Mascarpone Cheese Making Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Pint of Milk (Not UltraPasteurized)
- 1 Pint of Heavy Cream (UltraPasteurized is fine)
- 1/4 tsp Tartaric Acid or 1 Packet C33 Creme Fraiche Culture
- Calcium Chloride for pasteurized milk
Equipment
- Good Thermometer
- Spoon or Ladle
- Large Colander
- Butter Muslin
- Instructions
- Mascarpone Info
- Reviews
- Q & A
Lets Make Mascarpone
Here are two great recipes for making Mascarpone, the first recipe is a little faster and uses Tartaric Acid, while the second recipe has a bit more flavor and uses a Starter Culture.
In both of the Mascarpone recipes below we used high temp pasteurized milk (170°F+) and Ultra Pasteurized cream because these are most available at local grocery stores.
If you have milk that has been pasteurized at a lower temperature and fresh cream, these will make an even richer Mascarpone.
Homemade Mascarpone is so delicious that we're sure you'll enjoy these recipes with any and every type of milk/cream you can find.
Mascarpone Recipe (Tartaric Acid)
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Heat Milk/Cream
Set up a Bain Marie (double boiler) by filling a 2 quart pot with 2-3 inches of water and placing a metal bowl, large enough to hold 1 quart each of milk and cream, on top of the pot.
Pour 1 pint of whole milk (3.25% fat) and 1 pint of heavy cream (36-40% fat) into the bowl.
Add 1/8 tsp of calcium chloride to help set a firm curd since this is a pasteurized milk (not needed if using a fresh cream).
slowly heat the water, raising the milk/cream temperature to 185-190°F. You will notice it starting to foam at about 175°F.
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Add Tartaric Acid
Allow the hot milk/cream to sit at this temperature for 5 minutes.
While waiting, mix 1/4 tsp Tartaric Acid with 2-3 tbs of water, set the dilution aside.
After holding the temperature for 5 minutes, add the diluted Tartaric Acid to the milk/cream. Stir very gently because a curd will begin to form almost immediately. This will not be a firm curd as in other cheeses but many small curd bits that will soon look like a thin cream of wheat consistency.
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Cool & Drain Curds
Allow the curds to cool for about 20-30 minutes. During this time, prepare a colander, for draining the curds, by lining it with the butter muslin or other suitable draining cloth. These should both be sanitized beforehand. Once lined, place the colander in a sink or over another pot to collect the whey. About 1 pint of whey will be released.
Once cooled, the curd can be ladled into the lined colander. When all of the curd has been transferred, simply fold the layers of cloth over the draining curd and place it in a cool area or in the fridge.
Drain for 1-2 hours for a traditional Mascarpone texture. Or, drain for up to 12 hours in a refrigerator for a whipped Cream Cheese texture.
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Finished Mascarpone
The finished Mascarpone can now be transferred to a covered dish or container and stored in the refrigerated. It should be used within 7-10 days due to its fresh nature and high moisture.
Note: Mascarpone will become much thicker once chilled and will become more spreadable when brought back to room temperature. It can also be blended with confectioners sugar or honey for a sweeter cheese.
Mascarpone Recipe (Starter Culture)
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Heat Milk/Cream
This recipe uses a live starter culture to convert lactose to lactic acid which makes the milk/cream coagulate. This recipe usually produces more flavor than the previous one using Tartaric Acid.
We will begin with a mix of 1 pint whole milk (3.25% fat) plus 1 pint of heavy cream (36-40% fat). The overall fat content of this will be 20-25%
In a sanitized 1.5-2 quart pot add 1 pint whole milk (3.25% fat) and 1 pint heavy cream (36-40% fat). Add 1/8 tsp Calcium Chloride to the milk/cream mixture to help set a firm curd since this is pasteurized milk (not needed if using a fresh cream).
Slowly heat the milk/cream to 86°F. This can be done directly on the stove while stirring slowly.
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Add Culture & Set
Once the milk/cream reaches 86°F, remove the pot from the heat.
Sprinkle one packet of C33 Creme Fraiche Culture over the surface of the milk/cream to rehydrate the culture. After 1 minute stir the culture into the milk.
This culture contains a small amount of vegetarian rennet in it to help form a nice curd.
Now cover the pot and move it to a quiet place at room temperature (68-74°F).
