Homemade Ricotta Cheese

I have learned that this is not an official ricotta because of the way it is prepared, but it is similar and tastes incredible.  It was so easy, that I can't wait to make it again, with a slight adjustment (see below)

Ingredients (for one large cup of ricotta):
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (**or 1 1/2 tbs lemon juice + 1 1/2 tbs white vinegar, see note)

Directions:

1. Pour the milk, cream and salt into a 3-quart nonreactive saucepan, and attach a candy or deep-fry thermometer. 
2. Heat the milk to 190°F, stirring it occasionally to keep it from scorching on the bottom. 
3. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice, then stir it once or twice, gently and slowly. 
4. Let the pot sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.  While you wait, line a colander with a few layers of cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl (to catch the whey). I did not have cheesecloth, so I lined the colander with a coffee filter. 
5. Pour the curds and whey into the colander and let the curds strain for at least an hour. I let mine strain for about 3 hours. (It will firm as it cools, so do not judge its final texture by what you have in your cheesecloth.)  You can discard the whey, or use it for something else.
6. Place ricotta in an airtight container, and refrigerate until ready to use.

**Note: Using pure lemon juice as my only acid did impart a fresh hint of lemony flavor.  I did some research and found that cutting back some of the lemon and replacing it with vinegar will give you a more neutral flavor. I think I'll try that one next time, then report back! The lemon tasted delicious in the ricotta, but you might not always want that flavor, ya know?

I put some ricotta on a cracker with freshly cracked black pepper and a dollop of olive oil.  I also just ate it by itself with a spoon :)  In addition, you can spread it onto a crostini and drizzle on a bit of honey.  OR if you are really cool, make some cannoli crepes. Dude, the possibilities are endless.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

Lemon Shortbread Tea Cookies

(no, the string is not edible, although Joann had the awesome idea to use dental floss so that you can use it when you are done eating!! clever!)

Dave and I brought these cookies to Christmases in NY and NJ.  Although I don't like lemon cookies, I was excited to make them because they are so cute!  I found the recipe on Pinterest, but was upset when I saw that the recipe was in French!  Not a huge deal, but after I converted the measurements I realized the amounts are kind of weird...sorry!

Ingredients:
6.3oz butter or margarine, softened
2.5oz confectioner's sugar 
zest from 1/4 lemon    
1 egg yolk
4 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pinch of salt
9.9oz flour
dark chocolate for dipping
thick white cotton type thread embroidery
labels ( here or here or here or here )

Directions:

1. Cream together softened butter and confectioner's sugar.  Add the lemon zest, egg yolk and lemon juice and mix thoroughly until everything is well incorporated.
2. Sift the flour and salt and gradually add to butter mixture just enough to form a dough 
3. Form a ball with the dough, coarsely crush disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge to harden least half an hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper.
5. Lightly flour the work surface.  Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/5 inch. 
6. Cut out the cookies using a teabag as a template, or by eye-balling it (cut the rectangles first, then cut off the top 2 corners).  Use a straw to cut the hole, then refrigerate the uncooked cookies for 10-20 minutes to prevent spreading.
7. With the rack in the center, bake the cookies about 15-18 min. Shortbread should remain quite pale with gold trim (underneath should be light brown). Let cool 5 minutes then using a spatula transfer the cookies on a wire rack and leave until completely cooled
8. Loop cotton thread through the hole, and add labels (if using)
9. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and dip the cookies halfway up to mimic the tea leaves, and place on waxed paper.  Allow to cool in the refrigerator.

Next time I made them, I think I will add little labels to the end of the strings with sayings on them (like the Salada tea bags!)


Recipe translated from Le Pétrin