Ricottacheeseburfi Recipes

Steps:

• Cook the Ricotta cheese and butter on low to medium heat.
• (Sometimes the Ricotta splatters; keep it half covered at low to medium heat, stirring often to avoid burning.) After about ½ hour, stir in the sugar and dry milk.
• Cook, while stirring, until the Ricotta is of dry consistency, like paste that can be easily spread (10 to 15 minutes).
• Mix in the almonds and crushed cardamom.
• Spread in a non-stick 12x18" cookie sheet, about 1/3 inches thick.
• Pat gently with wax paper or spatula to make it even.
• Cover with the varak sheets for decorative look.
• Cut into squares or diamond shape when cool.
• Store in the refrigerator.
• Variation: Cook the Ricotta in the microwave oven, starting with 5 minutes at high.
• You can also cook it in the conventional oven.
• May add about ½ cup cocoa powder along with sugar to give chocolate taste and look.
• Or add about 1 cup slightly roasted and ground sesame seeds, along with other nuts, towards the end of cooking.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a deep pan.
• Add ricotta cheese, stirring until smooth, for about 2-3 minutes.
• Add condensed milk.
• Turn heat to LOW, heat the entire mixture for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add almonds and/or pistachios. (I added some coconut chopped super-fine with pistachios).
• EITHER: pour mixture into a square pan, let set in fridge for 4 hours, cut into squares.
• OR: Let cool in fridge, serve ice-cream sized scoop, garnished with whole pistachio or almond.

Steps:

• Combine water and citric acid in a small bowl; mix until dissolved.
• Pour milk into a large pot set over medium heat. Heat milk, stirring occasionally, until it registers 185 degrees F (85 degrees C) on an instant-read thermometer. Do not boil and stir often to prevent scorching. Stir in citric acid. Keep stirring until curds form.
• Scoop curds into a sieve lined with several layers of cheesecloth using a slotted spoon. Fold the edges of the cheesecloth over the curds and let drain over a bowl at room temperature, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Remove the cheese from the cheesecloth and cream and salt. Stir well to combine. Serve right away as-is or use in your favorite recipe.

Steps:

• Line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth and set over a deep bowl or pot.
• Combine milk, cream, and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally in a "figure eight" motion, until it reaches a temperature of 195 degrees F (90 degrees C). If you don't have a thermometer, this will be right before it starts to simmer. You'll see steam rising from the surface, and tiny bubbles forming around the edges of the pan.
• Turn off the heat, pour in the vinegar, and stir slowly in a "figure eight" motion for 3 or 4 seconds.
• Let the mixture sit, untouched, for 6 minutes.
• Carefully ladle into the cheesecloth-lined mesh strainer so that the dripping whey drains into the pot or bowl. Let the ricotta drain into the pot for between 20 and 45 minutes, depending on how soft or firm you want your cheese. The longer it drains, the firmer the texture will be once chilled.
• Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and lift the drained ricotta out of the strainer and place in a bowl. Let cool on the counter to room temperature, then wrap and chill thoroughly.
• Remove cheesecloth and serve. Ricotta usually needs an additional pinch of salt when serving.

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides.
• Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ricotta and stir with a rubber spatula until butter and ricotta are incorporated. Add milk powder and sugar; mix well to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring often, until mixture is very thick and begins to form a dough that moves together in a single mass when stirred, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in cardamom and pistachios. Transfer mixture to prepared dish and pat into an even 3/4-inch thickness (you will only use about 60 percent of dish's surface area). Let cool to room temperature. Lift barfi from pan using parchment; cut into diamonds. Garnish with gold leaf, if desired, and more pistachios. Barfi can be stored, covered, in refrigerator up to 1 week.