Ricotta Cheese Homemade

I’ve been wanting to make homemade ricotta for a very long time but there always seemed to be a good reason to postpone the experience.  I finally promised myself that the day whole milk came on sale I would no longer have an excuse.

I find the quality and taste of store-bought ricotta inconsistent, at times watery other times very dry and altogether lacking in that sweet, delicate taste of good ricotta cheese.

Whole milk which rarely comes on sale finally did last week as well as 35% cream being the two main ingredients needed to make ricotta, I knew the stars had finally aligned and took it as a sign that it was time!

They say the stars align when an unexpected and nearly impossible event takes place, usually due to pure luck or divine intervention.  I say it was a matter of coincidence that both ingredients came on sale at the same time and no better time to keep the promise made to myself and finally try this recipe.

The process couldn’t be more simple and results most satisfying after succeeding to make homemade cheese!

So what to do with over one and a half pounds of absolutely fresh, sweet deliciousness? Ricotta on toast for breakfast for sure and a batch of ricotta filled Manicotti for Sunday dinner.

Won’t be waiting for any stars to align before making this ricotta again!

Ricotta Cheese Homemade

8 cups (2 quarts) whole milk

1 1/2 cups whipping cream 35%

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, strained to remove pulp

1. Combine milk, cream, and salt in a 4- to 5-quart pot, and warm mixture over medium-high heat stirring frequently with a wooden spoon or spatula to prevent scorching, until mixture registers 195 degrees on a candy thermometer. It should take about 15 minutes.
2. Add lemon juice, gently stir until just combined. Remove pot from heat and let stand 5 minutes. The combination of the acid and residual heat in the mixture will cause it to coagulate or curdle — separating into a soft mass (curds) and a cloudy liquid (whey).
3. Line a mesh colander with a triple layer of cheesecloth and place inside a deeper, slightly larger bowl.
4. Gently pour curds and whey into colander. Let mixture stand, pouring off whey occasionally until most of whey has drained from curds, about 20 minutes.
5. Turn ricotta out into a bowl and serve within a few hours or refrigerate up to 4 days.
6. For a denser ricotta, which can be preferable for baking, hang it to drain for another hour. Discard whey.

Simple ingredients, milk, cream, lemon juice and salt.

Combine milk, cream, and salt in a 4- to 5-quart pot, and warm mixture over medium-high heat…

…stirring frequently with a wooden spoon or spatula to prevent scorching.

…until mixture registers 195 degrees on a candy thermometer. It should take about 15 minutes. Add lemon juice, gently stirring until just combined.

Remove pot from heat and let stand 5 minutes. The combination of the acid and the residual heat in the mixture will cause it to coagulate or curdle separating into a soft mass (curds) and a cloudy liquid (whey).

Line a mesh colander with a triple layer of cheesecloth and place inside a deeper, slightly larger bowl.

Gently pour curds and whey into colander. Let mixture stand, pouring off whey occasionally until most of whey has drained from curds, about 20 minutes. Turn ricotta out into a bowl and serve within a few hours or refrigerate up to 4 days.

For a denser ricotta, which can be preferable for baking, hang it to drain for another hour. Discard whey.

Delicious!

Notes. Tips and Suggestions

• After pouring the curds and whey into the cheesecloth lined colander I let the mixture drain longer than 20 minutes as I found it to still be too soft and wet.
• I also tied up the cheesecloth and hung it to extract a little more whey making a perfect consistency. The knobs on my kitchen cupboard made the perfect place to hang the ricotta.
• The yield of ricotta from these ingredients was a little over 1 1/2 pounds.
• This recipe will be easy to cut in half if a smaller amount of ricotta is required.
• It will be hard to ever reach for a tub of grocery store ricotta after making this.

This rustic little duo was given to me many years ago by my sister after her trip to Calabria Italy. We share the same appreciation for interesting pieces with handmade charm. You might never guess that it’s a bocconcini drainer which drains the excess water from those delicious, soft cheese balls. The lip on the lower dish makes it easy to drain away the liquid. Is it an essential item? Definitely not, but one with an interesting story to tell!

