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Mascarpone is a pale cream-coloured soft, spreadable cream cheese made from cream from cow's milk.

Unlike other cheeses, Mascarpone uses no starter or Rennet, so it's not really a cheese: it's more akin to Clotted Cream, Crème Fraîche, Sour Cream or Yoghurt.

The cream is heated to 190 F (88 C.) Citric acid is added to curdle it. The curd is stirred, then allowed to drain for 24 hours. The curd is then mixed, whipped, and packed in tubs for sale, and sent to market.

It has a light taste with a slight tang, and a rich, silky texture.

It is quite inexpensive in the UK, selling for about $2.50 US for 1/2 pound (250g); in the US and Canada, that same amount of Mascarpone will set you back over 4 times as much, up to $8.00 US (2004 prices.)

Cooking Tips
Stands up well in cooking because of the fat content. Makes rich sauces. If you happen to be mixing it in a recipe, don't overmix or the next thing you know you'll have butter.

Substitutes
Cream Cheese, Greek Yoghurt, Sour Cream, Ricotta

Nutrition
60% to 75% fat. Per 100g (3.5 oz), 450 calories.

Equivalents
1 pound = 16 oz = 450g = 2 cups
6 oz = 175g = 3/4 cup


History
Originated in Lombardy region of northern Italy.

Also called:

Other entries for: Fresh Cheeses

Cottage Cheese, Cream Cheese, Curd Cheese, Fresh Cheeses, Fromage Blanc Cheese, Fromage Frais, Mascarpone Cheese, Mató Cheese, Neufchâtel Cheese, Panela Cheese, Pot Cheese, Quark Cheese, Queso Blanco Cheese, Queso Fresco, Queso Quesadilla, Requesón Cheese, Ricotta Cheese, Yoghurt Cheese, Zufi Cheese

Other entries for:

Soft Cheeses
Añejo Cheese, Banon Cheese, Boilie Cheese, Boursin Cheese, Brie Cheese, Brillat-Savarin Cheese, Bruss Cheese, Burrata Cheese, Caboc Cheese, Camembert Cheese, Chèvre Frais, Cornish Yarg Cheese, Crottin de Chavignol Cheese, Crowdie Cheese, Cumulus Cheese, Edel de Cléron Cheese, Feta Cheese, Feuille d'automne Cheese, La Tur Cheese, Lancashire Cheese, Le Veillon Cheese, Lymeswold Cheese, Mitzithra Cheese (Fresh), Oaxaca Cheese, Oxford Isis Cheese, Pié d'angloys, Pithiviers Cheese, Squacquerone Cheese, St-Nectaire Cheese, Tarapatapom Cheese, Telemes Cheese, Vacherin Chaput Cheese, Vacherin Mont d'Or, Wensleydale with Cranberries

Other entries for:

Cheese
Affinage, American Cheeses, Casu Marzu, Cheese Rinds, Creamery, Double/Triple-Cream Cheese, Extra-Hard Cheeses, Firm Cheeses, Goat's Milk Cheeses, Mexican Cheeses, Pate (of a Cheese), Processed Cheese, Queso Fundido, Rennet, Semi-Firm Cheeses, Sheep's Milk Cheeses, Skim-Milk Cheeses, Smear-Ripened Cheeses, Surface-Ripened Cheeses, Sweet Curd Cheeses, The Crumblies, Truckle, Washed-Curd Cheeses, Washed-Rind Cheeses, Yak Cheese, Yeel Cheese

Other entries for:

Dairy
Butterfat, Butter, Milk, Nondairy Topping