Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for mascarpone.
Jan 21, 2011 12:27amBy Lisa Featherby
- 5 mins preparation
- 15 mins cooking plus cooling, chilling, setting
- Serves 6
Mascarpone, the spreadable, whiskable, versatile Italian cream cheese, is simple to make. Unlike hard cheeses, it requires no difficult-to-obtain culture or humidity-controlled storage area, and the process of transforming the simplest of dairy ingredients into something luscious is immensely satisfying.
Traditionally, raw milk is the starting point for making mascarpone. The milk is left to stand overnight at cool room temperature, during which time the cream naturally rises to the surface of the milk and acquires a slight tartness from the bacteria that grow spontaneously in the milk. The resulting cultured cream is then mixed with an equal quantity of whole milk, heated, acidified (usually with tartaric acid), and drained.
A more practical method, given that raw milk isn't available for sale in Australia, is to use natural cream with no thickening agents, as we've done here. The resulting mascarpone doesn't have the flavour of cultured cream, but it nevertheless reflects the characteristics of the cream used, whether it's grassy or more neutral, organic or conventional, from King Island or from the local supermarket.
We recommend using heavy cream, because its fat content (45 per cent) will result in a thick, rich mascarpone. You could use a regular pouring cream with a fat content of 35 per cent, but the result won't be as rich, and you'll need to spend more time draining the whey to achieve the thick consistency you're after.
To acidify, we've used lemon juice. Other recipes call for vinegar or tartaric acid - they all work, although the proportions needed are a little different.
Gently heat the cream to 80C, and then add the lemon juice, enough to coagulate the cream but not so much as to result in sourness. Leave the mixture to stand at room temperature to cool gently and then refrigerate it until the mixture coagulates and resembles large, soft, gel-like curds.
Drain the mixture in a sieve lined with four layers of muslin placed over a bowl. This is a gentle way of separating the thick curds from the watery whey, and results in mascarpone of spoonable consistency. The longer it drains, the thicker the mascarpone will be, but overnight is usually sufficient. By making mascarpone yourself, you can control the texture of the finished product: a lighter version is nice for a tiramisù or a fruit tart filling, while a richer, creamier style is perfect for stirring through a wild mushroom risotto.
As there are no preservatives involved, homemade mascarpone is highly perishable and will turn sour after only a few days, so start your cheese-making three days before you need the mascarpone, and serve it within two days. Not that this is likely to be a problem - it'll be almost impossible to resist the urge to eat it straight away.
Ingredients
- 600 ml heavy cream (45% fat)
- 1½ tbsp lemon juice
Method
Main
1
See AlsoHow to Make and Preserve Pickled Beets - RecipeFermented Mustard Recipe German and Traditional VersionsGerman Sauerkraut Recipe | Homemade From Scratch! - ElaveganClassic Homemade Bialys RecipeWarm cream in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water until it reaches 80C on a sugar thermometer.
2
Add lemon juice and stir continuously for 2 minutes, keeping mixture at no more than 85C.
3
Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, then refrigerate until cream begins to thicken (overnight).
4
Transfer mixture to a fine sieve lined with four layers of muslin and placed over a bowl, then refrigerate until whey drains and cream thickens to a spoonable consistency (overnight).
5
Discard whey and transfer mascarpone to an airtight container. Mascarpone will keep refrigerated for 2 days.
Notes
Note You'll need to begin this recipe 2 days ahead; it makes 2 cups.
The Latest from Gourmet Traveller
Travel NewsOur top picks of hotels with the best views of Vivid Sydney 2024
Mar 14, 2024
CruisesItaly by Sea: On board the revamped luxury ship Crystal Serenity
Mar 14, 2024
EntertainingBest whisky glasses to buy for sophisticated dram sipping
Mar 14, 2024
Restaurant NewsComing soon: Ormeggio team to open new restaurant Postino Osteria in Sydney’s Summer Hill
Mar 13, 2024
Recipe CollectionsEaster desserts that aren't hot cross buns
Mar 11, 2024
Recipe CollectionsRabbit recipes for Easter
Mar 11, 2024
Recipe CollectionsAll the Easter recipes you need
Mar 11, 2024
Vivid Sydney’s food program is back for 2024
Mar 10, 2024
Travel NewsVirgin Australia is offering 30% off flights to 36 destinations in flash sale
Mar 10, 2024
DestinationsBeyond laneways: A peek into some of Melbourne's most luxe Airbnb stays
Mar 10, 2024
EntertainingGozney's new Arc pizza oven here to heat up the alfresco entertaining game?
Mar 07, 2024
This is how women do it: Leading women in restaurants
Mar 07, 2024
Drinks NewsTop drops: An expert's best tannic wines for March
Mar 07, 2024
Travel NewsTurkish Airlines announces direct flights between Melbourne and Istanbul from March 2024
Mar 06, 2024
EntertainingYour seasonal guide to luxury Easter eggs, bunnies and hampers
Mar 05, 2024
Food NewsNoma returns to Japan for 10-week Noma Kyoto residency in 2024
Mar 05, 2024
Restaurant NewsNoma, the 'world's best restaurant', is closing in 2025
Mar 05, 2024
Restaurant ReviewsPipis Kiosk: Restaurant review
Mar 05, 2024
Recipe CollectionsOur most popular recipes for autumn
Mar 05, 2024