Mango Ice Cream

Last week a twelve-count box of Mangoes found its way into my shopping cart.  Not my most favourite fruit but I bought them mainly for those in my life who enjoy mangoes very much. Purchasing a full box is certainly more economical especially when on sale. The drawback of buying an entire box is the possibility of ending up with too many mangoes ripening at the same time. 

No problem, you know there’s a recipe just waiting to be discovered!

Beneath the leathery peel of a ripe mango lies a golden, sweet flesh bursting with flavour. The search for a recipe to make the most of these qualities ended up in a refreshingly sweet and creamy mango ice cream.

Hiding those Mangoes in muffins, scones and breads was certainly an option but turning them into a frozen tropical treat made sure they were the star of the show!

I’m beginning to acquire a taste for mangoes like never before!

Homemade Mango Ice Cream

3 large mangoes, peeled, seed removed and cubed (approximately 2 cups)

¾ cup sugar

juice of one lemon, freshly squeezed (approximately 2 tablespoons)

1 cup whipping cream (35%)

¾ cup milk (see Notes, Tips and Suggestions)

1. Puree the mangoes, ¼ cup sugar and lemon juice in a blender until smooth.
2. In a large bowl, combine cream and milk with the remaining ½ cup sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Gently stir in the pureed mango.
3. Chill the mixture for at least one hour. (see Notes, Tips and Suggestions)
4. Pour into ice cream maker and churn about 25-30 minutes or according to manufacturer’s instructions.
5. If firmer texture is desired, transfer ice cream into a tightly sealed container and freeze for 3 to 4 hours before serving.

No ice cream maker? 

Pour the ice cream mixture into a wide, airtight container and put in refrigerator for at least 1 hour then place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Beat ice cream mixture with an electric mixer until smooth. Put it back in the freezer for 40 minutes – then beat with an electric mixer. Repeat “40 minute freeze-then-beat cycle” 3 times. You can choose to either beat your ice cream mixture every 40 minutes until frozen or let your ice cream mixture freeze on its own. Either method works fine but the more you beat it, the softer it will be.

Peel, remove pit and cube mango…

…to measure 2 cups, add the juice of 1 lemon.

Puree the mangoes, ¼ cup sugar and lemon juice in a blender until smooth.

In a large bowl, combine cream and milk with the remaining ½ cup sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Gently stir in the pureed mango…

…until well blended then chill the mixture for at least one hour. (see Notes, Tips and Suggestions )

Pour into ice cream maker and churn about 25-30 minutes or according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Ice cream will be soft serve consistency.

For a firmer consistency place in freezer.

If allowed to freeze for more than a few hours, remove from freezer to soften a few minutes for easier scooping.

Notes, Tips and Suggestions

• Although the recipe suggests refrigerating the ice cream mixture for 1 hour before churning, I would suggest 3 to 4 hours if possible remembering that the colder the mixture the less time it will take to freeze. The less time it takes to churn and freeze, the less likelihood of ice crystals forming. Smooth and creamy is the texture you want.
• Ice cream recipes usually call for a mixture of cream and milk. I have always replaced the amount of milk with 10% cream for a superior result. If you’re going to eat ice cream it had better be good! This recipe is egg-less as all the ice cream recipes I use and 10% cream works well for that extra creaminess.
• Mangoes must be very ripe for best results.
• What? No ice cream maker? You don’t know what you’re missing! A 30 to 35 minute churn (depending on your ice cream machine) and you have a lovely soft serve ice cream, place in freezer for a more firm consistency. The alternative is labour intensive and does not achieve exactly the same results.

Quick Puff Pastry Cream Horns

I have never attempted to make my own puff pastry and most likely never will. The process of making your own is time consuming and tiresome and requires some practice before turning out a good product. Thankfully, there’s good frozen puff pastry available at the grocery store provided you read the label carefully and come home with a product made with real butter and nothing less.

This week I decided to use up a store-bought package which had been sitting in the freezer for a little while. After preparing some apples to make a filling and a little handwork with the puff pastry a delicious Apple Strudel was made with minimal effort.