Allow this to sit for 10-12 hours (less time if in a warmer location). Do not disturb the pot during this time. It's fine for the milk/cream temperature to drop to room temperature during this period.
When the curd is ready, you will see a definite thickening of the milk and perhaps some clear drops or pools of whey on the surface. At this point the milk/cream should be very thick and forming a more traditional but very soft curd.
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Drain Curds & Release Whey
When the curd is ready, it can be ladled into a colander lined with Butter Muslin to drain. When all of the curd has been transferred, simply fold the layers of cloth over the draining curd and place it in a cool area or in the fridge.
Drain for 1-2 hours for a traditional Mascarpone texture. Or, drain for up to 12 hours in a refrigerator for a whipped Cream Cheese texture.
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Finished Mascarpone
The finished Mascarpone can now be transferred to a covered dish or container and stored in the refrigerated. It should be used within 7-10 days due to its fresh nature and high moisture.
Note: Mascarpone will become much thicker once chilled and will become more spreadable when brought back to room temperature. It can also be blended with confectioners sugar or honey for a sweeter cheese.
Tips and Suggestions
Using Ultra Pasteurized Half & HalfOk with a Starter Culture: Half & Half works great in the second recipe where we used a Creme Fraiche Starter Culture, but it was not ideal in the first recipe where we used Tartaric Acid.
Not Good with Tartaric Acid: When used in the recipe made with Tartaric Acid, we found it formed a much more granular curd. Also, when drained, a much chalkier and grainy consistency with less of a creamy and spreadable consistency.
When we tried to spread this cheese, it was more crumbly than spreadable.
These photos clearly show the grainy nature of using all Ultra-Pasteurized Half and Half for making Mascarpone.
I would say this batch was disappointing compared to Mascarpone made with milk that was not Ultra-Pasteurized. The problem with Ultra-Pasteurized milk is that the higher temperatures cause milk proteins to become destabilized and this causes the curd to form into a granular consistency.
This is the best option if you have access to fresh cream.
If you are lucky enough to have access to a local source of raw milk, or have your own, especially high fat jersey milk, allow the cream to rise naturally overnight at refrigeration temperatures and skim it off the next morning. This makes a very nice cream for Mascrpone. The lower fat milk that's left over can be used in another recipe like our Parma style or Alpine Style recipes with great results.
With this unmodified cream you'll be making extraordinary Mascarpone. In this case I would suggest using the recipe made with the Creme Fraiche Starter Culture for the best yield and flavor.
You may need to add 20-40% less culture than recommended because raw milk has its own bacteria structure still intact. This will vary on the milk and its freshness.
Best Milk/Cream Options
- Fresh Unpasteurized Cream This was the best of all the trials here
- Whole Milk + UPcream + Starter Culture This was the best using store bought milk and cream
- Whole Milk + UPcream + Tartaric Acid This was quite good but less complexity and smaller yield
- UP Half/Half + Tartaric Acid This was my least favorite due to dry coarse cheese
Trouble Shooting
Here are a few tips to help you make perfect Mascarpone
- Too Dry the cream or milk can be added back in
- Too moist drain longer
- Acidic/Strong add less Tartaric Acid/Starter Culture or drain for less time and chill ASAP. Adding confectionery sugar can sweeten the final cheese
- Too Sweet if using a culture, let the culture set for more time. If using Tartaric Acid add a little bit extra
About the Milk and Cream
The traditional Mascarpone is considered to be best with a 20-25% butterfat mixture and this can be made by combining milks and creams from various sources.
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The milk portion can not be Ultra Pasteurized because it must provide the proteins for the curd to firm properly for draining. It is best to use a milk pasteurized at traditional temperatures of 162°F. The higher temperature process (but not UP) will work, but just not as well because the final cheese tends to become grainy and the yield less.
If you are using store bought and cold stored milk, we recommend adding calcium chloride for a better yield.
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The cream portion can be Ultra Pasteurized if this is all that is available. This is the portion providing the richness and silky texture for this cheese and will be held loosely within the matrix of proteins developed by the milk.
I have found that a 1:1 mixture of whole milk (3.25% fat) and heavy cream (36-40% fat) make a good blend to work with for Mascarpone. One pint of each will yield about 10-13 oz of finished Mascarpone depending on the milk quality and how long it drains.
