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Hi Bold Bakers!
My How to Make Ricotta Cheese recipe is one of my most favorite Bold Baking Basics to date. Who knew making creamy, rich ricotta cheese at home could be so easy? All you need is milk, cream, and some lemon juice to make it!
There are countless sweet and savory recipes this cheese can be used for, too, from topping pizzas and lasagna, to classic cannoli and Italian gelato (and don’t forget — my new 2 Ingredient Pasta Recipe that can be made without a machine!). Ricotta cheese is a wonderful blank canvas and an impressive ingredient to make from scratch! Get ready to show off!
What Food is Ricotta Used For?
This cheese is soft and spreadable making it perfect for flavoring. I like to spike my ricotta with lemon and herbs and dollop it on top of my Homemade Pizza Recipe. The ricotta can just as easily be sweetened with honey or sugar and added to things like cheesecakes and custards. The versatility of this cheese is what makes it so great have on hand. Oh, and my Ricotta Recipe goes really well with my new 2 Ingredient Homemade Pasta (Without a Machine)!
Why Won’t My Ricotta Curdle?
To make the ricotta, you simply bring cream, milk, and salt to a boil then introduce an acid — like lemon juice (or even white vinegar) — to make the mixture curdle. The curds that separate are what become the ricotta cheese and the remaining liquid gets strained away. If your cheese doesn’t curdle right after adding in the lemon juice, be patient and keep on stirring with a wooden spoon.
[ Make a cheesecake in the microwave in just 5 minutes with my 5 Minute Microwave Cheesecake Recipe! ]
If after 1 or 2 minutes you only see small grainy bits, go ahead and add more lemon juice 1 tablespoon at a time. This extra acid along with the heat will provide you with nice large curdles.
My Ricotta is Too Runny, What Happened?
After the milk and cream mixture is curdled I pour it into a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth. If you don’t have cheesecloth, you can use a thin tea towel instead. The whey will separate from the cheese leaving you the lovely ricotta.
After allowing the ricotta to drain on the countertop for about an hour, I like to bring the cheesecloth and lightly twist it together, closing up the ricotta. This not only brings the cheese into a nice ball shape, but it allows me to ring out any additional liquid that might not have drained off. This is the secret to a smooth, yet thick ricotta. As long as you don’t skip this step, you should not have runny ricotta.
What is Whey?
If you’ve never made cheese before you might not be familiar with whey. Whey is a by-product of cheese making. It is the liquid that remains after separating the curds. It should always be saved and added in place of buttermilk or milk in baking. For this reason, I always save my whey because nothing should go to waste! If you don’t think you will use it straight away then pop it in a labeled tub and into the freezer.
Can You Freeze Ricotta Cheese?
This homemade ricotta can be frozen and used at a later date. To do so, freeze the cheese in an airtight container and just allow to thaw at room temperature before using. However, in my honest opinion, you get the best results when you use it straight away without freezing.
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