How to cook Mascarpone at home?
Today, Mascarpone is the most preferred product of many eminent chefs, used in the preparation of various culinary masterpieces. Unsurpassed taste with a creamy tint and creamy texture appeal not only to adults, but also to children. On the basis of Mascarpone, you can cook a lot of desserts that can impress relatives and friends on the spot.
What it is?
Mascarpone is a cheese that originated in Lombardy, northern Italy. The word itself in translation means "cottage cheese" or "cream".
Initially, the milk of female buffaloes was used to make this type of cheese. And in our time, they have stepped back from this special ingredient and replaced it with cow's milk cream.
According to its consistency and structure, Mascarpone is classified as a spreadable curd cheese. They have a very delicate texture, in taste there is a creamy shade. In addition, spreadable cheeses cook quite quickly and do not age over time. Mascarpone is distinguished by its constant freshness and softness; it is not pressed or salted in the manufacture.
The special consistency of Mascarpone cheese is suitable for preparing various desserts, such as cheesecakes and, of course, the well-known tiramisu.
General cooking advice
To make delicious Mascarpone cheese at home, you should know some rules, thanks to which the result will exceed all expectations.
- Lemon juice is often used to make soft cheese. It is he who plays the role of a thickener, but not only for cream, but also for sour cream and other dairy products. In this regard, some housewives have their own opinion and suggest using wine-based vinegar instead of lemon juice. It is this liquid, preferably home-made, that will allow you to achieve subtle tenderness and an extraordinary taste.
- Mascarpone requires the use of high-fat cream. The minimum fat index on the purchased product must be at least 28%. The ideal option would be cream with 33% fat. The maximum limit is 40%. Above it is not even worth considering, otherwise it will not be possible to cook high-quality cheese.
- When the cooking process is moving, a thermometer should always be at hand. If it is not possible to use a temperature meter, you will have to use your own finger, immersing it in the prepared mass. If the sensations are tolerable, then the temperature of the product is acceptable, but if it is impossible to endure, then Mascarpone should be cooled down a little more.
- When the cooking process has come to an end, it is necessary to check the resulting consistency. For this, any spoon, except for a wooden one, will do. The cutlery is lowered into the finished mass, after which it is carefully removed. A correctly performed procedure will show a circle of cheese on the surface of the spoon.
- Fans of dense and thick Mascarpone should remember that after cooking, the product must be refrigerated. Lovers of soft and delicate texture can immediately start eating.
- When heating a creamy product or sour cream, it is required to set the minimum fire pressure, otherwise the bottom of the pan will burn, the smell will mix with the product, and the finished Mascarpone will emit a burning smell.
Knowing and taking into account all the subtleties and nuances of cooking, every housewife should try to cook this type of cheese in her kitchen. After cooking, the aura and smells of the house will be filled with tenderness, lightness and subtlety, which will awaken the appetite of the whole family.
Recipes
Creamy Mascarpone is the perfect breakfast option for the whole family. Especially when you consider that the cheese dessert is prepared at home by the hands of the hostess, and not bought in a store. The culinary world boasts many recipes for homemade Mascarpone, every hostess has only to make a choice. The main thing is to do everything step by step, without getting lost in the steps of the instructions.
From sour cream
Quite popular is the option of making sour cream cheese.
Ingredients:
- lemon juice - 35 ml;
- sour cream with 20% fat content - 775 ml;
- milk 3.2% fat - 190 ml.
The preparation method includes several steps.
- Sour cream and milk should reach room temperature, after which they are mixed.
- The resulting consistency is placed in an enameled container and put on a small fire, while constantly stirring with a wooden spoon. While the languishing process is in progress, it is necessary to constantly check the temperature, it should not exceed 75 degrees.
- At this point, lemon juice should be added to the languishing mass. After a while, the mixture will begin to curdle. It is important to prevent the boiling process from starting.
- After you need to turn off the fire, cover the container and leave to cool at room temperature.While the workpiece is cooling, you need to take gauze, fold it into six layers and soak, preferably in filtered water. Then place the soaked cloth in a colander.
- The cooled Mascarpone blank is transferred to gauze for about an hour. During this time, the whey drains completely. If one hour was not enough, you can wait some more time. It is important not to influence this process by pressure or pressing.
- And after complete draining, it is required to press the resulting product with your hands. Transfer it to a plastic container and refrigerate. Two days are given for consumption.
From cream
The recipe for making Mascarpone from cream is very similar to how cheese is made from milk. But still there are some differences.
Ingredients:
- lemon juice - 15 ml;
- cream 15-20% fat - 385 g.
The cooking method is slightly different from the previous one.
