insideKENT Magazine Issue 64 - July 2017 | Page 116

FOOD+DRINK
Cheese AND Wine cont.
FOR YOGHURT CHEESE (EASY) FOR RICOTTA (MODERATE)
Ingredients: Ingredients:
• Plain yoghurt
• Salt and herbs (optional) • 480ml whole milk
• 20ml distilled vinegar, lemon juice, or baker's citric acid
• Salt to taste
Method:
1) Line a colander with four layers of
cheesecloth and place the colander
over a large saucepan. Spoon as much
yoghurt as you like onto the cloth.
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Method:
1) Pour milk into a saucepan. You must use whole milk for this recipe — do not use UHT.
2) Stir in your choice of acidic ingredient (lemon juice adds a tangy citrus flavour and distilled
vinegar is more precisely controlled, giving you predictable results each time).
2) Refrigerate for at least 12 hours
(max. 48 hours). The liquids in the
yoghurt will drain away until you get
a soft, cream-cheese like consistency.
The longer you let the yoghurt drain,
the thicker and more complex the
cheese will be. 3) Test the milk with a waterproof pH meter. Once the pH reaches 5.9–6.0, slowly heat to 80–85°C
while stirring constantly (it will burn if you stop stirring).
3) Store the cheese. Once the yoghurt
has finished draining, transfer it to a
bowl and eat it within a week. Stir in
salt and herbs to your taste. 6) Eat or refrigerate. Let drain for five minutes for a cream-cheese consistency, 15–20 minutes for
a wet spread, or two to eight hours in the fridge for a firmer cheese.
4) Keep it at this temperature for 15–30 minutes and stop stirring once the milk separates into solid
curds and liquid whey. Take care not to break the curds into smaller pieces.
5) Drain out the whey then spoon the curds onto a thick, fine cheesecloth. Squeeze the cloth around
the curds to get most of the moisture out.
7) Refrigerate all leftovers in an airtight container and eat within two to four days.
8) To reduce the risk of harmful bacteria, don’t leave your ricotta at room temperature for longer
than 20 minutes. You can stir in salt for a stronger flavour too.