Make Your Own Mascarpone Cheese
Photos by Shelly of Vegetarian Ventures
It’s always more fun to DIY. Every week, we’ll spare you a trip to the grocery store and show you how to make small batches of great foods at home.
Today: Shelly from Vegetarian ‘Ventures shows us how we can have the delicacy that is mascarpone cheese in 10 minutes, using just 2 ingredients.
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I didn’t discover mascarpone cheese until a few years, ago, but since then, I’ve become addicted. It is fantastic added to oatmeal, turned into ice cream, and stuffed in ravioli, but my favorite way to enjoy it is whipped with honey and vanilla seeds and used as a dip with fresh fruit. This is my go-to dessert in the summer, as it is light and refreshing, yet wonderfully satisfying to my sweet tooth.
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I learned how easy it is to make mascarpone while visiting my mother in a small town in Northern Indiana, where I couldn’t get my hands on it in any grocery store. As a last attempt, I did some research and was pleasantly surprised to learn that such a rich, creamy, and oftentimes expensive cheese is one of the easiest to master.
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Photos by Shelly of Vegetarian Ventures
I’m now able to feed my cheese addiction without breaking the bank or using every utensil in the house. Homemade mascarpone requires only 10 minutes of active time and a rest in the fridge overnight. The next morning, it will be ready to be devoured over pancakes or mixed in with granola.
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Homemade Mascarpone Cheese
Makes about 2 cups
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Photos by Shelly of Vegetarian Ventures
In a saucepan over low heat, slowly bring the heavy cream to a low simmer. The temperature should climax at 180° F, and the goal is to try to keep it around there. Let the cream simmer at 180° F for about 3 minutes, then add in the lemon juice and simmer for another 3 minutes.
Photos by Shelly of Vegetarian Ventures
Remove the pan from heat, and let the mixture cool to room temperature. I find it’s best to step away for just half an hour. Perhaps you should take this time to dream about how you’ll enjoy the finished product.
Photos by Shelly of Vegetarian Ventures
Fill a small strainer with several layers of cheesecloth (I use 3 layers) and put a small bowl under the strainer. Pour the cooled mascarpone mixture into the cheesecloth and stick the entire bowl with the cheese and cheesecloth in the fridge overnight to strain out the whey. My cheese usually releases only a few tablespoons of whey, but the mascarpone still comes out thick and creamy in the morning. Who could have imagined that a delicacy like this could be so easy to make!
Pour the cooled mascarpone mixture into the cheesecloth and stick the entire bowl in the fridge overnight (mine only strained a few tablespoons of whey, but the mascarpone came out thick and creamy in the morning).
