Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Bluenoser's Note:

No need to purchase at the store. Make your own

• Total Time: 12 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 12 hrs

Ingredients:

Yield: 2 cups

• 1 quart milk
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

1. Put the milk over low heat, and bring to scald point (150 degrees).
2. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in lemon juice, and the milk will curdle.
4. Let the mixture sit without refrigeration for 2-12 hours. This is the mellowing process, and it seems that the more patient you are, the mellower the cheese.
5. Place 2 thickenesses of cheesecloth in a strainer.
6. Place the strainer over a bowl.
7. Pour the mixture into the strainer, and allow the whey to drain several hours until the curd is dry.
8. Flavor as you choose. Mix with blue cheese, roquefort, peanut butter, honey, nuts, spices or eat plain.

Reviews

[gale 57]

This is wonderful and easy to make.You can also use white vinegar instead of the lemon juice.I doubled the recipe and I used whole milk .This is much creamier that store bought . Thank you for sharing this excellent recipe

[TKDGoddess]

I am not going to give any stars yet as this didn't work well for me but it may be my fault. I used 1 gallon of powdered milk (reconstituted) and it made a very paltry amout of ricotta about 1 cup. I am going to try again with whole milk and see if that makes a difference. That 1 cup was very good though.

[Memortree]

Just made this using a gallon of 2% milk and 8 T. of lemon juice. Great recipe, fast and easy. Cheese seems to have a lemony taste to it, but that could be because I didn't let it set for the mellowing process. With the dish i made the cheese for the lemon flavor will work fine. Also my gallon of 2% only made 2 cups of cheese, maybe whole milk produces more curds.