Homemade Ricotta Cheese With Buttermilk Food

HOMEMADE RICOTTA

Steps:

• In a medium pot, bring the cream, milk, and buttermilk to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Simmer gently for a few minutes until the milk solids rise to the surface and form what looks like a raft. Shut off the heat and allow the milk to rest and cool gently on the stove, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Line a strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth. Use a large spoon to scoop the solids from the surface into the strainer. Pour the liquid gently over the solids in the strainer, allowing the liquid to flow through the strainer and trapping the solids in the cheesecloth. The liquid is the whey and can be used to thicken soups or as a substitute for water in bread dough, among other things. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow all of the liquid to drain out and the ricotta to firm up slightly. Use the ricotta as desired.

HOMEMADE RICOTTA CHEESE WITH BUTTERMILK

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Cut enough cheesecloth to drape over the top of the colander, with plenty hanging over the sides.
• Rinse the cheesecloth in water and squeeze out excess water.
• Fold the cheesecloth into two layers that completely cover the colander. Set the colander in the sink.
• Pour the whole milk and the buttermilk into a pot over medium heat. The temperature should not be so high that the milk ever reaches a boil. For the first 5 minutes as the milk warms, stir frequently to prevent the milk from burning to the bottom of the pot.
• After 5 minutes, use the thermometer to test the milk temperature. When it is around 100 F, stop stirring the milk and let it continue to warm undisturbed. You will start to notice that the milk is thickening on the surface. This is the curds forming.
• When the milk temperature reaches 175 F, turn off the heat. Let the milk sit for 5 minutes. Do not stir.
• Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, gently scoop the curds out of the pot and into the cheesecloth-draped colander.
• Let the curds drain in the colander for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Gather the cheesecloth around the curds and tie at the top with a rubber band. Hang the bundle of curds so more moisture will drip out. You can hang the bundle from your faucet, or set a ladle handle across the top of a pot and hang the bundle from the ladle handle. Let the cheese drain for at least 30 minutes.
• Scrape the homemade ricotta out of the cheesecloth and into a bowl.
• Serve immediately or refrigerate. Use within three to four days.

SICILIAN HOMEMADE RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• Line a large colander or sieve with 4 layers of cheesecloth. Set aside.
• Heat milk, buttermilk, heavy cream, and salt in a large, heavy, nonreactive saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally for the first 10 minutes. Continue heating, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 190 degrees F. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour. The mixture will be separated into white curds and clear whey.
• Using a slotted spoon, ladle approximately 1/4 of the curds into the cheesecloth-lined colander. Gather up the corners of the top cheesecloth and secure closed with a zip tie. Repeat with the rest of the curds, cheesecloth, and zip ties. Use the last zip tie to thread all of the cheeses together. Suspend the cheeses over a large wooden spoon over a large bowl, and let drain for 2 hours.
• Place the four cheeses, still in cloth, in a bowl in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, cut zip ties, and transfer cheese to an airtight container.

EASY AND DELICIOUS HOMEMADE RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• Pour milk into a saucepan set over medium heat. Heat milk until it registers 194 degrees F (90 degrees C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir lemon juice and salt slowly into warmed milk. Let stand until milk curdles, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl. Pour milk mixture carefully into the lined strainer. Let stand until most of the liquid has drained off the ricotta, about 15 minutes. Discard drained liquid.

BUTTERMILK RICOTTA

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan and place over medium heat.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture smells "cheesy" and visibly separates (you'll be able to see a clearish liquid around a mass of white).
• Line a fine mesh strainer with at least 4 layers of cheesecloth and place over a bowl (if your stainer is big enough you can use the sink).
• Carefully pour the contents of the pot into the strainer, allowing the liquid to drain out.
• Allow cheese to sit in the cheesecloth-lined strainer for 30 minutes, then bring up the ends of the cloth and loosely tie it around a spoon set over a bowl (or the sink faucet, if you won't be using it - which is what I did).
• Let drain another 10-15 minutes, depending on your texture preference.
• Keep in the fridge up to 1 week.

HOMEMADE BUTTERMILK RICOTTA

Steps:

• In a very large, heavy duty pot add the milk, cream and buttermilk. Heat over medium/low heat stirring only occasionally so the milk doesn't scorch on the bottom of the pan.
• On the pot, clip on a candy thermometer or use an instant read thermometer. Heat the milk mixture to 200 degrees F. Remove from the heat and let the mixture stand for 30 minutes.
• Place a wire mesh strainer over a very large bowl or pot. Pour the mixture through a wire mesh strainer that has been lined with 4 layers of cheesecloth. Gently stir the curd to release the liquid or whey from the ricotta. Cover the ricotta completely with the ends of the cheesecloth.
• Leave in the strainer and place in the refrigerator over night or for 24 hours. Transfer ricotta to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. Ricotta will last for about 7-10 days. Yield: 3 - 3 1/2 lbs.

LIGHT HOMEMADE RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• Line a large colander with several layers of dampened cheesecloth, allowing the edges to extend over the edge, and place colander in bowl.
• Combine milk and buttermilk in large stockpot. Attach a candy thermometer to edge of pan so that it extends 2 inches or more into milk mixture.
• Cook over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 170 degrees (about 20 minutes), gently stirring occasionally. AS SOON as it reaches 170 degrees, stop stirring (whey and curds will begin separating at this point). Continue to cook, WITHOUT STIRRING (so that curds do not break apart), until thermometer reaches 190 degrees. Immediately remove pan from heat.
• Using slotted spoon, GENTLY spoon curds into cheesecloth-lined colander; whey will drain into bowl, which can be reserved for other use.
• Drain this way for 5 minutes, then gently gather edges of cloth together (again being careful not to squeeze or push on the curds) and wrap with rubber band or tie edges together in order to hang from faucet or other object. This will cause it to drain more thoroughly. Leave for 15 minutes or so until remaining whey has drained out of the ricotta.
• Unwrap cloth and scrape ricotta into a bowl and sprinkle with salt, if desired. Save or discard the whey.
• Cool to room temperature. Can be stored up to four days in refrigerator.

HOMEMADE RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• Stack 4 large squares of cheesecloth in colander, leaving overhang. Combine milk and buttermilk in heavy large pot. Attach deep-fry or candy thermometer to side of pot. Place pot over high heat. Stir almost constantly as mixture heats and curds (small clumps) begin to form. When thermometer registers 175°F to 180°F, curds will separate from whey (liquid) and float to top. Turn off heat.
• Using large slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer curds to prepared colander. Gather cheesecloth around ricotta. Press gently, releasing some liquid (don't press out too much liquid or cheese may be dry). Return ball of cheese to colander and let rest 20 minutes. Transfer ricotta to medium bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt; mix gently. Cover; chill until cold, about 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.