Kochkäse is a sour-curd cheese, made from quark. Very dry quark (liquid is pressed out) is allowed to rest for several days in a warm place. After 4 to 8 days, the cheese is yellow and fatty. It is then ready to be cooked. A mixture of milk, baking soda, caraway seeds, and salt is brought to a boil. The ripe Quark is added to the boiling mixture and stirred in until the mixture becomes stringy. Butter is mixed in and the entire mixture is poured into a form and cooled. At this point, the Kochkäse is ready for consumption - there is no further ripening period.