How to make Homemade Ricotta Cheese with a few simple ingredients! This makes for the creamiest, richest ricotta you've ever tried!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Italian
Keyword cheesecake, ricotta
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Cook Time 15 minutesminutes
Resting time 6 hourshours
Total Time 6 hourshours20 minutesminutes
Servings 2cups
Calories 400kcal
Author Camila Hurst
Equipment
Large pot
Spatula
Strainer
Cheesecloth
Bowl
Ingredients
6cupswhole milk(1.4 liters)
3cupsheavy cream(710 ml)
1tspkosher salt
5tbsplemon juice*(73 ml)
Instructions
Pour the milk, heavy cream and salt in a large pot, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
Lower the heat and let the milk and heavy cream boil for about 2 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and stir. Let the mixture simmer briefly until you will see it start to curdle up. Turn the heat off and let the mixture sit for a few minutes.
Line a large mesh strainer with two layers of cheesecloth over a large bowl. Make sure the cheesecloth is large enough to leave an overhang to the sides, so you can cover the ricotta later.
Pour the curdled milk through the strainer and let it drain for at least 1 hour.
I like to leave my mixture straining in the fridge overnight, to obtain a very firm and creamy ricotta. I simply place the strainer over the bowl in the fridge, and cover the ricotta with the overhanging cheesecloth, as you can see in the pictures of the post above.
The longer you strain, the firmer and creamier the ricotta will be.
Regardless of how long you strain the ricotta, refrigerate it for a couple hours before using.
This recipe makes a little bit over 2 cups of ricotta.
Storage
Store this ricotta in the fridge, in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
*You can also use vinegar instead of lemon juice. I prefer lemon juice, and I find it that sometimes when I use vinegar it won't curdle as well as if I use the lemon juice. Also the lemon juice provides a better taste to the ricotta.**I used to remove the milk from the heat as soon as it came to a boil. However, I find it that it works much better if you let the mix actually boil for a couple of minutes before adding the lemon juice in.