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Making your own ricotta is simple as well. Although not cheese, obviously, I make creme fraiche which is tastier and MUCH cheaper. I saw it a couple of months ago for $12 CDN for 500 ml.
Making your own ricotta is simple as well. Although not cheese, obviously, I make creme fraiche which is tastier and MUCH cheaper. I saw it a couple of months ago for $12 CDN for 500 ml.
So, do you make mozzarella? I ask because AFAIK ricotta is made from the whey from making mozzarella.
I'm making a batch of creme fraiche right now. I had whipping cream left over from the holidays and this will extend its shelf life. I haven't tried it yet, but I have read that creme fraiche can be whipped like whipping cream.
Tonight, I made mozzarella cheese and ricotta cheese for the first time! It was pretty easy and I'm fairly pleased with the results. Prior to ordering supplies, I had reviewed The Home Creamery by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley. The book gave a suitable overview of dairy terms. It covered the basics of cultured dairy products and moved on to soft, unripened cheeses.
I had also purchased And That's How You Make Cheese! by Shane Sokol. On the plus side, this book explains cheese-making in very easy to understand terms. It did give me confidence to think I could easily turn my kitchen into a happy Home Creamery! On the minus side....if I ever meet the editor of this book, someone will need to give me an alibi. All I can say is it feels like no one proof-read the manuscript prior to the book being published. The typos are to the point that I'm unsure whether I trust the recipes.
I found a site called Leeners that had a good assortment of supplies for a reasonable price. They also had a kit that included many of the items that I had on my "purchase" list and included a mold. Perhaps I can try a pressed cheese this weekend!
My mozzarella turned out tasty though I think I will add a bit more salt to the finished product next time. I pulled it like taffy so that it developed more of a stringy texture than allowing it to stay more soft. With the whey, I made ricotta, which was so simple to make that it was almost embarrassing.
Perhaps while at work tomorrow, someone might use the ricotta to make some lasagna or manicotti. I guess I could point out that there is even spinach in the vegetable drawer that could be added to it. YUM. If only someone out there would avail themselves to the fresh spinach and fresh ricotta...hmm...if only.
I loved making these cheeses. So much fun!
Can you make it from half and half?
I make farmers cheese all the time. Doesn't have to be hanging in refrigerator for draining. It can be kept for at least couple of weeks. It is nothing like cottage or ricota cheese, it is supposed to be blend it is basicaly has taste of milk, unless it was too sour, i.e. adding too much vinegar. Tough curd is to be expected. 190 deg. sounds to hot for me.
Enjoy your cheese Kathleen. Leeners looks interesting. They ship to Canada
Now I just need some spare money, oh and come to think of it, spare time. Tax season is starting.
Thanks for the report, Kathleen and the resources. I'll make Shrek crazy by starting another project. I think I'll need a bigger drawer this time!
Perhaps while at work tomorrow, someone might use the ricotta to make some lasagna or manicotti. I guess I could point out that there is even spinach in the vegetable drawer that could be added to it. YUM. If only someone out there would avail themselves to the fresh spinach and fresh ricotta...hmm...if only.
I know a manicotti recipe that uses mushrooms.... ..I'm just sayin..
Mine is so simple, I do not have recipe. Warm up the milk, add lemon juice or yougurt/kefir. Keep it warm or warm up more. You'll see the curd starts separating. I use a knee high to dump the mixture. Hang it over the sink for overnight, or over day. Done. It is very-very plain. I like it served with some jam/jelly mixed together and a cup of tea.
Some times when I have time I'll bake the milk first and then make yougurt or farmers cheese. To bake milk i just use slow cooker, leave it overnight on low. Milk becomes, well, baked. It changes color to redish/brownish hue. Actually taste really good on it's own.
Mine is so simple, I do not have recipe. Warm up the milk, add lemon juice or yougurt/kefir. Keep it warm or warm up more. You'll see the curd starts separating. I use a knee high to dump the mixture. Hang it over the sink for overnight, or over day. Done. It is very-very plain. I like it served with some jam/jelly mixed together and a cup of tea.
Some times when I have time I'll bake the milk first and then make yougurt or farmers cheese. To bake milk i just use slow cooker, leave it overnight on low. Milk becomes, well, baked. It changes color to redish/brownish hue. Actually taste really good on it's own.
Knee high stocking - nylon hose - the bottom half of a full length stocking made to go as far up as the knee. It works as a fine mesh bag yet lets water drain through.
...I'm definitely going to try baking the milk! It sounds unique and tasty.
,How warm do you keep the milk? Do you warm it on the stove? How long do you warm it.
What is a "knee high"?
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I used to make it in a jar, then put jar into a pot with water and then warm up the water. Forgeti it it is too long. I jus warm it up in the slow cooker now, on "low" then add lemon juice or existing yougurt. Mix well, and turn to keep it warm setting. There is no set time unfortunately, I just kind of see when it separates, the curd and the wey(sp?). Last time I used dry milk. I simply heat up the water mixed dry powder and water in the slowcooker and set it up on warm right away. I added the yougurt and left it on the whole night. I use the kneehight (you know the high thin soks, for ladies, you can buy them in a little plastic container in Wallmart for less than a dollar, like stockings) instead of cheese cloth. It hung draining when I went to work, when I came home it was already to for use.