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This Whipped Ricotta recipe is a lighter than air dip that's packed with flavor thanks to dried herbs, citrus zest, good oil, and flaky sea salt. Perfect for a party, no one needs to know how easy it is.
I love using herbs and botanicals in my witchcraft practice. Whether that's in kitchen magick, candle magic, spell jars, or even crafting my own loose incense, herbs are so versatile. Each one has unique properties, so you can always get the right support from your materials. There's almost no spell that can't be boosted with the addition of a few well chosen herbs.
It doesn't have to be complicated, either. You don't have to forage your herbs under a full moon if you don't want to. With the right intention, grocery store herbs can be used in your spells to great effect. Remember, the magic comes from you and your intention, so if you believe the herbs are powerful, they will be.
What makes this Whipped Ricotta recipe so awesome?
This whipped ricotta recipe is ideal for kitchen witchcraft because you basically start with a simple base of cream cheese and ricotta whipped into a cloud-like texture, then scatter flavor over the top. And you can definitely customize the toppings you add in based on what you like and what you have. It's really hard to mess this up.
I love to serve this at a party or an afternoon with friends laughing around your kitchen table. Bread sticks are the perfect accompaniment, but raw veggies, especially bell peppers, would also be good. Anything with real crunch would be suitable. This is also the ideal time to get out that really good olive oil you've been saving. Its flavor will really shine through here. An infused oil would also be lovely.
You can find the magical properties of all of the ingredients in this recipe on the Kitchen Magick page. Instead, I want to talk about the element of air because that's really what makes this dish so special. Air represents thought, logic, and communication. The more air you work into this recipe, the lighter it becomes. So create this with the intention of fostering clear and honest communication. Serve it to people you really love talking to, and watch what happens.
This really couldn't be easier. You'll have the best results with an electric mixer, but you could make this by hand if you needed to. All you have to do is add softened cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and a bit of milk to a mixer and beat until it's light and fluffy. Then use a rubber spatula to spoon this out onto a shallow bowl or a plate. You want a lot of surface area. Make some pretty swirls and billows for toppings to sink into.
Then we start building flavor by simply scattering lemon zest, dried herbs, cracked black pepper, and really good flaky salt all over the top. Be generous. I've given suggestions based on what I use, but just explore your dried herb collection and see what looks good. Then drizzle it with some really good oil, and dip into it with something crunchy.
Herbs are a beautiful thing. Herbs and cheese are even better. Make this Whipped Ricotta recipe for something truly magical.
Looking for more awesome cheesy dip recipes? Try this White Cheddar Fondue or some Mexican Spinach Dip.
This Whipped Ricotta recipe is a lighter than air dip that's packed with flavor thanks to dried herbs, citrus zest, good oil, and flaky sea salt. Perfect for a party, no one needs to know how easy it is.
Author:Renee Rendall
Prep Time:10
Total Time:10
Yield:2-½ cups 1x
Category:Appetizer
Method:Mixed
Cuisine:Italian
Diet:Vegetarian
Ingredients
UnitsScale
¼cup cream cheese, softened
2cups ricotta
2 tablespoons milk
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
Pinch of Italian seasoning
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Drizzle of olive oil
Bread sticks to serve
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment and whip the cream cheese until smooth. Add the milk and ricotta and whip for 4-5 minutes until the cheeses are light and fluffy.
Spread your cheese mixture on a plate or platter to help maximize the surface area for flavorful toppings. You'll notice I didn't give specific measurements for any of the toppings. You should really go by feel. It depends on the size of your dish. Zest your lemon over the top, sprinkle the whole thing with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes (or really anything you like) then drizzle the whole thing with your most flavorful olive oil.
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Runny ricotta can occur for a couple of reasons: 1) Your ricotta was already watery to begin with. If this is the case, I recommend straining the cheese over a cheesecloth before whipping it up. 2) You added too much liquid (either from the olive oil or heavy cream).
Regular ricotta is a soft, grainy cheese with a slightly gritty texture, while whipped ricotta is made by blending regular ricotta with a small amount of cream or milk until it becomes smooth and airy. Whipped ricotta has a lighter, fluffier texture and a milder flavor compared to regular ricotta.
