This is embarrassing, but I cannot make ricotta cheese to save my life. I make Chevre, and I can make Mozzarella, but I cannot make ricotta from the whey. What is wrong with me? Isn't it supposed to be really easy like vinegar cheese? I heat the whey to 180 and add the vinegar and nothing happens. The latest batch was from mozzarella whey. I just don't get it. :help Tiffany
You need to heat the mozarella whey to 195F add milk, bring the heat back up to 195F and voila ricotta cheese! No vinegar necessary. Christy
What is SCC? Good to know about the late lactation, although, I don't think that is my problem. Tiffany
no vinegar?? i have heated my mozz whey to 195 (any less and it wont' work) then use vinegar. i let it sit for a good while (at least 20 mins.) before even trying to strain it. i LOVE this cheese. once it didn't work and i realized i was being lazy and didn't heat enough. since i thought it was ruined anyhow, i went ahead to heat it up again, to 195, added a touch more vinegar, and it still worked.
Whey from mozz is acidic enough to make ricotta, you don't need vinegar at all. The temp is the key to getting curd. Christy
Sometimes It is not as reliable as mozz whey. What I have done is bring the whey to 195F add milk bring back up to 195F wait a sec, if no curd add a little vinegar or citric, 1 tea at a time until curd forms. Christy