Many people are aware of the benefits of fermented milk products, but not all include them in the daily menu. Often the reason lies in the dislike of kefir, which seems sour and liquid to some people. Another reason - the uncertainty of consumers that on the shelves of stores are really useful products that do not contain artificial and harmful additives. The solution to the problem can be cooking ryazhenka at home. It is made from baked milk, has a delicate, slightly sweet taste, thick texture and appetizing appearance. Even those who dislike kefir and other dairy products eat it with pleasure.
Cooking Features
The process of cooking ryazhenka consists of two main stages: the heating of milk and its fermentation. At each stage, inexperienced hostess lurk pitfalls. In order for the result to meet expectations, you need to know a few important points.
- Baked milk is taken as a basis for cooking ryazhenka. But do not buy this product ready in the store. You do not know what technology it was prepared for, whether it was made from powder using dyes. It will be safer to cook melted milk independently from milk, of which you are sure of its naturalness. Best of all, if it is a home or farm product.
- Heat the milk in the oven by placing it in a pot. In modern conditions, you can use the slow cooker. You can also heat the milk on the stove, but this is a long process that requires constant attention from the hostess.
- So that milk does not run away during heating, it is pre-boiled for a long time (5-10 minutes).
- During heating, skins will form on the surface of the milk. It is not recommended to remove them: it is better to pierce with a toothpick and immerse in milk. Foam can be removed only after the product has been heated. The fact is that they give the baked milk unique nutty notes that will remain noticeable in the ryazhenka made from it.
- Do not put glass and ceramic dishes in an already preheated oven - this material may not withstand a sharp temperature drop.
- Milk heating time is usually 1, 5-2, 5 hours, depending on the temperature in the oven and the volume of the container with the drink placed in it.
- Before fermentation, milk should be cooled to 35-40 degrees. If it is colder, the bacteria may not be activated. At higher temperatures, they will die at all.
- Milk should be fermented at room temperature or slightly higher.
- At home, sour cream is most often used to ferment milk. It is better that she was homely. Antibiotics may be added to the store product that will make fermentation impossible. Fresh sour cream just cooked works best. The more you add it, the thicker the ryazhenka will be. Usually, 50-100 g of sour cream is taken for 1 l of milk, but this ratio can be adjusted to your liking.
- Instead of sour cream, you can use homemade yogurt or special bacteria (leaven) sold in pharmacies to ferment milk. Yogurt is used in the same way as sour cream. Pharmacy starter is used, focusing on the instructions on the package.
- The cooking time of ryazhenka from milk is from 6 to 24 hours, after which the ryazhenka is removed in the refrigerator. Usually, milk is fermented in the evening, and in the morning they are already savoring fresh homemade ryazhenka.
If you want to make ryazhenka sweet, you can add some sugar to it when cooking. Another option is to mix it with fruit or berry puree before serving.
A classic recipe for homemade ryazhenka
Composition:
- milk - 2 l;
- sour cream - 100 ml.
Preparation Method:
- Pour the milk into the pot, put on medium heat. When it starts to rise, reduce the intensity of the flame and boil, stirring for 8-10 minutes.
- Pour the milk into the pot (or pour it into the pots). Fill containers with no more than two-thirds, otherwise the milk may “run away” during the subsequent preparation.
- Put a pot of milk in the oven, turn it on, heat to 200-220 degrees, then reduce the temperature in the oven to 180 degrees.
- Tomit milk in the oven for 1, 5-2 hours, periodically piercing the foam and lowering it to the bottom.
- Remove the pot from the oven. Cool to a temperature of about 38 degrees, remove the foam.
- Add sour cream and stir well with a spoon so that the contents of the pot are homogeneous.
- Close the pot with a lid, wrap. Leave at least 12 hours. All this time it is advisable not to touch the pot: do not shake, do not move from place to place.
- Check the readiness ryazhenka. If it lies "breast" and lags behind the edges, then it is ready. Otherwise, leave ryazhenka fermented for another few hours.
It is advisable to put the finished ryazhenka for a couple of hours in the refrigerator - it will be more tasty when it cools down. Store the product in the refrigerator. It is advisable to use it for a day, while it is fresh and healthy.
Ryazhenka in a multicooker
Composition:
- milk - 2 l;
- sour cream - 0, 2-0, 25 l.
Preparation Method:
- Pour the milk into the clean bowl of the multicooker. Start the device by selecting the “Quenching” program. Set the timer to 6 hours.
- After the indicated time, temporarily turn off the device. Wait until the milk has cooled to 38-40 degrees.
- Add sour cream. Whisk with a whisk.
- Turn on the device again, but in heating mode. Cook for half an hour.
- Turn off the unit, but do not open the cover. Wait 5-6 hours.
- After a specified time, pour the yarn into the mixing bowl. Beat with a whisk or mixer. Pour into a glass jar and put in the refrigerator.
When ryazhenka cools down, it can be served at the table. The process of cooking ryzhenka in a slow cooker is longer, but less troublesome, because the hostess does not need to worry that the milk will burn or run away.
Ryazhenka in banks
Composition:
- milk - 2 l;
- sugar - 20 g;
- sour cream - 40-60 ml.
Preparation Method:
- Sterilize the jars. It is better to take small containers (0, 25-0, 5 l). Expect that in the end you get about 1, 7-1, 8 liters of ryazhenka.
- Pour the milk into the pan. Add sugar, mix. Sugar in this recipe is not an obligatory ingredient, but it gives a delicate, sweetish taste to Ryazhenka, therefore many housewives add it.
- On an intense fire, bring the milk to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 3-4 hours.
- Remove the foam on the surface. Pour the milk into prepared cans, filling them up to about 80 percent.
- Place the jars on a baking sheet, send to the oven.
- Bring the temperature in the oven to 160-180 degrees. Allow the milk cans to stand at this temperature for 2 hours. Take the jars out of the oven. It is important not to put them on a cold or wet surface so that they do not crack.
- When the contents of the jars have cooled down to about 40 degrees, slide the foam that has formed on the surface and spread the sour cream over the jars. Mix it gently with milk.
- Boil the lids and seal the cans with ryazhenka tightly.
- Cover the jars with a wool blanket and leave to cool under it.
- After the jars with ryazhenka have cooled, put them in the fridge.
The ryazhenka prepared in this way has a longer shelf life than the traditional one. It will not deteriorate within 2 weeks, but usually it is harvested for no more than a week, opening every day a jar of home-made fermented milk product.
Homemade ryazhenka cooks long enough. The technology has many subtleties that you need to know. However, the result is worth the effort: home-made ryazhenka is much tastier and healthier than the store, and it is pleasant to eat at any time of the day.