Of course, if you have your own Jersey cow, the best Mascarpone will be made by allowing the cream to rise overnight and skimming it in the morning.
If you care to make up a different milk/fat ratio this table may help.
| Cream % Content in Dairy Products | |
|---|---|
| Heavy Whipping Cream | 36-40% |
| Light Whipping Cream | 30-36% |
| Light or Coffee Cream | 18-30% |
| Single Cream | 20% |
| Half and Half | 10.5% (10-18%) |
| Whole Pasteurized milk | 3.25% |
A Wonderful Creamy Dessert Cheese
The last recipe we worked on was cream cheese so naturally, Mascarpone was next on our list.
A rich and creamy cheese for making fabulous Tiramisu, topping for the fabulous fresh fruits of summer, or just for the decadence of spreading it on fresh baked breads, muffins, etc. Mascarpone is synonymous with dessert preparation.
This is a classic Italian cheese known well to pastry chefs throughout the world, especially for making the classic dessert, Tiramisu, as well as many other wonderful treats such as mixed with ricotta for filling those wonderful Italian Cannoli. Can you say "cream cheese on steroids."
Mascarpone is so easy to make that many chefs simply make a fresh batch when needed and you can too. With this recipe it's easy to make cheese at home in your kitchen.
Other uses for Mascarpone are:
- Toppings for desserts (the most recent batch went onto a pear tart for dessert last night)
- Mixed with fresh cut fruit and a splash of brandy or rum
- Add as a creamy finish to pasta (but do not cook in the pan as it will separate)
- Added to dishes like Stroganoff instead of sour cream for added richness
- As an addition to Polenta when serving
- Just let your imagination run wild
A Bit of History
Mascarpone is a triple-creme cheese made from fresh cream. Traditionally, this was made from the fresh milk of cows that have grazing pastures filled with fresh herbs and flowers. The freshest milk is still the best for this but a great Mascarpone can also be easily made with cream from the store, as we will show you.
This cheese originated in the Lombardia region of Italy just below the famous Lakes of the north. It is milky-white in color and a thick cream that is easily spread. When fresh, it smells simply of milk and cream, and often is used in place of butter to thicken and enrich risotto.
Variations in Style
The process begins with allowing the cow's milk to stand. Then, after rising naturally to the milk surface, the cream is skimmed off into a metal pan (today you can just use cream from the store).
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Traditionally: The cream is collected and heated to 185-190°F in a double boiler to prevent scorching the cream solids. A small amount of tartaric acid is then blended in water and added to the hot cream. This mixture thickens shortly and is then transferred to a draining cloth to allow the whey to drain away.
This is a process quite similar to making Queso Blanco or Panir but much richer in fat. It's quick and easy but the resulting cheese is not quite as smooth as the recipe with a starter culture.
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An Alternative Process: The same cream can also be ripened naturally with a bacteria culture. The cream is heated only to 86°F, the culture is added and allowed to ripen for 10-12 hours forming a thick but soft curd.
This process is much like that of making cream cheese but much richer and the Mascarpone is much moister and more spreadable.
This one takes some time for ripening (you can be doing something else or sleeping while this goes on) but the result is much smoother and creamier than the process above.
After the curd forms in either process, it is allowed to drain refrigerated for 12 hours while the whey separates. The amount of time it drains will determine the final dryness and texture of the cheese.
- Reviews
- Questions
- pasta sauce
- latter
- Chloride
- mascarpone
- tartaric acid
- fruit
- vinegar
- calcium
- farm
- cream
United StatesJust as described
Was unable to find tartaric acid at the store. Vinegar diluted in the recommended amount of water did the trick!
United Statesfailure
I gave this recipe a try. I read the directions, double checked the directions and nothing happened. I carefully heated the milk to temp and added the culture and chloride. let it sit for 12 hrs and nothing happened. its still milk. What do I do now?
United StatesAmazing!
I LOVE mascarpone and was very excited to try this recipe. Made it with half heavy cream and half whole milk, both low temperature pasteurized from a local farm. Used the C33 starter culture and calcium chloride and was very pleased with the results. The mascarpone is so rich and velvety, perfect for an easy pasta sauce or sweetened and whipped with heavy cream and served over fruit. The latter is probably my favorite food and now that I know how easy it is to make mascarpone, I'll be enjoying it regularly.