Learn how to make homemade mascarpone cheese as a delicious treat that you can use in both sweet and savory dishes and desserts.
I didn’t discover mascarpone cheese until just a few weeks ago. I was chatting on the phone with my grandpa, who was telling me about his younger years – when he worked in a bakery in the UK.
Have you ever had Mascarpone Cheese?
He asked me late one night on our phone conversation. One of his favorite things to make (and enjoy) was carrot cake topped with a mascarpone frosting.
Surprisingly enough, I hadn’t heard of it until then…
Though he didn’t make mascarpone himself, it was available at Tesco grocers. He’d pick it up and use it at home stirred into his porridge, drizzled with honey and stirred into his chicken and mushrooms.
Knowing I’ve successfully made feta, cheddar, and chocolate cream cheese, I knew I could make mascarpone. I was excited to give it a try and even more to see the finished product.
How to Make Homemade Mascarpone Cheese
My grandpa’s instructions for making mascarpone were as simple as heavy cream and lemon juice (who knew?) Combine a little heavy cream with lemon juice over low combined with time to strain makes the most delicious and decadent treat.
Immediately I went to work. The next morning I had a beautiful bowl of mascarpone cheese ready to devour.
Though you might be able to find it in your local European grocer, here in the U.S., it’s a little harder to find. You might find it in a larger store with a wider variety of cheeses. But the average grocer won’t carry it. When you do find it, you’ll discover that it’s quite expensive for a small amount.
Thankfully, mascarpone cheese is one of the easiest to master.
Homemade mascarpone cheese requires only 10 minutes of active time followed by an overnight rest in the fridge.
How to Make Homemade Mascarpone Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 C heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- In a saucepan over low heat, bring the heavy cream to the temperature of 180 degrees F.
- Keeping the mixture at 180 degrees F, stir in the lemon juice and continue to simmer the heavy cream at 180 degrees for 2 more minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat, let the mixture cool (20-30 minutes).
- Lay several layers of cheesecloth on a small strainer and pour the cooled mascarpone over the cheesecloth. Tie up the cheesecloth, and put the mixture in the fridge overnight to strain the whey.
- In the morning, spoon the mascarpone from the cheesecloth and store in a covered container.
What’s the difference between mascarpone cheese and cream cheese?
Mascarpone is similar to cream cheese but is not entirely the same. True cream cheese is made by combining heavy cream and raw milk with mesophilic culture and rennet. Mascarpone has a higher fat content as it is made entirely with heavy ream combined with an acid (lemon juice or vinegar).
Mascarpone is commonly used in sweet baking (carrot cake with mascarpone frosting is a great example!) You can also use it in your favorite pasta dish (lasagna), or spread it on a toasted baguette and sprinkle with your favorite herbs.
How Long Does Mascarpone Last?
Mascarpone will last one week when refrigerated. If you have a larger quantity of mascarpone, you can freeze it, taking care to thaw before use. You will want to keep in mind though that freezing it can result in a loss of texture. Despite the change in texture, frozen mascarpone that has been thawed is better used in pastas or recipes that will be baked.
