Frico

Cheese lace or frico is simply baked shredded cheese.  Almost four years ago today, I shared how I make cheese lace bowls.  These delicious edible bowls are an ideal presentation for salad.  Frico can be shaped into simple rounds for a low calorie, no carb crunchy snack or the frico can be crumbled to sprinkle on top of salads and vegetables.  They can also be used as a garnish.  Frico are very easy to make!

I made a batch of frico for snacking.  Since I was calculating the nutritional value, I weighed 15 g (about 2 tbsp) of the shredded cheese for each frico.  It was important to weigh the unbaked cheese to determine the nutritional value in the finished frico.  I placed each weighed portion of the shredded cheese on a Silpat lined baking sheet in a small mound that I spread into a circle about 2½ - inch diameter leaving space around each for spreading.  I had a total of six prepared cheese circles.  I baked the frico at 350°F until golden brown, just crisping on the edges.

Any shredded cheese can be used to make frico.  Don't worry about mixing the kinds of cheese either.  It is a great way to use up those little bits of left-over cheese.  You can add extra flavour by sprinkling the shredded cheese with seasoning salt or dried herbs of choice.  If you want a little extra crunch, sprinkle a little chia seed on top.  If you want to form the frico into bowls, double the amount of shredded cheese and spread to about 5 - inch diameter.  Form the bowl as soon as the frico is taken from the oven while still warm.

As the frico bakes, you will notice oil being released.  The oil will pool around the frico and on top.  It is a bit had to see in the picture but the shiny liquid around the edges of the frico is oil.  This is not a lot but this does reduce the amount of fat in the finished frico which in turn reduces the caloric value.  It is important to allow the frico to drain on paper towel to absorb as much oil as possible.  This ensures the frico are crisp and crunchy. 

Once the frico has been cooled and drained, carefully place them in an airtight storage container.  The frico will be brittle to be careful not to break if you want them for snacks or garnish.  You can crush and store that way as well.

I weighed each finished frico.  They were 9 g each so baking resulted in a 6 g weight loss.  Part of this weight loss was oil, effectively lowering the caloric value but part was water.  The 9 g frico has a nutritional val of 33 calories, 0 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, 2 g protein, 53 mg sodium and 0 g fibre.  The nutritional value will vary slightly depending on the cheese used but not a lot.

Frico are crunchy, tasty snacks that will satisfy your cravings for a salty, crunch snack.  They are surprisingly filling too.  They are the perfect snack for those eating low carb and unlike many snacks have a bit of protein.  Frico are a healthy snack that is sure to please!