So, where is the Apple Strudel you ask? 

Well, this post is not about Apple Strudel, instead the rediscovery of a recipe I tried making many years ago.  Although I remember making this pastry, details of the results did not remain clear in my mind. To satisfy my curiosity I located my cream roll forms which I had not used in a while and once again put this recipe to the test.

Many, many years ago I ordered a set of aluminum cream roll forms from my favourite mail order catalogue and with them came a type written recipe sheet.  I suppose the January 1973 date printed at the top of the page would give some indication on how long this recipe has been around or perhaps how long I’ve been around!

The results were surprisingly very good!  Is it the same as the labour intensive puff pastry that can be made or purchased? Not quite but delicious nevertheless. The pastry is very flaky, the difference being it is not as tender as the commercially made pastry dough. Since puff pastry has no sugar in the dough a sweet custard or cream piped into the centre of the cream horns and a dusting of confectioner’s sugar on top brings just the right balance of sweetness.

There’s a certain convenience about having a ready made package of puff pastry in the freezer but good to know that there is a quick recipe that will turn out a very good pastry dough if needed.

Quick Puff Pastry

1 cup all-purpose flour less 2 tablespoons

1/2 cup unsalted cold butter

1/4 cup sour cream

1. Measure 1 cup of all purpose flour into a medium bowl then remove 2 tablespoons.
2. Cut cold butter into cubes for easier mixing then add to flour and cut with a pastry blender until completely mixed.
3. Stir in the sour cream until completely blended.
4. Push dough down with the palm of the hand and fold it over itself several times until the dough comes together.
5. Place dough on a piece of plastic wrap, loosely fold over the sides of the plastic to cover the dough and roll into an approximate 7 inch square.
6. Chill for at least 8 hours or overnight.
7. Remove plastic wrap and roll pastry into a 7 by 22 inch rectangle. (This is where a pastry cloth helps make the work a little easier, less flour needed when rolling and no sticking.)
8. Trim the edges making them straight and with a sharp knife cut 6 equal strips about 1 1/8 inches wide then brush with a little water to keep the dough from unwinding.
9. Roll around greased cream roll horns starting at the narrow end overlapping strips half way.
10. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate 1 hour.
11. Bake in a preheated 400 degree F. oven for 17 to 20 minutes until golden in colour.
12. Remove from forms when cool enough to handle.
13. Cool completely on a rack and fill with favourite custard or cream. Dust pastries with confectioner’s sugar.

Measure into a medium bowl 1 cup of all purpose flour then remove 2 tablespoons.
Cut cold butter into cubes for easier mixing then add to flour and…

…cut with a pastry blender until completely mixed.

Add the sour cream and…

…stir in until completely blended.

Push dough down with the palm of the hand…

…and fold it over itself several times until the dough comes together.

Place dough on a piece of plastic wrap…

…loosely fold over the sides of the plastic to cover the dough and…

… shape into an approximate 7 inch square. Refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

Remove plastic wrap and roll pastry into a 7 by 22 inch rectangle. (This is where a pastry cloth helps make the work a little easier, less flour needed when rolling and no sticking.) then…

Trim the edges making them straight and…

with a sharp knife cut 6 equal strips about 1 1/8 inches wide then brush with a little water to keep the dough from unwinding.

Roll around greased cream roll horns starting at the narrow end overlapping strips half way.

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate 1 hour.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree F. oven for 17 to 20 minutes until golden in colour.

Remove from forms when cool enough to handle and place on cooling rack until completely cooled…

…then fill with favourite custard or cream and dust with confectioner’s sugar.

Notes, Tips and Suggestions

• So few ingredients make a very good pastry!
• When I first looked at that 7 inch square piece of dough it didn’t seem possible that it could roll out to 22 inches…but it did! A special thank you to my pastry cloth.
• I will not rest until trying to make these with pastry flour instead of all-purpose to obtain a little more tenderness in the pastry. Won’t know until I try.
• What did I fill my pastries with? A very simple, easy to make, no cook, lemon pastry cream which complimented them very well. The recipe? For a future post!