Monday 8 July 2019

Homemade Mascarpone

I feel weird putting 'cheese' as a label for this one, but that's what it is according to the Italians - an Italian cream cheese from Lombardy.  So here we have my first attempt at making it.  I'll tell you from the get-go that my version turned out a bit well...thinner than I would have liked.  But it is very simple to make, and tastes tangy and creamy and quite moreish.  I figure that since it will melt anyway in dishes like soups and risottos, or be beaten up in cheesecake fillings (clue as to my next blog post - tee hee), that it doesn't really matter too much.  

I came across this recipe in a Cuisine (NZ) magazine a few years ago, and finally I've gotten round to trying it.  This is a microwave version, really simple and quick, though I did leave it in the fridge for a couple of days to thicken up, which they suggest too.  I had to go on a Great Tartaric Acid hunt, as it was not readily found in our nearby supermarkets.  I finally found it in a small, independent grocer in a small country town!  We were out that way, anyway...



ingredients (all two of them) gathered :-) 


Makes about 350g.


ingredients:


600 mLs (25 mLs under 2.5 cups) of pure cream (not thickened)

1/2 tsp tartaric acid


Method:


Pour the cream into a microwave-proof jug

Zap it in the microwave on High for 2 minutes (our microwave is 800W)

Let it stand for two minutes

Scatter the tartaric acid over the surface of the cream, and give it a good stir with a whisk

Back in the microwave for another two minutes on High

Set aside for an hour or two to cool and thicken

Now stir it, and leave to strain through a sieve/strainer which has been lined with a double layer of muslin, into a bowl: put the whole shebang - bowl, sieve and cream mixture - into the fridge to finish straining overnight (oh dear, that sounds a bit rude, doesn't it?)

The next day, spoon it into a container, seal it and use within five days - use it in risottos, soups, cheesecakes, pasta sauce - basically anywhere you want to add a bit of richness to a dish


Notes:


Don't use thickened cream as it has gelatine and/or other thickeners in it which won't work here apparently

You can try this with lemon juice (about 1 hefty tablespoon so about 20 mLs or 4 teaspoons) instead of the tartaric acid

This will thicken more over time, so best to make it a couple of days prior to needing it

I had no muslin so used two brand new, unused Chux wipes



ready for microwaving


pour the cream mixture into the lined sieve 


let it dribble through the muslin or Chux wipes


the last bit of the mixture going through - scrape any extra off with a spatula 


the next day - good-lumpy but not as thick as I'd hoped 


and another day



the second day - and ready to use in various dishes

Wait with bated breath my friends, for my next post, where I use my delicious, homemade mascarpone:-)



 artwork © Sherry's Pickings

22 comments:

  1. This is fascinating Sherry, and I think I already have Tartaric Acid in my pantry, it is a bit of a blast from the past isn't it. Perhaps it goes stale like Baking powder though. I love Mascarpone so will give it a go when I get home after holidays. It sounds so simple but amazing. Thanks for sharing this one. Cheers, Pauline

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    1. hi pauline
      perhaps best to buy a new jar of tartaric acid?:) it is simple and delish. don't worry if it's a bit thinner than the commercial one; it still tasted great!

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  2. This is fascinating Sherry, and I think I already have Tartaric Acid in my pantry, it is a bit of a blast from the past isn't it. Perhaps it goes stale like Baking powder though. I love Mascarpone so will give it a go when I get home after holidays. It sounds so simple but amazing. Thanks for sharing this one. Cheers, Pauline

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  3. wow homemade mascarpone! I am really tempted to give this a try too because it's my favourite. Have a wonderful week ahead, Sherry.

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    1. thanks angie for dropping by my blog. yes do give it a try; i'd be interested to see if anyone else's goes a bit thicker than mine. cheers S

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  4. I love making my own mascarpone but only if I have the time for it to set etc. I use cream of tartar a lot. I use it in all my pavlovas for extra stability so don't feel like you've bought it just for one thing! :)

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    1. Hi lorraine
      Yes it’s delicious! Even if not as thick as commercial. Apparently cream of tartar is not the same as tartaric acid so that’s why i had to hunt it down:-)

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  5. Interesting. I love the spoon. I love to see pretty things being used.

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    1. me too suzan. are you a blogger? sorry, i don't recognise your name...

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  6. Interesting! I had no idea you could make mascarpone at home...and it's so easy, too. (Well minus the whole tartaric acid thing.) I love using mascarpone in recipes, but it's either (1) not easy to find here (2) really, really expensive. I'm excited to see this recipe, Sherry!!

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    1. oh that's great david. it was soooo easy and really delicious i have to say:) give it a go. you can use lemon juice instead; much easier to find. cheers S

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  7. I have never attempted this, but I'd really love to give it a try. I guess I'll have to keep on the lookout for the tartaric acid!

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  8. So clever - I made mascarpone years ago for a Daring Bakers Challenge to make tiramisu from scratch (and did they mean it - even made sponge fingers). I don't remember it being as easy as your version so I'll have to give it a go! =)

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    1. hi Jen
      yes it's worth trying as it is so easy!

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  9. What a great experiment. I love mascarpone, so I should try this. I have made other, similar things, like crème fraiche, so I think I could probably do something like this.

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    1. yes this is so easy jeff. worth a go! cheers sherry

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  10. Really neat recipe! And I just spent 10 minutes Googling the difference between tartaric acid and cream of tartar -- I always assumed they were basically the same thing, but they're not. Always fun to learn new things! One of these days I'll make my own mascarpone. After I hunt down tartaric acid, of course. :-)

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    1. hi KR
      yes i had always assumed the same too tho when i saw this recipe, i figured they had to be a bit different. you can try the lemon juice version of this... cheers S

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  11. I love making things like this at home. I definitely trying this soon, Sherry! I’m quite excited about it!

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    1. That's great david. i was very excited too! and it tastes tangy and yum. worth a try. cheers S

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