Cream cheese: Cream cheese is made with milk and cream, while ricotta is made with just milk. The lower fat content makes the latter cheese slightly less creamy. However, cream cheese can still be substituted for ricotta.
While ricotta is already creamy, it has an almost grainy and slightly crumbly texture — this must be smoothed out. Incorporating full-fat dairy, like heavy cream, will add richness to the cheese and create a lusciously sleek texture. The second is to mix these elements with precision and speed.
To prevent a structural disaster and avoid a soupy, unstable mess, though, you can stabilize it by adding Instant ClearJel, cornstarch, or another dairy ingredient like mascarpone or crème fraîche. To keep whipped cream light and fluffy for longer, you can stabilize it.
Hang your ricotta or leave sitting in a strainer with a weight overnight. This will get rid of all the excess liquid allowing you to mix through whatever flavouring you want and then fill.
For extra creamy ricotta, add in an extra egg, a handful of grated parmesan, and a quarter cup of shredded mozzarella. Eggs help prevent the ricotta from drying out and serve to bind the ricotta so it doesn't become runny.
All you need is a food processor and it'll come together in five minutes. Add the whole milk ricotta, extra virgin olive oil, honey, and sea salt to the food processor and blend until completely smooth and fluffy. Feel free to add as much or as little honey, olive oil, and salt to your taste.
It's an ideal substitute for cream or whole milk in a cream sauce. George Carlberg, executive chef at Littleton Adventist Hospital, uses the ricotta sauce to turn chicken and pasta into a one-dish meal. In this recipe he uses ricotta, because “it gives the palate the feel of heavy cream but reduces the fat.”
Sour cream: The textures are obviously quite different. But, in a pinch, sour cream can pass as a ricotta alternative in a dish where cheese isn't the star of the show. If you're looking for a sub for lasagna, though, reach for cottage or goat cheese instead.
Texture: Ricotta has a grainy texture, like cottage cheese, and mascarpone has a smooth, creamy texture, similar to heavy whipping cream. Mascarpone is a more spreadable cheese than ricotta. Taste: Ricotta is brighter and more acidic than mascarpone. Mascarpone has a slightly sweet, milky flavor.
First, make the whipped ricotta. In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, olive oil, basil, lemon zest, honey, salt, and pepper. Use a hand mixer to whip the ricotta until light and airy, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
A huge component of this Homemade Cannoli Cream is, of course, the delicious Galbani® Ricotta Cheese. This rich and creamy cheese can be found in your local market's dairy aisle and is the perfect cheese to use for a delicious and rich cannoli cream.
Whipping ricotta in the food processor transforms it into an incredibly smooth, spreadable cheese—a blank canvas to be paired with any number of flavors and ingredients.
Whole Milk (not ultra pasteurized!): I recommend whole cow's milk for creamy flavor and texture. Alternatively, 2% or 1% milk can be used; but the final result will not be as creamy. Ultra pasteurized milk does not work for homemade ricotta. It won't curdle properly.
If there isn't enough acid, the cream won't thicken to form curds. If yours is not thickening and changing to form curds after 10-15 minutes, add another tablespoon of lemon juice, give it a quick stir, and wait another 10-15 minutes. Repeat until it works.
You can add a little extra tomato paste, stir in some grated parmesan cheese, or add a thickening agent like corn starch, arrowroot powder, or flour; make a slurry with water and the thickening agent first, then stir into the sauce, making sure you don't have lumps.
The best way to get thick cannoli cream is to drain the ricotta but if your cream is still too thin, you can try a bit of cornstarch to the mixture and mix it well. Add the cornstarch one teaspoon at a time until you get the texture that you are looking for.
Dry/thick ingredients like cocoa powder, freeze dried fruit (powder,) and peanut butter will help thicken frosting, while vanilla and brown butter should be added sparingly to make sure it's the right texture. Storage Tips: Once you achieve the perfect consistency, store your frosting in an airtight container.
Introduction: My name is Saturnina Altenwerth DVM, I am a witty, perfect, combative, beautiful, determined, fancy, determined person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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