Post by wyomama on Sept 3, 2004 17:59:13 GMT -5
Ricki's Mozzarella
New England Cheesmaking Co.
time: 1/2 hour
yield: 3/4 pound
Ingredients:
1 gallon milk
1/4 cup cold water
2 tsp. citric acid
1/2 rennet tablet or 1/4 tsp. liquid rennet
1 tsp. cheese salt (optional)
Directions:
1. break rennet tablet in half. crush the
tablet in the bottom of a cup
or
glass. if using liquid rennet, go directly
to step 3.
2. add 1/4 cup cold water to dissolve. (
this will take awhile, so let it
dissolve while you do the rest, stirring
occasionally as you work.)
3. pour your milk into a non-aluminum pot.
sprinkle 2 tsp. citric acid
into the milk and stir to mix.
4. * heat the milk to 88 degrees F. when
the thermometer in the milk
reads 88 - 90 F, add the rennet solution and
stir. (if using liquid
rennet, stir 1/4 tsp. directly into the milk)
5. keep stirring on the heat as the milk
begins to clabber. (this may
take a couple of minutes.) when you have a
large mass of curd, clearly
separated from the whey, take the pot off the
heat. (you should be able to
scoop out the curd with a slotted spoon at
this point. if it's still too
liquid, let it set for 10 minutes, covered.)
6. ** when the curd is ready, you will be
able to ladle it into a
microwavable bowl.
7. microwave on high for 1 minute. drain
off any whey. pick it up or use
spoons to knead it like bread dough. then,
heat it up again for 30-40
seconds and knead it some more. if you like
it salted, work 1 tsp. into
the curd while you are kneading and
stretching. if necessary, microwave
several times for 30-40 seconds until the
cheese flows like taffy.
8. when it is smooth and shiny it is ready
to eat. if you are going to
wait, wrap it in plastic wrap or put it in a
food storage container and
refrigerate or freeze.
* it is VERY important that you use a
quality insta read thermometer. if
the temp goes over 100 the cheese is ruined.
** if you don't have a microwave, you may
want to put on heavy rubber
gloves at this point. heat the whey up to at
least 175 F. add 1/4 cup
salt to the whey. shape the curd into one or
more balls, put them in a
ladle or strainer and dip them into the hot
whey for several seconds.
knead between dippings with your hands or
with spoons and repeat this
process several times until it is smooth and
pliable.
New England Cheesmaking Co.
time: 1/2 hour
yield: 3/4 pound
Ingredients:
1 gallon milk
1/4 cup cold water
2 tsp. citric acid
1/2 rennet tablet or 1/4 tsp. liquid rennet
1 tsp. cheese salt (optional)
Directions:
1. break rennet tablet in half. crush the
tablet in the bottom of a cup
or
glass. if using liquid rennet, go directly
to step 3.
2. add 1/4 cup cold water to dissolve. (
this will take awhile, so let it
dissolve while you do the rest, stirring
occasionally as you work.)
3. pour your milk into a non-aluminum pot.
sprinkle 2 tsp. citric acid
into the milk and stir to mix.
4. * heat the milk to 88 degrees F. when
the thermometer in the milk
reads 88 - 90 F, add the rennet solution and
stir. (if using liquid
rennet, stir 1/4 tsp. directly into the milk)
5. keep stirring on the heat as the milk
begins to clabber. (this may
take a couple of minutes.) when you have a
large mass of curd, clearly
separated from the whey, take the pot off the
heat. (you should be able to
scoop out the curd with a slotted spoon at
this point. if it's still too
liquid, let it set for 10 minutes, covered.)
6. ** when the curd is ready, you will be
able to ladle it into a
microwavable bowl.
7. microwave on high for 1 minute. drain
off any whey. pick it up or use
spoons to knead it like bread dough. then,
heat it up again for 30-40
seconds and knead it some more. if you like
it salted, work 1 tsp. into
the curd while you are kneading and
stretching. if necessary, microwave
several times for 30-40 seconds until the
cheese flows like taffy.
8. when it is smooth and shiny it is ready
to eat. if you are going to
wait, wrap it in plastic wrap or put it in a
food storage container and
refrigerate or freeze.
* it is VERY important that you use a
quality insta read thermometer. if
the temp goes over 100 the cheese is ruined.
** if you don't have a microwave, you may
want to put on heavy rubber
gloves at this point. heat the whey up to at
least 175 F. add 1/4 cup
salt to the whey. shape the curd into one or
more balls, put them in a
ladle or strainer and dip them into the hot
whey for several seconds.
knead between dippings with your hands or
with spoons and repeat this
process several times until it is smooth and
pliable.
It looks great, was nice and stretchy and melted well when I tried it today, just no taste 
I've never had my mozzarella melt so good
