Red Leicester is a hard English cheese made from cow’s milk, very similar to Cheddar, but it usually has a bright orange colour due to the addition of annatto colouring, a firm, slightly crumbly texture and a sweeter, nutty flavour profile.
• Brand: Lye Cross Farm – a family-run cheese dairy based in south-west England with a long tradition of cheese-making.
• Weight: approx. 200 g
• Type: hard cheese (Red Leicester) – matured for several months to develop its flavour.

🍽️ Flavour and experience

✔️ Flavour: slightly sweet, delicately nutty and milky – more pronounced than young Cheddar cheeses, but usually milder than extra-mature cheeses.
✔️ Texture: firm, slightly crumbly, yet beautifully creamy when eaten.
✔️ Colour: characteristic orange to reddish hue thanks to the natural colouring agent annatto.

🧾 Ingredients and allergens

Main ingredients: pasteurised cow’s milk, edible salt, cheese cultures, annatto (colouring).
Allergens:
✔️ Contains milk and milk products – not suitable for people with a milk allergy.

📊 Nutritional values (per 100 g) (approximate)

(Based on similar data for Lye Cross Farm Red Leicester / similar blocks)

• Energy: ~1 653–1 700 kJ / ~399–410 kcal

• Fat: ~34 g

  • of which saturated fatty acids: ~21–22 g

• Carbohydrates: ~0.1–0.5 g

  • of which sugars: ~0.1–0.5 g

• Protein: ~24–25 g

• Salt: ~1.8 g

🍽️ Uses in the kitchen

✔️ On a cheese platter: served with fruit, nuts and bread – a delicious treat.
✔️ On bread: slices of cheese on bread, a baguette or a sandwich.
✔️ Baked dishes: grate over pasta, savoury tarts or baked potatoes.
✔️ Grilled toast: it melts beautifully and adds a lovely cheesy flavour.

💡 Tip: Leave the cheese at room temperature for a short while before serving – this allows the flavour and texture to develop better.