Mascarpone Cheese

In continuing my lactose-free cheese conquest, I decided to take on the task of making mascarpone cheese.  Mascarpone cheese is an Italian cheese that I have discovered as of late.  Living in the historically Italian-inspired neighborhood of Boston has heightened my curiosity to explore this delicious cuisine. Immediately upon walking out my door I smell garlic and fresh bread being baked.  It would be impossible not to be inspired and tempted by the rich and decadent Italian food that surrounds me! 

Having already tackled ricotta cheese, I thought it would be appropriate to venture to mascarpone next.  Homemade mascarpone calls for many of the same techniques that are used in making ricotta, but mascarpone has a sweeter flavor and creamier texture than ricotta.  Lately, there are a few recipes I’ve wanted to try (some sweet and some savory) that call for mascarpone, furthering my motivation to master a lactose-free recipe for this cheese!  Mascarpone is most commonly known as the staple ingredient in tiramisu, but it can be used in a wide variety of recipes and is often used as a substitute for cream cheese due to its creamy texture.  Since this recipe only calls for two ingredients, I knew it would be a basic yet versatile cheese to add to my lactose-free repertoire. 

For this recipe you will need a thermometer, a medium sauce pan, a strainer and a cheese cloth.  The ingredients are so simple - all you need is heavy cream and lemon!  Some recipes call for tartaric acid, which is an acid produced by grapes (there are an abundance of grapes in Italy, so naturally this is an easy ingredient to have at their disposal) but lemon works just as well and is much easier to find.  

To start, pour two cups of your pre-treated lactose free heavy cream into the sauce pan, over medium heat.  Stirring constantly to ensure the cream doesn't burn, bring to 190 degrees Fahrenheit.  I typically stir the cream in a figure-eight motion to cover as much surface area of the pot as possible, which I also find to be quite therapeutic.  The cream may begin to simmer a little which is perfectly fine, however try to keep the cream from coming to a full boil.  

Once you have reached the magic 190 degrees, add the lemon juice.  I recommend using fresh lemon juice (because ’tis the summer season), but if you do not have time to squeeze fresh lemon juice, bottled will work just fine.  Now for the more challenging part - continue to stir the cream and lemon juice while maintaining the mixture at 190 degrees for five minutes.  This isn’t a perfect science… I played with my heat a lot during this phase and truthfully I kept it between 180-195 degrees which I think that is close enough. 

When the five minutes is up, your cream should be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.  This is the tell tale sign that your mixture is ready.  Allow the mixture to rest for about 30-45 minutes off the heat.  

Next, set your strainer in a bowl large enough to allow the excess liquid (the whey) to drain and line the strainer with a cheese cloth.  Fold the cheese cloth so it is about four layers thick.  After the lemon and cream mixture has cooled, transfer it to the cheese cloth lined strainer, cover with plastic wrap and allow the mixture to drain.  Set in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.  

And viola, lactose-free mascarpone cheese! To finish, discard the whey and transfer the cheese into an air tight container for storage.  When the process was all said and done I was left with a little over a cup of mascarpone.  With just two ingredients and a few simple steps you can create a delicious lactose-free Italian cheese with an incredible creamy, light texture.  Mascarpone sparked my interest because I have been dying to try some cream sauces, risotto and dessert recipes that have called for this cheese.  Also with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries coming into season this is a great cheese to enjoy simply with fresh fruit (sometimes less is more).  I am excited to have another lactose-free cheese to work with in the kitchen! 

Recipe Details:

Ingredients:

2 cups lactose-free heavy cream (or lactose-full!)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice.  

In a medium sauce pan, heat two cups of heavy cream over medium heat to 190 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring constantly.  Once the temperature of the cream has reached 190 degrees add the lemon juice.  Continue stirring the mixture constantly at 190 degrees for five minutes.  

After the five minutes is over, allow the mixture to cool off the heat for 30-45 minutes.  Next set a strainer in a bowl, large enough to allow the excess liquid to drain and line the strainer with a cheese cloth.  Fold the cheese cloth so it is about four layers thick.  After the lemon and cream mixture has cooled transfer to cheese lined strainer, cover with plastic wrap and allow the mixture to drain and set in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours. 

Once chilled, discard the excess liquid and transfer the mascarpone cheese into an air tight container.  Store mascarpone cheese in the refrigerator.