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How to make ricotta cheese

How To Make Ricotta Cheese 🧀 Ultra-Pasteurized Method

Steven Pennington
High-quality ricotta cheese you can make at home within one hour.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Coagulate for 15+ minutes 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Cheese, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 14
Calories 201 kcal

Suggested Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 8 cups Whole Milk Low-Fat milk will not work
  • 2 cups Heavy Cream Half & Half - substitute option
  • 6 Tablespoon Lemon Juice Juice of 2 lemons
  • 2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Instructions
 

Making Ricotta Cheese

  • Add 8 cups of whole milk and 2 cups of heavy cream using a large pot. Plus, the two teaspoons of salt.
    pour 8 cups of whole milk into pot

Heating The Milk

  • Using a candy thermometer, SLOWLY bring the temperature up to 190 degrees. (about 10 minutes).
    Make sure the milk never gets to a boil. Be mindful of the bottom of the pot, and do not allow the milk to become scorched. Use a spatula to stir and scrape the bottom during the heating.
  • The idea is to be gentle with the protein and fats in the milk. The slow heating process allows the fats and proteins to loosen up. Once an acid is applied to the lemon juice, the coagulation starts.
  • Once 190 degrees is reached, stir in the 6 Tablespoons of lemon juice.
    Stir to combine. You'll start to see the milk begin to thicken quickly.
    This is the coagulation process happening. You're making cheese!!!
    adding the juice of 2 lemons

Coagulation Timing

  • Cover the pot with the heat off and allow it to coagulate for 15+ minutes.
  • As the acid does the work. The curds and whey will begin to separate. Thick pockets of curds will begin to form.
    After 15+ minutes:
    Pour through cheesecloth.
    Drain off all of the whey (liquid) from the curds(cheese).
    Do not allow the curds (cheese) to sit in the whey (liquid) for any amount of time.
    Once the whey level starts touching the cheesecloth's bottom, drain off the whey.
    Continue until all whey is gone and only the curd is left.

How To Shape The Ricotta Cheese

  • Take a large piece of plastic wrap. Layout the curds on top in a long log shape.
    Roll into shape and twist the ends.
    roll the ricotta cheese into a log shape for storage

How To Store Ricotta Cheese

  • Refrigerate and wrap in plastic wrap to set up.
    Before storage, it is your one chance to shape the ricotta.
    Fresh ricotta cheese will last 1 week, plus in the refrigerator.
    Over the days, the cheese will shrink a very small amount due to the frigid air in the refrigerator, causing dehydration.

Notes

  • Start with whole milk close to room temperature, this will reduce the time to get finished ricotta cheese.
  • The amount of lemon juice, if, after 5 minutes, the curds and whey aren't separating enough, you can add extra lemon juice. 
  • Serving the cheese - the texture is best when served cold.
  • Fresh ricotta cheese lasts around 2 plus weeks in the refrigerator. 
Keyword Homemade Ricotta Cheese Recipe, How To Make Ricotta Cheese, Ricotta Cheese - Ultra-Pasteurized Milk Method