Almond Ricotta Recipe
Dive into the creamy world of homemade almond ricotta! Made with almonds, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup and a hint of magic. This easy step-by-step recipe creates a wonderfully velvety and creamy vegan ricotta, that's a fantastic base for some of the most delicious recipes.
Equipment
- 1 high-speed blender
- 1 nut milk bag
- 1 large saucepan with a lid
- 1 large, fine sieve
- 1 cheesecloth
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 medium bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup blanched almonds or almond flour 200g
- 3 cups filtered water 750 ml
- 2 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Toss your almonds or almond flour into a high-speed blender. Add 3 cups of filtered water, 2 teaspoon of maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. Blitz it until you've got a creamy, dreamy almond "milk” - about 2 minutes should do the trick.
- Grab a nut milk bag and strain that luscious almond milk into a saucepan. Say goodbye to the pulp – it's not invited to this ricotta party.
- Heat your almond milk over medium heat until it starts doing a little happy bubble dance. Turn off the heat pronto and stir in the lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. This is where the alchemy begins!
- Slap a lid on that saucepan and let the magic happen. Cool down slowly at room temperature for a few hours. Don't rush – this step is as essential as your morning coffee.
- Time to make a cheesy cocoon! Set up a sieve over a bowl, line it with cheesecloth, and pour in your chilled, curdled almond milk. Tie the ends into knots, hang it like it's the star of the show on a wooden spoon, and let the liquid work its way out. No squeezing – we want this to happen naturally.
- Pop the bowl into the fridge and let the flavors mingle for about 8 hours or, if you can wait, until the next day. Voilà! Your homemade almond ricotta is now stealing the spotlight.
Notes
- Storage - store the almond ricotta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze the ricotta in portion sizes.
- Almonds - make sure to use quality almonds as the base for this recipe, and ensure they are fresh for optimal flavor and texture.
- Curdling - Allow almond milk to curdle and cool slowly at room temperature. Avoid rushing this step for the best results.
- Gentle Dripping - When hanging the cheesecloth, let the liquid naturally trickle out without squeezing. This maintains the ricotta's creamy texture.
- Thawing Frozen Ricotta - If freezing, thaw almond ricotta in the refrigerator overnight for ideal texture. Give thawed ricotta a gentle stir to ensure a consistent and smooth texture.
- Additional Flavors - Experiment with extra flavors like garlic, herbs, or nutritional yeast to customize the ricotta.