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    Home » Recipes » Gluten-free Recipes

    Homemade Mascarpone Cheese (2 Ingredients!)

    Published: Sep 6, 2021 · Modified: Sep 18, 2021 by Andrea

    Jump to Recipe
    homemade mascarpone in a bowl. Image for Pinterest.

    Make your own Italian cream cheese - All you need is 2 ingredients to make rich and creamy homemade Mascarpone cheese.

    Homemade mascarpone is rich, creamy, buttery and delicious, not to mention it’s cheaper than buying it.

    Just like homemade mozzarella and homemade ricotta, this popular Italian cheese is super easy to make at home.

    All you need is just 2 ingredients and some basic kitchen tools. In less than 10 minutes prep.

    This unique Italian cream cheese is incredibly versatile and can be used for both savoury & sweet recipes.

    It’s also naturally gluten-free, and vegetarian-friendly.

    homemade mascarpone in a bowl.

    WHAT IS MASCARPONE?

    Mascarpone (pronounced mahs-car-POH-nay), is a popular Italian cream cheese, and best known as the star ingredient of Tiramisu’.

    It has a subtle milky and slightly sweet flavour and has a rich, buttery texture.

    This super smooth, and easily spreadable fresh Italian cream cheese can be used for both savoury and sweet recipes.

    It’s usually available in large grocery stores and it’s a bit more expensive than other cream cheeses.

    So, making your own mascarpone at home is great a budget-friendly alternative!

    INGREDIENTS FOR HOMEMADE MASCARPONE

    • Fresh cream
    • Fresh lemon juice

    That’s literally it!

    FRESH CREAM

    To make fresh mascarpone you need fresh whipping cream (we call it panna fresca in Italy). Whipping cream has around a 32-36% fat content, depending on the brand.

    Any fresh cream with 32-36% fat content will work.

    If you’re in US, look for fresh heavy cream or whipping cream. Heavy cream has at least 36% milk fat.

    Whipping cream contains between 30 to 36 percent milk fat. Both will work here.

    LEMON JUICE

    Freshly squeezed lemon juice is all you need. You can substitute with 2 g of citric acid mixed with 1 tablespoon of lukewarm water.

    homemade mascarpone in a bowl.

    KITCHEN TOOLS YOU NEED

    • Cooking Thermometer (I use a Thermapen)
    • Heavy-duty saucepan for heating the cream.
    • Strainer
    • Cheesecloth or tea towel
    • Air-tight container for storing the cheese

    HOW TO MAKE MASCARPONE

    The best part about making this cheese at home is that it takes just about 10 minutes!

    mascarpone recipe steps collage: cream poured into pan, cream stirred, cream reaches temperature of 85 C, lemon juice added in, cream poured into a sieve lined with cheesecloth, mascarpone cheese ready.

    • Step 1. Place the whipping cream in a large saucepan.
    • Step 2. Stir the cream over low heat.
    • Step 3. Stir until it reaches 185 F (85 C).
    • Step 4. Add in the lemon juice, and continue to stir over low heat for 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat and let the cream cool.
    • Step 5. Place a sieve lined with a tea towel or 3-4 layers of cheesecloth over a bowl. Pour the cream through the sieve, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
    • Step 6. The cheese is ready when it reaches a creamy and rich texture.

    STORAGE TIPS

    You should store homemade mascarpone in an airtight container, in the fridge, and it will last up to 3-4 days.

    Can you freeze it?

    I don’t recommend freezing mascarpone cheese, as it tends to separate when thawed. However, you can freeze it in an air-tight container for up to 1 month.

    Once thawed, use it for cooked recipes, so that even if the texture has changed slightly it won't compromise your recipe.

    COOKING TIPS

    • I recommend using a thermometer, as you need to follow the temperature advised.
    • Don’t skip the resting time, the more you allow the cheese to rest the more compact it will be.
    • Use high-quality fresh cream, as it will impact the final result, the better quality the cream the better the cheese!

    homemade mascarpone cheese in a bowl.

    HOW TO USE MASCARPONE

    There are plenty of delicious savoury and sweet recipes that call mascarpone, here are a few of my favorite options:

        • Desserts: Make Tiramisu, of course, or use it for cheesecake, tarts and cannoli.
        • Frosting: Use it instead of cream cheese as a frosting. Try it with this amazing carrot cake or this super easy water cake.
        • Sauce: Use it instead of crème fraiche for this delicious mushroom pasta, creamy salmon pasta or lasagne.
        • Spread: Use it as cream cheese and spread it on bagels, crackers, bruschetta or polenta crostini.

    MORE CLASSIC ITALIAN RECIPES TO TRY

    • Italian Pizza Dough Recipe
    • Torta di Mele - Italian Apple Cake
    • Traditional Italian Pasta e Fagioli
    • Classic Italian Tomato Sauce
    • Ricotta Cheesecake - Just 3 Ingredients

    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

    Please let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thepetitecook! Looking at your pictures always makes me smile *and super hungry*!

    homemade mascarpone cheese in a bowl.
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    5 from 1 vote

    Homemade Mascarpone Cheese (2 Ingredients!)

    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Make your own Italian cream cheese - All you need is 2 ingredients to make rich and creamy homemade Mascarpone cheese.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Resting time1 d
    Total Time10 mins
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Italian
    Serving: 16
    Calories: 108kcal
    Author: Andrea Soranidis

    Ingredients

    • 500 g fresh whipping cream
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

    Instructions

    • Place the whipping cream in a large saucepan and stir over low heat for about 3 minutes, or until reaches 185°F (85°C).
    • Add in the lemon juice, and continue to stir over low heat for 2-3 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and allow the cream cool.
    • Place a sieve lined with a tea towel or 3-4 layers of cheesecloth over a bowl. Pour the cream through the sieve, only few drops of the cream should be able to reach the base of the bowl, if it's more, use 2 layers of tea towel to prevent it.
    • Cover the cream and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours. The mascarpone cheese is ready when it reaches a rich and creamy texture.

    Notes

    How to Store Your Mascarpone Cream Cheese

    You should store homemade mascarpone in an airtight container, in the fridge, and it will last up to 3-4 days. I don't recommend freezing it.
    Did you try this recipe? Tag @thepetitecook or use the hashtag #thepetitecook - Looking at your pictures makes my day!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 108kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 459IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    More Gluten-free Recipes

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    Comments

    1. T says

      September 26, 2022 at 12:50 am

      Hoping to make this soon, but I was noticing that the recipe says 500 grams of whipping cream and at the store there is a pint (473ml) option and a quart (946ml) option. Since I don't know if I plan to make anything else with whipping cream right now, I was thinking about getting the pint size, but I don't want to mess up the recipe. Do you know if it will still work if I only use a pint? Are there any adjustments needed if I did that?

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        September 26, 2022 at 8:55 am

        Hello! I think it should work just fine, if you want to be extra safe, just add 1/2 teaspoon less of lemon juice, but honestly I think it would work even without this step 🙂

        Reply

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