Recipe: Homemade Whole Milk Ricotta

This super simple, super delicious recipe will have you making your own homemade ricotta cheese in as little as 30 minutes. Make it even better by using our own A2 jersey organic milk.

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How to Make Homemade Whole Milk Ricotta

Ingredients

8 cups Jersey Girl Organics milk

2/3 cup lemon juice

1 tsp salt (optional)

Equipment

Large saucepan

Thermometer

Cheesecloth/muslin cloth

Colander/sieve

Large bowl

Slotted spoon

Yield

600g-700g

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Instructions

1. Pour milk into a saucepan and set over medium heat. Heat milk gradually until it registers 90 degrees celsius (this is where your thermometer comes in handy) which should take about 5-10 minutes. The milk will start to foam and steam as it gets close to 90 degrees.

2. Remove the milk from the heat and stir half the lemon juice and salt slowly into warmed milk. Once both ingredients have been added to the milk, let it stand until the milk curdles, usually within 10 to 15 minutes. You should see curds (clumps of milk) forming, but if not add more lemon juice to help it along.

3. Line a colander/sieve with cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl. Place the large clumps into the colander first, as this can help avoid splashing. Slowly pour the rest of the milk mixture carefully into the lined colander/sieve, and let it stand until most of the liquid has drained off the ricotta, which should happen in about 15 minutes. Discard drained liquid.

4. Use or store the ricotta. Fresh ricotta can be used right away, or you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

There you have it - making your own ricotta at home is simple and easy. Once you've tried it yourself, you'll never buy it in a tub again!