- Cream is poured into an enameled container. The container with the workpiece is placed on a minimum fire, brought to a temperature of 80 degrees. It is worth noting that the cream must first cool to room temperature.
- In the absence of a thermometer, for the concept of a temperature norm, it is necessary to monitor the consistency of the mixture and its behavior. As soon as the cream begins to foam, it means that the required temperature has been reached. The container is immediately removed from the fire.
- Lemon juice is immediately poured into hot cream and mixed until smooth. After that, the container is again placed on a small fire until the clotting process. Approximate time is 8-15 minutes.
- The resulting mass is removed from the stove and left for 15 minutes at room temperature. At the same time, you should not worry that the cream will be divided into whey and cottage cheese.
- Then the technical preparation process begins.Gauze is laid out in a colander, pre-rolled in six layers and soaked in plain water. The creamy mass is poured into this design and it remains to drain for one hour.
- After this time, the gauze is folded into a bag, tied and hung up for two hours. The resulting cheese must be kneaded with your hands, put in a plastic container, put a sinker on top and refrigerate for ten hours.
- Three days are given for the use of this cheese.
In a slow cooker
For a modern housewife who values her time and work, cooking Mascarpone in a slow cooker will be ideal.
Ingredients:
- cream 10% - 300 ml;
- cream 20% - 300 ml;
- lemon juice - 20 ml.
The cooking method is very simple and does not require any skills.
- Cream is poured into the multicooker bowl. The lid closes and the Desserts program is set, cooking time is ten minutes.
- Three minutes before the program is turned off, lemon juice is poured into the hot creamy mass. The lid does not close, the mixture is constantly mixed.
- After that, the resulting workpiece must be cooled, you can directly in the same bowl.
- The next step will be to transfer the creamy mass to gauze, pre-folded in several layers, soaked and laid out on a sieve.
- After that, the fabric with the Mascarpone blank is tied and hung up for three hours, perhaps a little more.
- The finished product is transferred to the refrigerator in a plastic container.
Mascarpone can be prepared not only on the basis of cream and milk. An unsurpassedly delicious cheese is obtained from milk powder, wine vinegar and even cottage cheese, the main thing is to take the cooking process seriously so that the result is impressive.
What can be done with cheese?
Today, a variety of culinary skills allows you to cook many delicious and healthy desserts with Mascarpone cheese, for example, cheesecake, tiramisu, a treat with chocolate and many more options. In addition to sweet treats, second courses, such as ravioli, are made from Mascarpone.
Tiramisu
For a romantic dinner, tiramisu is the perfect option for a sweet ending. The recipe is simple, and the result will be extraordinary.
Ingredients:
- Mascarpone - 400 g;
- savoiardi cookies - 300 g;
- coffee (strong) - 250 ml;
- powdered sugar - 150 g;
- eggs - 5 pcs.;
- cognac - 2 tbsp. l.;
- cocoa powder - 2 tsp
Consider the cooking method.
- First you need to brew coffee and dilute it with cognac.
- The next step is to separate the egg white and yolk. Put the whites in the refrigerator, mix the yolks with powdered sugar.
- Mix sweet yolk with Mascarpone cheese.
- Salt the set aside proteins and beat with a mixer until foam appears. Then mix them with the cream base.
- Next, a deep form is taken, on the bottom of which cookies are laid out, previously soaked in coffee composition.
- Half of the cream is placed on top of the cookies. Next, a layer of cookies is repeated. And again the cream, which now needs to be carefully leveled.
- The prepared miracle must be set aside in the refrigerator for six to seven hours. If time permits, then leave it there all night.
american cheesecake
Fans of various cuisines of the world can prepare various desserts, such as American cheesecake.
Ingredients:
- cookies - 300 g;
- butter - 150 g;
- Mascarpone - 500 g;
- cream - 200 g;
- granulated sugar - 150 g;
- gelatin - 20 g.
The cooking method is quite simple.
- First you need to soak the gelatin in water, following the instructions on the package.
- Grind cookies with a blender.
- The butter needs to be melted.
- Crushed cookies must be mixed with butter. Transfer the resulting mixture into a baking dish, level and press firmly.
- The next step is dedicated to gelatin. It must be put on fire and dissolved.
- Using a mixer, you need to beat granulated sugar and cream. Add Mascarpone to the resulting cream and mix thoroughly. Then combine with dissolved gelatin.
- The prepared cheese filling is evenly laid out on top of the biscuit base.
- The cheesecake blank is placed in the refrigerator for four or five hours.
- After the specified time, the dessert is cut into identical pieces and served on the table.
How to make Mascarpone cheese at home, see the following video.