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You are here: Home / Dairy / Cheese / Soft Cheeses / Fresh Cheeses / Mascarpone Cheese

Mascarpone Cheese

This page first published: Sep 8, 2002 · Modified: Jun 23, 2018 · by CooksInfo. Copyright © 2019

Mascarpone CheeseMascarpone Cheese
© Denzil Green

Contents hide
  • 1 Cooking Tips
  • 2 Substitutes
  • 3 Nutrition
  • 4 Equivalents
  • 5 History Notes

Mascarpone is a pale cream-coloured soft, spreadable cream cheese made from cream from cow’s milk.

Unlike other cheeses, Mascarpone uses no starter or Rennet, so it’s not really a cheese: it’s more akin to Clotted Cream, Crème Fraîche, Sour Cream or Yoghurt.

The cream is heated to 190 F (88 C.) Citric acid is added to curdle it. The curd is stirred, then allowed to drain for 24 hours. The curd is then mixed, whipped, and packed in tubs for sale, and sent to market.

It has a light taste with a slight tang, and a rich, silky texture.

It is quite inexpensive in the UK, selling for about $2.50 US for 1/2 pound (250g); in the US and Canada, that same amount of Mascarpone will set you back over 4 times as much, up to $8.00 US (2004 prices.)

Cooking Tips

Stands up well in cooking because of the fat content. Makes rich sauces. If you happen to be mixing it in a recipe, don’t overmix or the next thing you know you’ll have butter.

Substitutes

Cream Cheese, Greek Yoghurt, Sour Cream, Ricotta

Nutrition

60% to 75% fat. Per 100g (3.5 oz), 450 calories.Nutrition FactsPer 100g (3.5 oz)AmountCalories442Fat47.06 gSaturated22.281 gCholesterol94 mgCarbohydrate2.62 gFibre0 gSugars.56 gProtein4.19 gPotassium90 mg

Equivalents

1 pound = 16 oz = 450g = 2 cups

6 oz = 175g = 3/4 cup

History Notes

Mascarpone Cheese originated in the Lombardy region of northern Italy.

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Other names

Italian: Mascarpone

Random Quote

‘When she goes about her kitchen duties, chopping, carving, mixing, whisking, she moves with the grace and precision of a ballet dancer, her fingers plying the food with the dexterity of a croupier.’ — Craig Claiborne (American food writer. 4 September 1920 – 22 January 2000)

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