Homemade Mascarpone Cheese

Mascarpone Cheese is an Italian Cheese made from coagulation of cream with citric acid. It is used to make the famous Italian dessert Tiramisu.

As you might have guessed, we don't get it in the markets here in Kerala. I've heard a few people mentioning who have got Mascarpone Cheese in the metros, that its way too expensive. It is a similar process to making Paneer or Cottage Cheese. The difference is that Mascaropne is made from cream and Paneer from milk.


Adapted from Baking Obsession

Makes 300gms of Mascarpone Cheese

Ingredients I used:

• 2cups Amul Cream
• 1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice

Procedure:

1. Take water in a wide mouthed skillet, large enough to place a saucepan on it. Bring the water to boil.

2. Pour the cream in a saucepan. Lower the heat to medium low and place this saucepan over the Skillet with boiling water. Stir the cream often.

3. After 15minutes of delicate heating, add 1tbsp of lemon juice and stir. You will feel the cream curdling but it doesn't quite look like as in the case of Paneer.

4. Keep stirring till the cream curdles completely. Remove from the heat; let it cool for a few minutes.

5. Now line the sieve with four layers of cheese cloth or any clean white cloth that is porous. Pour the curdled cream through the lined sieve. Do not squeeze like in case of Paneer.

7. Refrigerate for 24hours after it cools completely. Mascarpone Cheese is ready to be used.

Note:
1. You might see whey streaks or some whey but I did not see any whey, even after watching closely.
2. Mascarpone cheese especially homemade does not contain preservatives and should be used within a few days and should be stored under refrigeration.
3. It can be used in desserts, frosting and to make Italian custards. It is even used to thicken risottos. It can be substituted for cream cheese according to the recipe.

Health & Nutrition:

• Mascarpone cheese is a concentrated source of nutrients found in milk. It is a good source of calcium, phosphorous,  zinc, riboflavin, vitamin A.
• It is a dense source of high quality protein