Ricotta Cheese Homemade is one of the most simple fresh cheeses to make yourself. The process takes about 1 1/2 hours, plus overnight to firm and develop flavors. This cheese only takes a few ingredients, whole milk, heavy cream, buttermilk, white vinegar and kosher salt.
The key to success is heating milk and cream slowly in stainless steel heavy duty sauce pan over low heat. Stirring often to prevent scorching and even heating milk to 185°F.
At this point adding buttermilk and vinegar, this starts the acidification process to milk to form curds.
Forming Cheese Curds:
After adding buttermilk and vinegar stir gently to distribute evenly. Then let the acidity do its work for about 15 minutes.
If there is still some milk solids that haven’t turned into curds add a little more vinegar to mixture and add very low heat this will help curd formation.
Give the curds a good gentle stir with spatula and curds should separate from the whey.
Straining curds from the whey:
Line double layer of cheesecloth over large strainer over a bowl. Ladle curd and whey into cheesecloth gently. Keep on ladling until all the curds and whey are transferred to strainer. The whey should collect in bottom bowl and curds into cheesecloth lined strainer.
Let the whey drain from the curds for good 15 minutes. Note might have to squeeze some whey out of the curds.
Add kosher salt to strained curds to boost flavor and help preserve ricotta cheese. Next drain all whey off from bowl, fold the excess cheesecloth over curds and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for good 12 hours or overnight.
Development of Ricotta Cheese flavor and texture:
Refrigerate the Ricotta Cheese Curds overnight helps develop the flavor profile and firms texture of Ricotta Cheese. The longer the curds drain and chill the firmer curd to a point no longer then 24 hours.
The texture of the Ricotta Cheese Curds are firm and slightly crumbly. Curds have mild rich fresh taste that can be transformed into many different purposes.
Creative uses for Ricotta Cheese:
The possibilities have so many different avenues to be explored. Spinach Ricotta Cheese filling for stuffed pizza, lasagna, stuffed shells are great areas to explore. Creaming the ricotta cheese with sour cream adding herbs like chopped fresh chives and garlic to make spread for appetizers or toasted bread. Whipping cream cheese and ricotta to make cheesecake. The possibilities are endless and using fresh homemade ricotta cheese makes everything taste so much better. Enjoy!
Ricotta Cheese Homemade
Description
How to make fresh homemade ricotta cheese
Ricotta Cheese
Making the ricotta cheese curds Instructions
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Using a heavy duty stainless steel pan combine the whole milk, heavy cream.
Combine the whole milk, heavy cream in a heavy duty stainless steel pan. Stirring with spatula until combined.
It's important to use heavy duty stainless steel pan that is at least 4 quarts.
Heating Milk and Cream
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Over very low heat warm milk and cream stirring constantly, until reaching 185°F
Heating milk mixture over very low heat and stirring constantly is important so doesn't scorch.
Checking Tempertures
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Using instant read thermometer check the temperature of milk mixture. The thermometer should read 185°F
Use a good quality instant reading thermometer like ThermoWorkss Thermapen® ONE
Acidification of milk mixture
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Turn heat of milk and cream mixture, and add the buttermilk and white vinegar. Stirring with spatula to evenly distribute mixture.
Resting period for curds to develop.
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Don't disturb the curd making process for 15 minutes.
Allow the acidification process to develop curds. This congeals the proteins in milk mixture turning them into curds.
Adjusting acidity
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Check the temperature of curds if lower than 185°F and still milk mixture present. Over very low heat mixture add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of white vinegar. Stirring just enough to distribute vinegar.
Often the milk mixture doesn't have enough acidity to form all the curds.
Seperation of curds and whey
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Stirring gently the curds to separate them from the the whey.
Don't be tempted to over stir the curds, stir gently just enough to separate curds from the whey.
Separating the curds from the whey
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Line a large strainer with double layer of cheesecloth over bowl. Carefully ladle all the cheese curds into cheesecloth lined strainer.
The excess whey will drain into bowl underneath strainer.
Salting curds
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Add the kosher salt to cheese curds mixing lightly into curds with spatula.
Whey
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Remove the whey that has been strained from curds. This can be discarded.
Cure time for Ricotta Curds.
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Wrap excess cheesecloth over curds, place a bowl under stainer. Then cover everything with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 12 hours.
This process allows the ricotta cheese curds to firm and develop flavors.
Ricotta Curds after refrigerated for 12 hours
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Remove the ricotta curds from the refrigerator and discard the excess whey.
Texting the Ricotta Cheese Curds Texture
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Transfer the ricotta cheese curds to a bowl removing cheesecloth. With spoon test the texture for ricotta cheese curds. Adjust with extra kosher salt if needed.
If the ricotta cheese tastes bland add extra kosher salt.
Recipe Idea for quick spread:
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In a small mixing bowl add 1 cup ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of sour cream, tsp minced garlic and 2 tablespoons chopped chives.
Making Chive Garlic Ricotta Cheese Spread:
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Combine together 1 cup of ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of sour cream, 2 tbsp chopped chives and 1 tsp minced garlic. Using a spatula to mix all the ingredients together.
Adjust seasoning with kosher salt and pepper.
Tasty lunch idea using Chive garlic ricotta cheese spread:
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Toasted mulit grain sourdough bread with Chive garlic ricotta spread, garnished with cherry tomatoes halves. Sprinkled with chopped fresh chives.
