Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
After making your own ricotta, you’ll be hard pressed to go back to the store-bought salty stuff. The texture and flavour of this cheese is divine. And you’ll spend less than an hour making it.
Makes about 2 cups
8 cups 3.25% homogenized milk (not 2% or skim)
1 cup 35% whipping cream
¼ cup white vinegar or lemon juice (lemon juice will give a tangy taste to the cheese)
1 tsp kosher salt
In a large pot, heat the milk and cream over medium-high heat, gently stirring with a spatula from time to time, until an instant-read thermometer reaches between 165°F and 185°F. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the salt. Gradually drizzle in the vinegar while gently stirring the mixture. The milk and cream will begin to curdle immediately. Stop stirring and let the mixture sit undisturbed for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, line a colander with two layers of cheesecloth. Set over a large bowl. Gently scoop the curds into the colander. Let drain for 30 minutes. Save the whey to make bread or discard. Remove the cheese from the cheesecloth and refrigerate until ready to use. Rinse the cheesecloth to reuse for making your next batch.
The cheese can be drained longer if a stiffer cheese is desired.
