Cheese!

pat

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I wasn't sure where to put this, and hope someone else will be a cheesemaker and want to post their recipes and techinques here.  I also thought this thread could be used for fondues or appetitzers with goat cheese - anything predominantly about cheese.

This recipe was the one I used to make my first batch of Ricotta cheese this past weekend.  I cook with a lot of ricotta, and the price for whole milk ricotta is ridiculous here.  I'd rather use less, and make it fresh.

Homemade Ricotta Cheese by Viviane Bauquet Farre from foodandstyle.com

Makes 1 cup.

4 cups whole milk (and this can not be ultrapasturized milk)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (I didn't have sea salt, used 1/4 teaspoon regular table salt)
3 tablespoons distilled vinegar, fresh lemon or lime juice.

fine cheesecloth.

Step 1: place the milk in a heavy bottom pot.  Add the salt and heat over medium-high heat.  Stir occasionally so the milk doesn't scorch. Heat milk to 180 degrees F to 190 degress F.  If you don't have a thermometer, heat the milk until it foams at the sides of the pan and starts simmering, but doesn't boil.

Step 2: Remove pan from heat and add vinegar (or lemon or lime juice). Stir only a couple of times.  Almost immediately, curds will start to form.  Make sure not to stir any more so as not to disturb the curds.  Let stand for 5 minutes.

Step 3: Line a medium sieve with the cheesecloth and carefully pour the milk mixture into the cheesecloth, disturbing the curds as little as possible.  Let drain for 5 to 20 minutes to the desired consistency.  Draining for 5 minutes will give you a moist and creamy cheese.  Draining for 20 minutes will give you a drier ricotta.  You can drain the ricotta for longer of course, just remember that the longer it drains, the drier it'll be.
Transfer the ricotta to a container and cool to room temperature.  Cover and refrigerate for up to 7 days.

 
 

Winchester

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Oh Pat! Thank you! It's funny you should post this as I've been starting to research cheese-making. Not only ricotta, but also mozzarella as it's supposed to be fairly easy. Ricotta's prices are ridiculous here, too.
 
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pat

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I look forward to hearing the experiences you have and what recipe you use.  I def. will not use lemon juice next time (maybe the issue is we used not fresh lemon juice but a concentrate..just too strong a lemon flavor).
 
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