Mascarpone

It's rare to see my home void of mascarpone cheese, especially since it's so easy to make and because I love a hot bagel.

Speaking of bagels, thanks goes to Justin Lubecki of Ferment Pittsburgh/Friendship Bagel. for inspiring me to make my own cream cheese substitute in the first place. About a year ago, I asked him if it was possible to make cream cheese at home since I get all of my other dairy needs from Family Farm Creameries. He suggested mascarpone instead and my life has been better ever since.

Mascarpone is a simple Italian cream cheese that's slightly more spreadable than commercial "cream cheese" and a heck of a lot more wholesome. In this case, the only two ingredients are lemons and heavy cream.

What You'll Need:

To produce roughly 1 quart of Mascarpone, I use 3 pints of Brunton Dairy Cream and the juice from 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons).

Mascarpone Cheese

The hands-on preparation of this cheese takes only a few minutes in total but the mid-step requires overnight refrigeration in order for the cheese to set and drain properly. You'll also need muslin or a heavy cheese cloth.

How To:

1. Pour all of the cream into a heavy bottomed pot and slowly bring to just below simmer. To avoid scorching, be sure to stir constantly with a rubber spatula, scraping along the bottom throughout.

2. When the cream begins to look foamy (just before the simmer) remove heat and stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice. You will see small, soft curds begin to form as the whey begins to separate. Allow the curds to cool for half an hour or longer.

3. Prepare the curd draining station. Place a colander lined with heavy cheese cloth, muslin or a large cloth napkin over a bowl.

4. Once the curds have cooled, pour them into the strainer and move the draining unit into the refrigerator for overnight draining.

5. After a full day of draining, use a spatula to separate the mascarpone from the cloth and transfer to a storage container. Store the excess whey for future use.

6. Allow the finished product to rest in the refrigerator for another day before use.

7. Slather your mascarpone onto a hot bagel, toast or a muffin, stir a few spoonfuls into your next pasta dish for an extra creamy butter sauce, or use it to make classic tiramisu.

Notes: For simplicity's sake, I keep my mascarpone in a ceramic bowl with a lid, but some would suggest storing the cheese wrapped in cloth, allowing for further drainage as needed. Any excess whey seen resting on top of your product between uses should be poured off.