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Home cheese-making

Whole-milk ricotta

BeginnerAbout Ricotta

Gentle heat and a little acid make soft, sweet curds in about 30 minutes.

Hands-on
20 min
Waiting
40 min
Ageing
None
Yield
About 400 g

Milk & ingredients

2 litres whole cow's milk (optionally with 250 ml cream)

  • 2 litres whole milk
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar (or ½ tsp citric acid dissolved in water)

Culture: None

Coagulant: Acid into hot milk

Equipment

  • Heavy pot
  • Thermometer
  • Slotted spoon
  • Muslin-lined sieve

Temperatures by stage

StageTemperature
Heat milk85–90 °C

Steps

  1. 1.
    Hands-onHeat the milk and salt to 85–90 °C, stirring occasionally.
  2. 2.
    Hands-onTurn off the heat; stir in the acid gently, just once or twice.
  3. 3.
    WaitingLeave undisturbed 10 minutes while curds float up.
  4. 4.
    WaitingLadle curds into the lined sieve; drain 10–30 minutes (longer = firmer).

Storage: Refrigerate; use within 3–4 days.

Troubleshooting

Few curds
Not hot enough, or too little acid; reheat to 90 °C and add a little more.
Dry and grainy
Over-heated, stirred too much or drained too long.

Sources

Guidance changes: check the source for current wording. Original text; figures quoted from the sources where stated.