Mascarpone cheese in bowl. Repinanatoly / Getty Images via Canva Pro
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.
To make mascarpone, cream is heated to 88 C (190 F). 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 Europe, but can be expensive in North America.
Cooking Tips
Mascarpone stands up well in cooking because of the fat content. In fact, if you happen to be mixing for in a recipe, don’t overmix or the next thing you know you’ll have butter.
Mascarpone is a very rich base for sauces.
Substitutes
Cream Cheese, Greek Yoghurt, Sour Cream, Ricotta
Nutrition
60% to 75% fat.
Nutrition Facts Per 100g (3.5 oz): Calories 442, Fat 47.06 g (Saturated 22.281 g), Cholesterol 94 mg, Carbohydrate 2.62 g, Fibre 0 g, Sugars .56 g, Protein 4.19 g, Potassium 90 mg
Equivalents
1 pound/ 16 oz. ≈ 450 g ≈ 2 cups
6 oz. ≈ 175 g ≈ ¾ cup
History Notes
Mascarpone cheese originated in the Lombardy region of northern Italy.