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<\/p>\nI haven’t had much experience with mascarpone.\u00c2\u00a0 In fact, besides a few dessert recipes – think tiramisu – I didn’t know much about it when we decided to attempt it.\u00c2\u00a0 It is in fact not a true curd cheese.\u00c2\u00a0 It is often lumped in with the soft cheeses, but it is in the yogurt family.\u00c2\u00a0 Like yogurt you make mascarpone by heating milk and then adding a culture.\u00c2\u00a0 While there is some draining involved to get your desired consistency you don’t end up with curds like you do when making a true curd cheese.\u00c2\u00a0 It is originally an Italian cheese from the Southern Lombardy region of Italy and while most famous for its role in tiramisu, it is delicious when used as a cream cheese substitute, both as a spread and in cheesecake.<\/p>\n
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We decided to give mascarpone a go along with another batch of yogurt – who knew they were so closely related?\u00c2\u00a0 We\u00c2\u00a0did two batches of mascarpone, both from Ricki Carroll’s book<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0 One used a packet of direct-set creme fraiche starter and the other with tartaric acid<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0 Each of these recipes was very easy and something that could be tackled in your home kitchen in a few hours.\u00c2\u00a0 The mascarpone made with culture required you to heat the milk to 86 degrees and then let sit for 12 hours.\u00c2\u00a0 It can be drained in the refrigerator for a few more hours if a thicker consistency is wanted.\u00c2\u00a0 The mascarpone with tartaric acid required a 185 degree initial temperature before adding a 1\/8-1\/4 teaspoon of tartaric acid (I added a little over 1\/8 of a teaspoon).\u00c2\u00a0 Once the tartaric acid has been mixed in thoroughly it is set to drain in a colander for 1 hour.\u00c2\u00a0 I actually let it drain for about 4 hours.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The results, while successful in both recipes, were clearly vastly different from each other.\u00c2\u00a0 The mascarpone with culture\u00c2\u00a0came out looking and tasting like mascarpone cheese that I’ve bought at the store.\u00c2\u00a0 It had a thicker, cream cheese consistency with that delicious tart yogurty like tang.\u00c2\u00a0 A much richer taste overall\u00c2\u00a0then the mascarpone with tartaric acid.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0The tartaric acid mascarpone came out much more liquidy – although this might have been remedied if I’d let it drain even longer than I did.\u00c2\u00a0 While the flavor was fresh and pleasant it was fairly bland and still tasted very much like heavy fresh cream.<\/p>\n * * *<\/p>\n Mascarpone Meets Spring!<\/strong><\/p>\n Take one chocolate panini from Portland Pearl Bakery sliced, slice fresh strawberries and sprinkle with a little sugar, spread mascarpone onto chocolate panini and layer with sliced strawberries.\u00c2\u00a0 Easy and supremely delicious.<\/p>\n For those interested in making it a bit more complicated might I suggest sprinkling the strawberries with a little high quality balsamic vinegar or stirring in a little vanilla with the mascarpone – or both if you are feeling fancy.<\/p>\n Even just the basic recipe made a delicious treat after a long day of work and had the benefit of feeling like a splurge without all the effort that that usually requires.<\/p>\n * * *<\/p>\n Making Tiramisu<\/strong><\/p>\n Amanda here — with my share of mascarpone, I had in mind to make the tiramisu recipe from The Cheese Lover’s Kitchen Handbook<\/em> by Juliet Harbutt. However, I could not resist the lure of the gorgeous strawberries showing up at the grocery store even though I know they are not in season. So, I omitted the lady fingers and brandy and used strawberries in place — a sort of summer tiramisu.<\/p>\n I used up all of my mascarpone. The one made with creme fraiche starter was firmer, more textured and had the underlying flavor of cream cheese. The one made with simple tartaric acid stayed soupy and very bland. Nonetheless, I mixed them together and the flavor, with the eggs and sugar and berries and grated chocolate was divine. I shared it with the neighbors across the street and we sat on their deck, under the stars and gobbled it up in a matter of minutes.<\/p>\n![\"panini\"](\"http:\/\/www.fucheese.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/04\/panini-300x205.jpg\" "\\"panini\\"")
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