Fresh Ricotta Cheese

Fresh Ricotta Cheese
You Will Never Buy Grocery Store Ricotta Again!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients

8 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

toasted bread slices

honey (optional)

Cooking Tools

Cheese cloth

Large mesh strainer

Large pot 

Strain Through A Cheesecloth Lined Strainer

Directions
Heat milk, cream, salt on medium heat until it comes to a boil, stir frequently to not scald milk.  Lower heat to a simmer and add lemon juice, stir gently for at least 2 minutes as the curds develop.  Set aside as you prepare the strainer.  Line the strainer with the cheesecloth with ample overhang. Pour curds and liquid through the strainer.  Place strainer back over the pot and let it strain for an hour.  Serve warm, any leftovers can be refrigerated in an air tight container for up to 2 days. Cook's Note: can be used for over pasta, lasagna, or sweet filling for cannoli.
Yields 2 cups

Cannoli Parfait With Mini Cannoli

Cannoli Parfait With Mini Cannoli
Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 3-4 hours

Cooking Time: 

Ingredients
4 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup marscarpone cheese
freshly grated nutmeg to taste
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips
1 cup of sliced almonds
1 cup chopped pistachios
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
mini cannoli shells( 1 dozen to a box)

Cooking Tools

Small mixing bowl

Piping bag

6 Martini glasses

A better picture of the layers of the parfait!

Directions
In a mixing bowl add ricotta, marscarpone, powdered sugar, vanilla and grated nutmeg. Mix ingredients with whisk until well incorporated
Set 6 cannoli shells to fill with cannoli filling
Take the rest of the cannoli shells and place them in a zip lock bag and crush to the consistency of graham cracker meal
Place cannoli filling in piping bag for easy filling.
Pipe in the cannoli filling in the 6 cannoli shells, dip the filled shell openings in the chocolate chip, pistachios or almond.  Set aside and chill ( for the top of parfait).
Take 6 martini glasses and fill each one in layers starting with the crushed cannoli for the bottom, then the cheese filling, chocolate chips, again cheese filling, chopped pistachios, cheese filling the finally the sliced almonds.  Chill in refrigerator for several hours to firm up.  before serving, place filled cannoli shell on top of parfait.
Serves 6