What is Mascarpone
Mascarpone is a soft cheese typical of some Lombard territories, particularly in the area of Lodi and Abbiategrasso.
In some countries, such as the United States, mascarpone is replaced by Cream Cheese, a similar product but prepared with a different food technology.
Very well known in Italy as "Philadelphia", Cream Cheese is the classic Spreadable Cream Cheese and, to tell the truth, its assimilation with mascarpone is rather improper, not only for the differences from a product and technological point of view, but also for the different nutritional profile. To understand why, at the end of the reading, I suggest you also consult the article: Philadelphia - cheese.
| Composition for: 100g of Mascarpone - Reference values of the INRAN Food Composition Tables | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Nutritional values (per 100 g of edible portion)
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Unlike other cheeses, mascarpone is not obtained from milk, but from its cream (also known as cream). This is heated to 80-90 ° C and added to citric acid, tartaric or lemon juice under stirring of the compound (the coagulation of the cheese is due precisely to the combination of acidity and heat). At the end of this phase, the product is left to cool for 24 hours, after which, as it does not require curing, it is ready for consumption.
Although, due to this particular processing method, it is excluded by many from the cheese category, according to Italian law mascarpone must be considered as such. It looks like a very delicate cream, with a color that varies from snow white to straw yellow; the taste is delicate, tends to a sweet taste and vaguely reminiscent of the sour taste of cream.
The storage time is limited, which is why it should be kept in the refrigerator and consumed as soon as possible, especially if it is fresh. When packaged under sterile and / or vacuum conditions, the mascarpone extends its expiration date up to two weeks after packaging. Once opened, it must still be consumed within a couple of days, since it tends to go rancid rather quickly.
Gastronomic Applications
Tasty, creamy and velvety, the mascarpone can also be savored naturally. It is sometimes used instead of butter as a seasoning fat. It is not uncommon to be added to other ingredients (eg gorgonzola, walnuts, speck, salmon, shrimp, crab, chives, olives, capers, truffles, etc.) to make cold or hot creams; these can be consumed on toasted bread (as an appetizer), but also as a condiment for pasta, risotto or pizzas (as a first course or a single dish). Within the second courses, this cheese acts as an emulsifying agent for dips (for example in a fillet with pepper or scallops) or to finish the light background of a full-bodied roast.
Mascarpone is also used in many pastry specialties: it can be used as a filling (eg panettone, crepes, puff pastry etc.) or to structure the famous tiramisu (mixed with liqueurs, sugar, egg yolk, coffee and a sprinkle of cocoa). For the sweet tooth, it marries brilliantly with hazelnut-based spreads (like Nutella), but it does not disappoint when combined with large, sweet seasonal strawberries. It is also used as a base for some semifreddi or mixed with custard as an alternative to the classic diplomatic cream.
Nutritional Properties
In comparison to butter and cream (or fresh cream), mascarpone is more or less something in between. Lipids and energy, despite being 40% lower than butter, are still excessive to characterize a food to be used as a dish. It is therefore a cheese to be considered as a dressing fat, with the only advantage (poor consolation) that brings more protein.
| MASCARPONE CHEESE | BUTTER | CREAM OR MILK CREAM | |
| POWER | 455 Kcal | 758 Kcal | 337 Kcal |
| 1902 Kjoule | 3711 Kjoule | 1410 Kjoule | |
| Edible part | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| water | 44.4 g | 14.1 g | 58.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 0.3 g | 1.1 g | 3.4 g |
| Grassi | 47.0 g | 83.4 g | 35.0 g |
| Protein | 7.6 g | 0.8 g | 2.3 g |
| fibers | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
It is therefore good not to overdo the consumption of mascarpone.
In the fresh one, produced with cow's milk, the percentage of lipids is around 47%, while in the one obtained from buffalo milk it is even higher.
Despite the fact that the table is missing the precise data, the cholesterol level is also very high (around 95mg per 100 grams of product). Furthermore, the breakdown of fatty acids is in favor of saturated ones, therefore it is a food that is completely unsuitable for the hypercholesterolemic diet.
The proteins (albeit with a high biological value) are quite moderate and the carbohydrates are almost marginal. The fibers are absent.
Among the mineral salts there are no noteworthy concentrations, while for what concerns the vitamins the levels of riboflavin (vit. B2) and retinol equivalent (vit. A) are appreciable.
Homemade Mascarpone - Video Recipe
Doing mascarpone at home is a fairly simple operation, especially for our personal cooker, who explains in detail how to do this in this video recipe. Away with Doses and Ingredients!
Mascarpone - How to make Mascarpone
X Problems with video playback? Reload from YouTube Go to Video Page Go to Video Recipes Section Watch the video on youtubeDon't miss the video recipe of homemade vegan mascarpone!
See also the Cream Cheese recipe, in the traditional and vegan versions
And after learning how to make mascarpone, why not prepare a delicious strawberry tiramisu? How do you say? Too much fat and calories? No fear! Saving "Useless" Calories and Fat without sacrificing taste is Alice's mission, which has a special recipe in store, a light tiramisu without mascarpone or egg yolks
