How to make mascarpone cheese at home

Mascarpone is considered one of the most delicious soft cheeses. The product came to us from Italy, it is firmly entrenched in the hearts of adults and children. On the basis of mascarpone they prepare second courses, appetizers, salads and desserts. Cooking cheese does not require financial and time-consuming, so many housewives prefer to comprehend the culinary niche on their own. Mascarpone at home is prepared without ripening. There are basic recipes, which we will talk about today.

Secrets of cooking mascarpone

1. The composition of soft cheese includes lemon juice, it serves as a kind of thickener for cream, sour cream and other dairy ingredients. Some housewives prefer to replace the juice with wine vinegar. They claim that such a move helps to achieve a delicate and creamy taste.
2. Of great importance is the fat content of the dairy product, on the basis of which the mascarpone will be made. As a rule, cream is used in production. Buy a product with a mass fraction of fat content of at least 28%. The best option is considered to be 33% cream, in any case, do not buy the composition above 40%.
3. Take care of the thermometer in advance, as you will need to monitor the temperature during the cooking process. If there is no thermometer, control the process with your little finger. Immerse it in the composition, if the finger suffers - the temperature is acceptable. Too hot the composition is required to cool.
4. After preparation, it is necessary to evaluate the consistency of the cheese. To do this, dip a teaspoon or tablespoon in the resulting composition, then gently remove the cutlery from the mass. If the procedure is carried out correctly, a circle of cream cheese will remain on the surface.
5. If you set a goal - to get a dense and thick mascarpone, after cooking, leave it in the fridge to “lie down”. In cases where a person wishes to eat soft cheese at the exit, start eating immediately after infusion (the duration is indicated in the instructions).
6. In the process of heating the cream or sour cream expose a small power burners. Otherwise, the pan will burn from the bottom and spoil the whole process. Cheese will begin to smell like burning, in this state it is not recommended to use it.

Sour Cream Based Mascarpone

• lemon juice - 35 ml.
• sour cream (fat content of 20% and above) - 775 ml.
• fat milk (from 3.2%) - 190 ml.

1. Cheese based on sour cream turns out to be airy and light, its only drawback is excessive calorie content. The cooking process does not require special skills, you will need about 2-3 hours of free time.
2. Cool the sour cream and milk to room temperature, after pulling the ingredients out of the fridge. After the products have the right temperature mix them together.
3. Pour the milk mixture into an enamel pan, set the stove to a small capacity. Constantly stir the composition with a wooden spatula so that the mass does not burn. During the soaking process, check the temperature with a thermometer.
4. The temperature of the formula should not exceed 75 degrees. Continuing to stir, pour into the composition of the milk mass of lemon juice.You will notice how the mixture begins to curl, do not let it boil.
5. Turn off the hotplate, cover the pan with the lid and leave at room temperature until it cools down. At this time, fold the gauze into 6 layers, soak the cloth in filtered water. Prepare a colander, pour wet gauze into it, after having pressed it.
6. Move the cooled milk mass into a kind of filter, wait 1 hour until the whey is completely drained. If the liquid does not drain completely, leave the product for another 2 hours, in any case, do not press it with your hands at this stage.
7. After draining the serum, gently squeeze the finished product with your palms. Adjust the density by pressing. Move the mascarpone cheese in a plastic container, store no longer than 2 days on the middle shelf of the refrigerator. Eat with vegetables and herbs.

Mascarpone cream (15-20%)

• pasteurized cream (fat content 15–20%) - 385 gr.
• lemon juice - 15 ml.

