I can only imagine the many times you have tried to pronounce that name correctly. Now relax and take a sip of water. In no time, you will understand what fior di latte means. The good thing is that you are on the right page.

Fior di latte is an Italian word, that refers to ‘flower of milk’. It’s a fresh cheese that comes in traditional Italian mozzarella style. The cheese is delicately flavored, light, smooth, sweet, and has an elastic texture. You make fior di latte from farm fresh cow milk.

In the world of deserts, fior di latte points to a gelato you make from dairy, starch, and sugar. Many people confuse it with vanilla ice cream. But these are two different things.

Things to Take into Account When Making Fior Di Latte

Before I get into the ingredients and steps of making a flower of milk, here are a few things you need to consider when making your preferred cheese.

Look for the Best Quality Milk

The success of the fior di latte you make largely depends on the quality of milk you decide to use. The technique of preparing is the same as that of mozzarella.

If the cow from which the milk comes is not in good shape, the milk coming out will also not be good. And therefore, it will affect the outcome of your flower of milk.

Try to Be as Accurate as Possible

You will apply scientific precision in the cheese-making process. It is vital to have a scale for weighing citric acid. Also, a syringe or pipette will measure rennet. And finally, a digital thermometer will help you maintain the required temperatures.

The main reason for weighing, measuring, and testing in fior di latte making, is to ensure that you use the exact proportions of the ingredients. By doing that, you will definitely achieve maximum results.

Show Some Generosity When It Comes to Salt

Use enough salt when preparing your fior di latte. It may look a lot but, it will dilute with the water in the process.

Things Will Get Hot, Prepare for It

You will need to protect yourself against the heat by putting on at least two rubber glove pairs. The gloves will also be helpful when stretching the mixture with your hands. Also, have iced water in a bowl ready.

Now, you will cool your hands by dipping them into the iced water before stretching the curd. Most importantly, make use of boiling water to prepare the curds. It works for both the stretchable and the malleable.

Consume Your Fior Di Latte As Soon As You Can

You will enjoy it better if you eat your fior di latte the day you make it.

How Do You Make the Fior Di Latte?

Before I can get into how to make the fior di latte, let’s first look at the equipment and the ingredients we will need.

Equipment

• A large pot that can hold 8 liters of milk
• A large knife
• A bucket to keep inside the iced water
• A stainless steel or glass bowl
• Two wooden spoons.
• A container for holding the whey(liquid)
• Dairy thermometer
• Measuring strips, syringe, or pipette.
• A ladle
• One large colander.
• Two pairs of gloves.

Ingredients

• 8 liters of raw milk. Use the milk within an hour of milking.
• 1 ml vegetarian rennet. It will solidify the milk by separating the curd that is solid from the liquid whey.
• 12 grams of citric acid
• Distilled water.
• Four tablespoons of non-iodized salt.

The Procedure to Making Fior Di Latte

You make a fior di latte using the pulled-curd or stretch curd technique. Here are the steps you should follow:

1. Heat the milk to about 37c in a large pot. Remember to control the heat to avoid overheating the curd. In the meantime, mix citric acid with 60ml of water in a bowl. Stir the two into the milk.
2. Take 60ml of water and 1ml rennet, combine in a bowl. Add the mixture to your milk as you stir to blend.
3. Stop the motion and remove it from the heat. Put the mixture aside for about 20-30 minutes. The time is to allow your milk to change into a solid state properly. That way, the curd can form. Split the curd into 2.5 cm pieces.
4. Take about 800ml of boiling water and pour it over the curd. It will raise the temperature to 39-40c. Set aside for around 20-30 minutes to allow the curd to get firmer.
5. Line your colander with a cheesecloth. Pour warm water on the cheesecloth. That way, you will minimize the chances of curd sticking on the cheesecloth. Strain the mixture and set the drain aside for two to three hours.
6. Press the curd gently to get rid of any excess liquid. Then put the curd in a large bowl.
7. Divide it into 2.5cm pieces and use salt to scatter.
8. Cover it with boiling water. Use the two wooden spoons to stretch curd.
9. Have an iced water bowl near you. Also, put on the two pairs of gloves. Dip your hands in the iced water and start stretching the curd. Keep doing the process until you make it elastic and smooth. You can do that for 2-5 minutes.
10. Cut your cheese into your preferred size and shape. Enjoy your Fior di latte the very day you prepare it.

Notes

• The ingredients amount used in this recipe can make eight large and 16 small fior di latte.
• Kindly remember to sterilize your equipment when you want to use them and after. That’s because we are dealing with food and bacteria. You wouldn’t want to go through all these procedures only to get discouraging results in the end.

Final Thoughts

In simple words, a fior di latte is a fresh cheese that you prepare in an Italian mozzarella style. You can refer to the technique as stretch curd or pulled curd. I believe I have helped you understand which type of food is fior di latte. Also, follow the steps above to make your flower of milk at home. If you prepare it right, you will enjoy the end product.