adapted from an article by Joanna Weinberg, Times March 2009
though it's best known for its presence in tiramisu (probably my least favourite pudding), mascarpone cheese is a marvellous addition to many savoury dishes too.
strictly speaking, mascarpone is a cultured cream rather than a cheese, though when something tastes this good, who cares? its great advantage is that it lasts for three to four weeks unopened in the fridge as opposed to crème fraîche's two weeks, and fresh cream's measly one. this is much to do with its high fat content - about 75per cent (probably not the best if you're on a diet, sorry). with the texture of clotted cream and mouth-feel somewhere between freshly churned butter and crème fraîche, it's an ingredient that, once used, seems impossible to do without.
its high fat content gives it excellent emulsifying qualities, and it will reduce the sharpness of a tomato-based or other acidic sauce. if your risotto lacks that desirable creamy consistency, stir through some mascarpone at the last minute. even better, beat it first with plenty of grated parmesan and chopped herbs. or simply spoon it over a still-hot vegetable tart.
where puddings are concerned, mascarpone can make a great replacement for crème patisserie or custard. beat two egg yolks, with a few tablespoons of caster sugar, into 250g mascarpone. then spread over a pastry or shortbread base before adding the fruit of your choice - summer's strawberries and raspberries or winter rhubarb, say. for a professional finish, melt and sieve a little apricot jam and brush over the top before serving. see the recipe at the end for another version of a mascarpone tart...
for the sneakiest cheat's pudding of all, make a cheesecake biscuit base (250g crushed digestive biscuits, graham crackers, or a fancy butter biscuits if you want to be more daring), and mix with 120g melted butter. press into a loose-bottomed tin and refrigerate. now beat 200g mascarpone with 200g greek yoghurt (the dieters amongst us could turn to a fat-free version) and add 2tbsp lemon curd. spread over the top of your base and top with peeled, sliced blood oranges. so much nicer than your average cheesecake and far simpler and faster to prepare.
this sounds so delicious...rosemary scented mascarpone fig tart
1 graham cracker pie crust, but with slight modifications:
-leaves from 2-3 rosemary sprigs
-reduce the cinnamon to ~1/4 tsp
8 ounces mascarpone
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
zest of 1 lemon
10-20 figs
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp rosewater
1. make your pie crust - substitute some of the cinnamon with finely chopped rosemary leaves. bake blind for 20 minutes at 350 degs F or until cooked.
2. grate the zest of 1 lemon as finely as you can (a microplane is perfect for this). in the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the mascarpone, cream, sugar, and lemon until smooth and somewhat firm. scoop this into your pie crust and spread it as evenly as you can.
3. now, carefully arrange the fig slices on top of the whipped filling.
4. in a saucepan, warm up the honey a little bit to loosen it up and make it easier to spread. mix in the rosewater. drizzle this all over the tart and transfer it to the fridge to firm up a bit before serving time.
marvellous mascarpone
adapted from an article by Joanna Weinberg, Times March 2009
though it's best known for its presence in tiramisu (probably my least favourite pudding), mascarpone cheese is a marvellous addition to many savoury dishes too.
strictly speaking, mascarpone is a cultured cream rather than a cheese, though when something tastes this good, who cares? its great advantage is that it lasts for three to four weeks unopened in the fridge as opposed to crème fraîche's two weeks, and fresh cream's measly one. this is much to do with its high fat content - about 75per cent (probably not the best if you're on a diet, sorry). with the texture of clotted cream and mouth-feel somewhere between freshly churned butter and crème fraîche, it's an ingredient that, once used, seems impossible to do without.
its high fat content gives it excellent emulsifying qualities, and it will reduce the sharpness of a tomato-based or other acidic sauce. if your risotto lacks that desirable creamy consistency, stir through some mascarpone at the last minute. even better, beat it first with plenty of grated parmesan and chopped herbs. or simply spoon it over a still-hot vegetable tart.
where puddings are concerned, mascarpone can make a great replacement for crème patisserie or custard. beat two egg yolks, with a few tablespoons of caster sugar, into 250g mascarpone. then spread over a pastry or shortbread base before adding the fruit of your choice - summer's strawberries and raspberries or winter rhubarb, say. for a professional finish, melt and sieve a little apricot jam and brush over the top before serving. see the recipe at the end for another version of a mascarpone tart...
for the sneakiest cheat's pudding of all, make a cheesecake biscuit base (250g crushed digestive biscuits, graham crackers, or a fancy butter biscuits if you want to be more daring), and mix with 120g melted butter. press into a loose-bottomed tin and refrigerate. now beat 200g mascarpone with 200g greek yoghurt (the dieters amongst us could turn to a fat-free version) and add 2tbsp lemon curd. spread over the top of your base and top with peeled, sliced blood oranges. so much nicer than your average cheesecake and far simpler and faster to prepare.
this sounds so delicious...rosemary scented mascarpone fig tart
1 graham cracker pie crust, but with slight modifications:
-leaves from 2-3 rosemary sprigs
-reduce the cinnamon to ~1/4 tsp
8 ounces mascarpone
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
zest of 1 lemon
10-20 figs
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp rosewater
1. make your pie crust - substitute some of the cinnamon with finely chopped rosemary leaves. bake blind for 20 minutes at 350 degs F or until cooked.
2. grate the zest of 1 lemon as finely as you can (a microplane is perfect for this). in the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the mascarpone, cream, sugar, and lemon until smooth and somewhat firm. scoop this into your pie crust and spread it as evenly as you can.
3. now, carefully arrange the fig slices on top of the whipped filling.
4. in a saucepan, warm up the honey a little bit to loosen it up and make it easier to spread. mix in the rosewater. drizzle this all over the tart and transfer it to the fridge to firm up a bit before serving time.
