Top 5 Recipes for Making Mascarpone Cheese

Great dessert recipes start with great ingredients. You can buy some of the ingredients of a dessert recipe in the store but ideally you'll make them from scratch whenever you can. For example, when making a home-baked pie, it's better if you make the pie crust from scratch than if you buy it pre-made. And when you make a creamy dessert recipe that calls for mascarpone cheese it's best if you make the mascarpone yourself rather than buying it already made from the store.

What is Mascarpone?

Mascarpone is a delicious cheese that is used to make desserts creamy. The most popular dish that you'll find it in is tiramisu but it's in many other dessert dishes as well. This creamy cheese is typically made from three different types of cheese.

Mascarpone Recipe #1: Very Basic Recipe

Who this recipe is best for: The chef who doesn't want to invest too much energy into compiling a lot of ingredients for your mascarpone cheese but still wants a tasty mascarpone. Must be able to plan ahead since this recipe requires chilling overnight before use.

Ingredients: 2 quarts heavy cream and 1/2 teaspoon tartaric acid

Directions:

• Pour heavy cream into a double boiler.
• Bring to just below a boil.
• Remove from heat and stir for one minute.
• Pour into regular saucepan and bring just to boil.
• Remove from heat.
• Add tartaric acid.
• Divide into eight segments.
• Wrap each segment completely in cheesecloth.
• Refrigerate overnight.
• Use in your recipe the following day.

Mascarpone Recipe #2: Traditional Taste

Who this recipe is best for: The chef who wants to stick to the traditional method of making Italian mascarpone and isn't afraid to use a lot of ingredients to make this great dessert cheese.

Ingredients: 2 quarts half and half, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup water, 1/8 teaspoon liquid vegetable rennet

Directions:

• Pour half and half into a saucepan.
• Heat until warm but not boiling.
• Remove from heat and stir.
• Add the other ingredients and let sit for three minutes.
• Whisk until well-blended.
• Cover and leave at room temperature overnight.
• Strain through cheesecloth. Leave the cheese to drain through the cheesecloth overnight (yes, this is the second night of the recipe).
• Use the mascarpone in your recipe the following day.

Mascarpone Recipe #3: The Quick Method

Who it's best for: You want to make your mascarpone from scratch but don't have one or two days to wait before you use it. This isn't true mascarpone but it will taste a lot like it in a pinch.

Ingredients: 2 packages cream cheese, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 4 tablespoons butter

Directions: Mix all ingredients together until they are completely blended. Use immediately in any recipe that calls for mascarpone.

Mascarpone Recipe #4: More Common Ingredients

Who this is for: The chef who doesn't keep tartaric acid in the home but wants to make tasty mascarpone cheese for a recipe.

Ingredients: 16 ounces heavy cream, 1tablespoon lemon juice.

Directions:

• Pour the heavy cream into a double boiler.
• Heat fifteen minutes until the cream is close to boiling.
• Add lemon juice.
• Continue heating until five minutes after the cream begins to curdle.
• Remove from heat and let cool.
• Strain through cheesecloth.
• Refrigerate overnight and then use for your mascarpone recipe.

Mascarpone Recipe #5: A Little Bit Sweeter

Who it's best for: The person who enjoys recipe #1 on this list but wants a sweeter option for some recipes.

Ingredients: 2 quarts heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon tartaric acid, 1/2 teaspoon powdered sugar

Directions: Follow the directions for recipe #1 in this article with one exception: Prior to adding the tartaric acid, add the powdered sugar and blend completely into the mixture.