Make your own Ricotta!

Simple, easy, fresh, organic, and beautiful.

Start here and turn it into something beautiful like homemade Gnocchi…

Easy Simple Makes 1lb.

Ingredients

• Juice 1 Meyer Lemon
• 1 Gallon 2% Milk
• 1 Qt Buttermilk (reserve ¼ Cup)
• 1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
• You will need Cheesecloth - if you can’t find ask your butcher or meat dept for some.

Procedure

• Place milk, buttermilk, lemon juice, and small into a small pot.
• Bring to a boil.
• stir constantly not to burn milk or it’s all over!
• Once start to boil - drop heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.
• Stirring occasionally avoiding sticking and scorching.

• When the curds start to form and float to the top, turn off heat and let sit for 10-15 minutes.

• Dampen the cheese cloth, and lined bowl or strainer.

• Carefully pour curds over cheesecloth

• After drained, pour the remainder buttermilk on top slowly to let absorb.

• Tie around large spoon, and let hang over dripping bowl for about 1 hour.

• Remove cheesecloth, and refrigerate until chilled. Cover until ready to use - up to 3 days.

#FreshRicotta #FreshCheese #HomemadeCheese #Ricotta #DIYGourmet #CaylenasCourses #ChefCaylena

Reviving the Carrot Cake

w/ Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cake season is here! Here’s a go-to elegant cake perfect enough to celebrate - Everything. Light enough to enjoy all summer long.  

This classic is revitalized with fresh Ginger and Carrot juices - this puts it a head above all the others you’ve tasted. Spiced just right, though feel free to make additions such as raisins or nuts.  

Preheat Oven 350*F

Makes: 1 large cake, 3 dozen mini -or- 1 dozen over sized cupcakes

Ingredients: Grouped by sequence.

MIX TOGETHER

1 cup Buttermilk - room temperature.

1 1/2 bag baby carrots (1 1/2 lbs) -Juiced

9 oz fresh ginger shredded fine

DRY: Mix together

2 1/2 C AP flour

2 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg & more for garnish

3 tsp Ground Ginger if not using fresh

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• WET:

4 room temp eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup tightly packed  brown sugar

1 Tbsp Vanilla extract (bourbon vanilla if have)

• OTHER

3/4 Cup Veg oil

• FROSTING:

2 packages Cream Cheese - room temperature

1 box Powdered Sugar

1 Tbsp Vanilla extract

1 1/2 sticks Unsalted Butter -room temperature

1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

PROCEDURE:

1. Juice Carrots. Set ½ cup juice aside. (Shred if don’t have juicer.) discard rest.
2. Mix carrot remains, shredded ginger, and buttermilk together. Set aside.

3. Mix Dry ingredients together - set aside.
4. In Mixer over high, mix Wet Ingredients.
5. Pour in ½ Dry ingredients - Mix
6. Pour in Vegetable Oil

7. Pour in ½ remaining Dry ingredients
8. Pour in Carrot Juice
9. Pour remaining dry ingredients.
1. This might look wetter than used to because of juice - this will keep your cake moist and fluffy.

10. Pour in carrot mix.

11. Coat pan with Oil. Pour in cake mix.
1. 
   If using Cake sheet - pour mixture in.
2. Cupcakes: line with paper holders.
1. To make pouring easier for cupcakes, pour into a Ziplock bag, cut a hole in corner and pour as though as if pastry bag.

Cooking:

• Bake large cupcakes: 15 minutes, rotate pan, bake another 15 min.
• Small cupcakes: 8 minutes, rotate, another 7-8 minutes
• Large cake: 35-45 minutes total.

Check doneness by using a toothpick - poke in center - when it comes out clean - you’re finished.

Let rest & cool at least 20 minutes. - *note if hot - will melt frosting.

Frosting: Mix all ingredients together until nice and fluffy.

Don’t over mix or it will turn grainy.

• Once ready use knife to spread on cakes, or put in a plastic zip lock and cut corner - using like a pastry bag.

• Make sure frosting is Very cold - putting in and out of fridge if need be or it will make a goopy mess.

Sprinkle with Nutmeg

Refrigerate until ready to eat! ENJOY!

#ChefCaylena #CarrotCake #SummerCooking #Baking #KidEats #KidsCook #CreamCheeseFrosting