Mascarpone

Appears in
Oxford Companion to Food

By Alan Davidson

Published 2014

  • About

mascarpone a fresh Italian cheese made from cream coagulated by citric or tartaric acid, and therefore a kind of cream cheese.

This product does not keep, and is mainly produced in the autumn and winter. It is usually sold in small containers and is eaten by itself or in various mixtures with cocoa, coffee, liqueurs, etc.
One such confection is the Venetian dessert tiramisu, meaning pick-me-up, which involves first creaming the mascarpone with yolks of egg and a little fresh cream, and then incorporating whipped whites of egg. Layers of this mixture are alternated with layers of sponge fingers soaked in strong coffee and liqueur, and cocoa powder is sprinkled liberally between the layers. The whole is chilled before serving.