The Foodist: Three Homemade Cheeses
These three cheeses are so easy to make, and so worth it to make it yourself. In terms of cost, it makes great sense to make these yourself. Point of fact, to buy these at a store is $18 but just $5 to buy the milk, lemon and vinegar - through in $3 for the heavy cream for the cottage cheese. Now you are in business!
INGREDIENTS
1.5 Gallons of whole milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 lemons
6 Tbsp vinegar
Salt
Fine mesh strainer
DIRECTIONS
Partition the milk into three 4-quart batches
Ricotta
Heat the milk evenly to a temperature of 190F.
Use an immersive thermometer.
I used a laser thermometer, but it was measuring surface temps, not the milk temp.
At 190F add 1/2 of a fresh squeezed lemon and 2 Tbsp of vinegar.
Allow the acids to begin curdling the milk for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour the curdling milk through the fine wire mesh strainer, capture the whey!
Allow the ricotta to drain completely, squeezing as much of the whey out as possible.
Wrap the ricotta in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until needed.
Mozzarella
Heat the milk evenly to a temperature of 95F.
At 95F add 1/2 of a fresh squeezed lemon and 2 Tbsp of vinegar.
Allow the acids to begin curdling the milk for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour the curdling milk through the fine wire mesh strainer, capture the whey!
Allow the Mozzarella to drain completely, squeezing as much of the whey out as possible.
Place the ball of what is essentially Ricotta into a microwave-safe bowl
Heat the cheese up in the microwave for 30 seconds
CAREFULLY pull the cheese to stretch it or roll it on a board and wrap it back into itself.
Repeat until the texture becomes smooth like Mozzarella.
Wrap the ricotta in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until needed.
Cottage Cheese
You are making Ricotta cheese here.
when you have the cheese, fluff it with a fork.
Add small amounts of heavy whipping cream until the ricotta absorbs it and begins to swell up.
Allow it to rest for 5 minutes and then store in the refrigerator until needed.
