Why buy Ricotta Cheese when it is so Easy to Make!

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There are several variations for making your own Ricotta Cheese, but they are all quite similar. Basically you have to cook a mixture of milk and cream to a certain temperature, take it off the heat and add an acid ingredient to create curdles. Then you carefully ladle it into a cheesecloth covered strainer to let it drain and settle into a bowl of fresh ricotta cheese!

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One of the factors that can make your ricotta more or less successful is the acidity level in the lemons you are using. If you don’t find that you are getting a good amount of curdling, you can try to add more lemon juice. Some recipes call for vinegar instead, but I have had the best success with lemon juice and it adds a nice flavor, although does not make it lemony at all. Sometimes I actually add a little lemon zest to the mixture which does add an extremely fresh light lemony taste to the cheese.

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It is helpful to use a thermometer to monitor the temperature of your milk mixture, but it is not critical. Bring the mixture just to boiling and then take it off the heat.

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I line my colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth to create more cheese.

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The longer you let the cheese drain, the firmer the cheese will be. It gives you the opportunity to make it as dense or loose as you prefer and whatever will best suit your recipe.

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HOMEMADE RICOTTA CHEESE

Yield – about 4 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 gallon whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 Tbs. flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
  • 1/2 cup fresh, strained lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)

Directions

  1. Line a colander with 3 to 4 layers of lightly dampened cheesecloth, and set it in a clean sink or large bowl.
  2. Clip an instant-read or candy thermometer to the side of a heavy-duty 7- to 8-quart pot. Put the milk and cream in the pot and slowly warm it over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a silicone spatula, until it’s 185°F, about 20 minutes.
  3. Remove from the heat, stir in the salt, and then slowly pour the lemon juice over the surface of the milk. Once all of the lemon juice has been added, stir gently for 1 to 2 minutes to encourage curds to form.
  4. Gently ladle the curds into the prepared colander. Fold the ends of the cheesecloth over the curds to loosely cover. Drain until it reaches your desired consistency, 30 minutes for a soft ricotta and up to 24 hours for a very firm, dry, dense ricotta. Refrigerate if draining for more than a couple of hours. Transfer the drained ricotta to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

Note

  • The better your milk and cream, the better your cheese will be. A high-quality sea salt will also make a difference.
  • Don’t be surprised by the amount of whey (or liquid) that drains out of your mixture. This is to be expected. You can even use the leftover whey as you would stocks in soups or liquids for baking.
  • If you’d like to make a little less, the recipe is easily halved.

(Printable recipe can be found in my recipe index under Sauces)

 

 

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