[Cheese] Quark(g), Ricotta

[Corina]

Hi Rita and all,

>Use as is, add
>salt, herbs of chioce or dried fruit, even chocolate
>sprinkles, roll into a log, cover the log with stuff,
>or not, roll in gladwrap and refrigerate a few hours.

Wow, great ideas! Thanks. I've been wondering what to do with mine. 
;-) I don't think I drained it long enough, so the texture is more 
like sour cream. I put some in an omelet this morning, and that was 
good, but I was looking more for something to eat on crackers.

>The ricotta I made from this whey did not work, I
>assumed because there was no rennet in it (my reading
>says use fresh whey from rennet made cheese), BUT, you
>can make ricotta using whole milk - so I am very
>confused on this one.

My understanding is that the most traditional way is to use only whey 
(no added milk). I haven't tried adding whole milk to mine because I 
make it while I'm making mozzarella and it's simple to just quickly 
heat the whey up in pot and drain it. I have heard it's tastier if 
you don't add milk to it, but it's true that it doesn't make very 
much. The whey I use does have rennet from the mozzarella, and citric 
acid.

>If using whey add 10% whole milk, bring to 90-95C, add
>vinegar and stop stirring.

I also don't use vinegar when I make it. When the whey from my soft 
cheese (maybe it's quark?) didn't work for making ricotta, I tried 
adding vinegar but it didn't help.

>  Wait 5 minutes and then
>scoop of curd (ricotta) if there is any.

When I make it the ricotta is teeny tiny strings--I wouldn't be able 
to scoop it with a slotted spoon or anything. But you can see that 
something has happened to the milk, especially after it sits for a 
while because the strings begin to settle and if you stir you can 
tell it's not just the usual whey. I just pour all that whey into a 
colander lined with butter muslin, and let it drain (takes a long 
time).

>I got under
>200grams of ricotta from the 6 litres.  Tasted good,
>but I don't think this is what is meant to be.

I got about a cup by using the whey from 2 1/2 gallons of milk 
(almost 10 litres). I don't know how many gallons or litres the whey 
was exactly, but that should give you some idea. I didn't weigh the 
ricotta, but my conversion calculator says an US cup is about a 
quarter of a litre.

>Obviously I'm doing something wrong but what?  Any
>ideas?

I wish I knew more, but all I can really do is share my experience of 
what *did* work for me. I can also say that these days I am making 
mozzarella mostly to get the ricotta, because it is so good! I eat it 
just plain or on crackers. Maybe you should take up mozzarella? Have 
you tried it?

Corina