes much more distinctly cheesy than many reduced-fat products, which can often seem watery or rubbery.

• approx. 130 kcal / 100 g – Cancoillotte
• approx. 250–280 kcal / 100 g – mozzarella (cow’s milk)
• approx. 380–420 kcal / 100 g – typical hard cheeses such as Comté or Beaufort

A jar or small tub of Cancoillotte takes up little room in the fridge, yet it is highly versatile: it can be used as a sauce, a topping or a concealed ingredient in gratins and vegetable pans.

How to make a much lighter gratin with Cancoillotte

Anyone used to relying on rich cream sauces and thick layers of cheese can switch to Cancoillotte quite easily, without having to completely remake a favourite recipe.

A creamy base instead of cream and grated cheese

One option is to replace the usual combination of cream and grated cheese with Cancoillotte mixed with milk. Warm the cheese gently in a small saucepan, gradually stirring in a little milk until it forms a smooth, slightly thick sauce.

This sauce works well with many variations:

• overlapping potato slices for a lighter potato gratin
• pre-cooked vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower or courgette
• leftover pasta from the previous day, repurposed in the oven

The mixture coats the ingredients, adding moisture and a cheesy flavour, while staying far lower in calories than cream combined with hard cheese.

A thin cheese layer for a golden-brown crust

Those unwilling to forgo a browned top can also spread a very thin layer of Cancoillotte over the gratin. It melts rapidly in the oven, browns lightly and creates an appealing crust without requiring large quantities.

This works particularly well for:

• vegetable gratins with courgettes or aubergines
• cauliflower or broccoli gratin with a light milk base
• gnocchi or pasta bakes with tomato sauce

“Just a few spoonfuls of Cancoillotte are enough to create the ‘oven-baked cheese effect’ that so many people love.”

Who benefits most from swapping cheese

Choosing Cancoillotte may appeal to several groups. People watching their weight can lower the energy density of entire meals through one simple substitution. Families who regularly serve gratins can reduce their calorie intake over time without giving up their favourite food.

It can also benefit anyone who enjoys a warm evening meal but does not want to go to bed feeling uncomfortably full. A vegetable dish topped with Cancoillotte is pleasantly filling, yet feels lighter than a classic potato gratin made with plenty of cream and mountain cheese.

Practical everyday tips for this lighter cheese

Cancoillotte is generally sold in jars or small portion tubs, sometimes in several flavours. To begin with, a plain or lightly salted version is sufficient and can be paired flexibly with other ingredients.

• Keep it in the fridge and use it promptly after opening.
• Give it a quick stir before use, as liquid may separate.
• Melt it over a low heat to prevent it from curdling or catching.
• Add flavour easily with herbs, garlic or pepper.

If Cancoillotte is not available locally, the same basic principle can still be followed: use a relatively low-fat cheese that melts well, combine it with a little liquid to make a sauce, and replace the standard cream-and-cheese combination. Lower-calorie varieties of cream cheese or quark, combined with some milk and a small quantity of strongly flavoured hard cheese, work in a similar way, although they usually do not match Cancoillotte’s value.

What “fewer calories” means in practical terms

Cancoillotte’s main advantage lies in its fat content. Less fat per 100 grams automatically means fewer calories, as fat provides nine kilocalories per gram – considerably more energy than carbohydrates or protein. The cheese still provides protein, which helps promote fullness.

Anyone keeping an eye on their weight or needing to monitor fat intake for health reasons can reduce their daily total a little with every serving of gratin. The saving adds up, especially when oven-baked dishes feature regularly on the menu.

Naturally, Cancoillotte is not a substitute for an overall balanced diet. However, it can be one useful element in making much-loved dishes more suitable for everyday meals instead of removing them entirely.

It remains interesting to see how the cheese develops in the UK: as more people look for lighter but practical everyday cooking, Cancoillotte may have a greater chance of appearing more often on supermarket shelves – giving traditional gratin cheese serious competition in the oven.