Ricotta Cheese Bars

This recipe is based on an Indian recipe called Milk Khova. The original recipe is time consuming and also consumes a lot of milk. I came out with this idea of adding ricotta cheese in place of milk.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 15-16

Ingredients

• 3  cups milk, - 3cups (I used whole milk and 2% in equal proportion)
• 3⁄4 cup ricotta cheese, - 3/4 cups (I used the fat free version)
• 1⁄2 cup sugar, - 1/2cup (you can use upto 3/4 cups depending on your taste)
• 1⁄4 cup  melted butter, - 1/4 cup
•  slivered almonds (optional) or  pistachios, for garnishing (optional)

Directions

1. Add milk to a thick bottom vessel and let it boil. Keep on stirring when skin forms. The milk has to reduce in quantity considerably.
2. Now add the ricotta cheese to the milk and stir to avoid lumps.
3. After a while the mixture will curdle. Need not worry.
4. This also has to become thick reducing in quantity. Once it has reduced to half the original quantity add the sugar and melted butter and keep stirring for 3-5 minutes.
5. The original recipe called for pouring the mixture in a stainless steel plate. So I did the same. I think baking tray should also be fine.
6. Cover the plate with another stainless steel plate and keep it in a slanting position, so excess butter if any will drip out. This also was mentioned in the original recipe and I did the same, but there was no butter dripping. So it can be kept on a flat surface I guess.
7. Keep it covered for 2 to 3 hours. Then cut into bite sized squares.
8. I was able to cut mine into squares and also remove from the plate, but it was a bit gooey, sticky to the hands, so I transfered all the pieces to another plate add slivered almonds on top and pressed it gently, covered it with plastic wrap and put it in the freezer for 20-25 minute When I took it out from the freezer it was perfect. Then I stored it in the fridge. I got around 15-16 bite size squares.