Homemade ricotta

I’ve heard many times that we get wiser as we get older. I’m not sure about getting wiser, but I’ve definitely gotten braver.

After making macarons for the first time, I had to try something completely new. Making cheese sounded like a good idea. It worked so well I’m ready for my next challenge – maybe watching "The Exorcist" without closing my eyes not even once. :D

Homemade ricotta
from Donna Hay magazine

6 cups full cream milk
2 tablespoons white vinegar

Place the milk and a candy thermometer in a saucepan over medium heat and heat to 80ºC/176ºF. Remove from the heat, add the vinegar and allow to sit for 5 minutes or until curds form.
Line a colander with fine muslin and place over a deep bowl. Use a slotted spoon to carefully spoon the curds into the colander*. Allow to drain for 5 minutes.

Spoon the ricotta into a glass or ceramic dish and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

* the reason it needs to be spooned carefully is to ensure the curds hold their shape. Pouring them straight into the colander will result in the cheese becoming dry and grainy.

Makes 1 ¼ cups – after removing the curds and placing them in the colander, I added more vinegar to the remaining milk and got more curds. I made 1/3 of the recipe and got almost 1 cup ricotta.