Mascarpone

[Richard Kilgore]

I picked up a tub of mascarpone at CM last weekend. I have never used it before, and would like to hear about some of your experiences using it -- both favorite interesting things to do with it, as well as any tips or cautions. And a specific question:

If I put a layer down in a tart shell bfore adding fresh fruit, do I need to coat the tart shell with egg white or anything else?

[Jason Perlow]

One world: Cannoli.

[Fernwood]

One world: Cannoli.

←

I agree: cannoli might just be what we need to bring the world together!

[albiston]

One world: Cannoli.

←

Cannoli... with mascarpone?

Might taste perfectly fine, and I bet they do, but if it's made with anything else than ewe's milk ricotta... nah, it just ain't cannoli. Foreigners, ah!

The classic thing to do with mascarpone would be tiramisu'... mmhhh

[nightscotsman]

We use Mascarpone in our cannoli filling along with the ricotta. Personally I'm not a big cannoli fan. However, the mascarpone mousse we make for the tiramisu, I could eat a vary large bowl of. It's just egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla whipped into mascarpone, then egg whites whipped with sugar folded in at the end.

Right now we make a couple variations on the traditional coffee flavored tiramisu, but we used to do one with banana bread soaked in citrus syrup and fresh strawberries that was very good.

[bloviatrix]

We use Mascarpone in our cannoli filling along with the ricotta. Personally I'm not a big cannoli fan. However, the mascarpone mousse we make for the tiramisu, I could eat a vary large bowl of. It's just egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla whipped into mascarpone, then egg whites whipped with sugar folded in at the end.

←

Can I share the bowl with you?

A very simple dessert using mascarpone is to blend it with some honey and nutmeg. Then serve with poached fruit. Lick the bowl good.

[Redsugar]

Macarpone is a rich, unripened, very soft Italian cheese. The first time I had a dessert containing mascarpone was at Boston in 1984, most likely in the Four Seasons Hotel. (Was Lydia Shire in those kitchens at that time?) It was a chocolate roulade filled w/ orange-scented mascarpone. Then coffee followed by brandy, to put a big exclamation mark on the meal!

I echo Albiston’s enthusiasm for tiramisu – w/ a good light rum mixed in with it for extra-good measure!

Cirtus flavours offset it very nicely. One can prepare a frozen mascarpone cream and serve it, sliced, w/ a gingery tropical fruit compote. And Emily Luchetti actually gives instructions on how to make substitute mascarpone by heating heavy cream to 180° and adding tartaric acid to it. It’s then chilled in a lined strainer, covered w/ plastic wrap and chilled up to 18 hours until very thick & firm. Much more wonderfully inviting, though are her instructions for making Caramel-Mascarpone cream by adding caramel sauce, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt to the cheese and whipping it to soft peaks. Hedonistic!

[ruthcooks]

In macaroni and cheese

In "cream" soups instead of cream or thickeners

In lots of places you'd use cream cheese, because it doesn't have that cloying taste of cream cheese

[ludja]

And Emily Luchetti actually gives instructions on how to make substitute mascarpone by heating heavy cream to 180° and adding tartaric acid to it.  It’s then chilled in a lined strainer, covered w/ plastic wrap and chilled up to 18 hours until very thick & firm.  Much more wonderfully inviting, though are her instructions for making Caramel-Mascarpone cream by adding caramel sauce, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt to the cheese and whipping it to soft peaks.  Hedonistic!

←

I've used Luchetti's recipe for homemade 'mascarpone' and it came out great!

I made a nice dessert once using a filling of sweetened mascarpone with crystallized ginger (I think whipped cream was also folded in). This was sandwiched between two crisp rounds of filo dough. Yum.

Edited September 10, 2004 by ludja (log)

[Allura]

I just made a very easy icebox cake using marscapone for a Labor Day cook out. Espresso & Marscapone Icebox Cake

[Flossie]

I like it mixed with an equal amount of whipped double cream and used as a filling for a strawberry or raspberry tart.

[albiston]

I echo Albiston’s enthusiasm for tiramisu – w/ a good light rum mixed in with it for extra-good measure!

←

Definitely, some rum is a great addition and I often use it too. Another nice "alcoholic flavoring" that works quite well is some good marsala, or a decent oloroso sherry. And if you like mascarpone and citrus flavours together: just one word... limoncello. Store bought or made witht Katie's now famous recipe ← .

[stovetop]

Tiramisu

A classic Itilian dessert made with mascarpone cheese

Tiramisu basically includes Mascarpone cheese, raw eggs, sugar, espresso coffee, ladyfingers, liquor and cocoa. Heavy cream is an optional ingredient. The richness and "mouth experience" depends on the quantity of each ingredient, and the care of preparation. This recipe section includes a number of basic recipes, as gleaned from various sources, which are cited whenever possible.

Tiramisu

[KarenS]

Cheesecake, mascarpone custard tart filling, mousse, panna cotta, bavarian, cake filling etc... You can whip it too (use superfine sugar). Whip on high and watch carefully (it can break very easily iff overwhipped).

I don't use egg in tiri mi su anymore- I whip it with sugar, cream and gelatin with (brandy, grappa, strega, etc..).

It is a "modern" classic dessert, as it was developed in the 70's- near Venice.

[Richard Kilgore]

Thanks everyone. What a great bunch of responses. I'll try all of them for dessert tomorow night.

[Swisskaese]

You can also make mascarpone ice cream and lemon marscarpone creme brulee.

[KatieLoeb]

In a savory cheesecake. I've made THIS recipe for Mascarpone Cheesecake with Sundried Tomato Pesto for several parties and it's always a huge hit. It's absolutely delicious and the only downside is that there's never any leftovers.

[achevres]

Homemade mascarpone? I had to find the recipe. Here are the two I found. The basics are the same, but one has simpler instructions and the other one more detailed instructions.

The simpler one: Homemade Mascarpone

And this one from Giuliano Bugialli is more detailed: Giuliano Bugialli's Homemade mascarpone

[ludja]

I've made another nice mascarpone dish--(from Scicolone's ,La Dolce Vita)--It is a very nice dish in the fall--

Poach pears in a lemon-sugar-white wine syrup. Reduce the syrup and reserve to pour over pears when serving. Stuff pear cores w/a mix of mascarpone and gorgonzola (1:2). Chill and serve, garnished w/mint.

[tupac17616]

For me, I just throw throw together some Mascarpone and some fresh strawberries, and call it a day. Very very simple flavor combo, but very tasty in my opinion.

[Wendy DeBord]

Nightscotsman, I made cannoli tonight. Previously I'd discovered a bit of cream cheese in the riccotta made it smoother and I was excited over that find. But tonight I followed your lead and used some mascarpone instead of the cream cheese, thats a great tip! Thank-you!