Eggs & dairy · Fresh cheeses

Mascarpone

Very rich, smooth Italian cream cheese with a sweet, buttery taste; essential for tiramisu.

Also called: mascarpone cheese

Around the world: mascarpone (it)

A kind of cheese

1 recipe with it

Photo: Brodolò1, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

What it is

Mascarpone is made by setting cream with acid and draining it, producing a thick, ivory spread with a very high fat content. It is richer, softer and sweeter than cream cheese, with almost no tang. It sits between clotted cream and cream cheese in texture.

How it’s used

Tiramisu
Whipped with sugar for cake fillings and tarts
Stirred into risotto and pasta sauces
Spooned onto fruit and desserts

Characteristics

Taste: Sweet, buttery and mild.
Texture: Thick, silky and spreadable.
When cooked: Melts quickly into sauces; overbeating, especially with cream, can make it grainy or split.
Sold as: fresh
Cooking uses: Usually eaten raw, Commonly cooked, Suitable for baking
Common in: Italian