1. At the exit you get about 180 grams. Mascarpone, it all depends on the characteristics of the cream (consistency, fat, manufacturer, etc.).
2. Prepare dishes with enamel coating, pour into it the room-temperature cream.Constantly stir, wean the product at minimum power, gradually bringing the mass to a temperature of 80 degrees.
3. If there is no thermometer, be guided by the state of the mixture. She will start to foam, but not to boil. This sign will tell you that the cream has reached the desired temperature. Once this happens, remove the pan from the heat.
4. Immediately pour in lemon juice, stir until smooth, again put on the stove. On a small capacity, weigh the milky mass until the cream coagulates. At first they will resemble kefir, then they will curl even more. As a rule, it takes 7–15 minutes to coagulate.
5. Remove the composition from the stove, leave at room temperature for a quarter of an hour. The cream will not be divided into whey and cottage cheese, they will only thicken and become dense.
6. Select an empty pan, place a colander in its cavity. Roll the gauze into 6 layers, soak in clean water and squeeze. Fill it with a colander, pour the creamy mass inside. Leave the cheese to drain for 1 hour.
7. After the specified period, roll the gauze into the bag, tie the ends together, hang over the basin. Serum will drain for about 2 hours.After that, you need to slightly squeeze the cheese with your hands and move it into a plastic container.
8. Put a heavy load on top of the mascarpone (about 350 gr.), Send it in the fridge for 10 hours. Next, proceed to tasting, eat cheese for 3 days.

Fatty cream mascarpone (30–33%)

• lemon juice - 80 ml.
• Cream with fat content from 30% - 950 ml.

1. Pour the cream in an enamel pan, put on the stove, bring to a temperature of 85 degrees. Add lemon juice, if desired, replace it with citric acid diluted in water according to the instructions.
2. Cook the lemon-milk mixture over a low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring so that the mass does not burn. Collect the composition from the walls of the pan and send back.
3. Line a colander with a linen cloth moistened with water or gauze folded in 7 layers. Pour the cooled milk mixture into the sieve, leave for 12 hours.
4. After the specified time, squeeze out the remaining whey by hand, move the mascarpone into the food container. Use immediately after cooking, store in the cold for no longer than 2 days.

Mascarpone Wine Vinegar

• cream (fat content 25–33%) - 1 l.
• wine vinegar (white) - 15 ml.

1. Cool the cream to room temperature; they should not be cold before cooking. Pour the product into a saucepan with a thick bottom, immediately pour in the wine vinegar and simmer on low heat until the first bubbles appear.
2. Tomit composition about 5 minutes, do not forget to stir, so that the mass warms evenly. After about 3 minutes, it will begin to separate into cottage cheese and whey, then a little more and remove it from the stove.
3. When the mass has cooled, move it into the refrigerator for 12 hours. At the end of the term, prepare a colander. Cover it with gauze folded in 6 layers. Pour the whole product inside, leave the serum to drain.
4. After 3 hours, wrap the gauze in a bag, put the oppression on top of the mass. Wait another 6 hours, then unroll and proceed to the tasting. If you do not eat everything at once, put the leftovers in the fridge. Shelf life - 2 days.

Mascarpone based on milk powder

• lemon juice - 35 ml.
• cream (fat content of 28%) - 550 ml.
• dry milk - 40 gr.

1. In most cases, cheese made from powdered milk is used in cakes, pancakes, cakes, ice cream and other sweet dishes. It is not always suitable for appetizers and salads.
2. To start cooking, remove the cream from the fridge 3 hours before the mascarpone starts. Shake the package, pour the composition into a thick-bottomed pot and put it on the stove.
3. Heat the composition very slowly, do not move away from the stove, otherwise a crust forms at the bottom. Constantly stir the mixture, the total duration of heat treatment is 10-12 minutes. During this period, the mixture warms up to a temperature of 80 degrees.
4. When the first small bubbles appear, start gently pouring the powdered milk one teaspoon. Avoid coagulation of bulk product, immediately knead it with a fork on the edges of the pan.
5. When the milk swells, turn off the hotplate, pour in lemon juice and leave to cool completely. Fold the gauze in 4 layers, cover it with a colander or kitchen sieve. Pour into the filter milk mass, tamped palms.
6. Cover the container with food film, refrigerate for 9 hours. After this time, get the cheese out of gauze, move it into a tightly closed container. Shelf life - 3 days.

It's easy to make mascarpone cheese at home, given the important aspects.Consider the technology with the use of cream of different fat, sour cream, milk powder. Use a colander / kitchen strainer and gauze cloth. Keep the composition in the refrigerator, do not exceed the expiration date, if possible, use immediately after preparation. Replace lemon juice with acid (dilute it in water, keeping the proportions 1: 8) or white wine vinegar.

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