How to Make Creamy Homemade Mascarpone
Only two ingredients to make this Easy Creamy Homemade Mascarpone. This Italian Cream Cheese is perfect as a filling or ingredient in recipes. So good and saves money too!
I love Mascarpone, if I can substitute it in anything I will. I would choose it over cream cheese any day! I find it creamier, tastier and smoother. And the taste cannot be beat.
One day a friend of ours asked me, since I love it so much I should make my own Homemade Mascarpone, and that is exactly what I did!
I made it in Italy (actually more than once I must add). Then when I came home to Toronto and I needed it for a recipe, I knew it was one of the best things I could have done.
Not only did I have to go to 4 different stores before I found a container of the stuff I practically had to take a loan out to buy it!
Why is it the good stuff always costs so much?!
Ingredients for Homemade Mascarpone
- Cream – whole / whipping / heavy cream with at least 30% fat
- lemon juice – fresh lemon juice
That’s it!
There may be only two ingredients for Homemade Mascarpone, but you do need a little time and patience to make it! And a candy thermometer is a definite necessity.
How to Make Mascarpone
- Heat the cream to 185 F (85 C) (stirring)
- Remove from heat until it reaches 140 F (60 C)
- Replace on heat heat again to 185F (85C) and add the lemon juice
- Again remove from heat and bring down the temperature to 140 F (60 C)
- Pour the cream into a glass bowl, cover the bowl and let sit until completely cool
- Pour into a sieve lined with a tea towel or 3-4 layers of cheese cloth and refrigerate for 24 hours.
What you need to make Mascarpone
- Definitely purchase a candy thermometer
- A heavy Sturdy Pot for heating the cream.
- A glass bowl for holding the cream.
What you need to make Mascarpone
- Definitely purchase a candy thermometer
- A heavy Sturdy Pot for heating the cream.
- A glass bowl for holding the cream.
How to Store Homemade Mascarpone:
Homemade Mascarpone should be stored in the fridge and will last up to 3-4 days.
Can you freeze Homemade Mascarpone:
Homemade Mascarpone Cheese really shouldn’t be frozen because it tends to separate.
Naturally I made a few recipes with this Homemade Mascarpone, which I will be sharing but until then I hope you enjoy these.
- Mascarpone Cake with Raspberry Cream
- Fresh Strawberry Pie with a Mascarpone Filling
- Italian Mascarpone Marble Cake
- Easy Mascarpone Cream
So take your time, don’t rush it and make some delicious Creamy Homemade Mascarpone. Enjoy!
Creamy Homemade Mascarpone
Ingredients
- 16 ounces whole cream (also known as heavy or whipping cream with at least 30% fat)
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- In a medium size pot add the cream and place over medium heat, stir with a wooden spoon or rubber whisk, place a candy thermometer in the pot and heat until it reaches 185 F (85 C).
- Remove from heat and continue to stir until the temperature comes down to 140 F (60 C).
- Place the pot back on the heat and bring it back up to 185 F (85 C), continue to stir, then add the lemon juice lower the heat, keeping the temperature at 185 F and heat and stir for 3 minutes.
- Remove again from the heat and bring the temperature down to 140 F (60 C), continue to stir.
- Then pour the cream into a glass bowl, cover with a lid and cover with a tea towel, let sit at room temperature for 3 hours.
- In a clean bowl place a sieve (make sure sieve is not touching the bottom of the bowl), and line the sieve with a clean cotton tea towel or 3 or 4 layers of cheese cloth, pour the cooled cream onto the cloth, then cover with plastic wrap and a clean towel.
- Refrigerate for 24 hours. Enjoy.
- Makes about 1 – 1 1/2 cups.
Notes
Nutrition
It’s All About Pasta
Amazing pasta recipes to make your mouth water!
Authentic Italian Desserts
75 Traditional Desserts Made Easy
Hi, nice recipe! But I want to ask, does the taste will be sour because of lemon juice? Because I ever made once with another recipe, and it turns out the mascarpone has lemon taste and it feels I ate cream cheese. Or is it normal to have that lemon taste? Thanks anyway!
Hi Tabitha, no it doesn’t taste sour in my opinion. Let me know if you try it. Take care!
This came out beautifully and I followed the recipe as written. I needed a little more for my tiramisu so I made a half recipe, just halving everything and did not cool to 140 then back to 185 before stirring in the lemon juice and cooking. It came out exactly the same, just as creamy. I didn’t understand in the recipe why this was done as it wasn’t done in any other recipes that I read. I think it’s the amount of lemon juice that makes the difference on creaminess. Many recipes call for more and this makes it more firm. Thank you for a delicious recipe!
Hi Nancy, that’s how I was taught and always made it that way. Thanks so much and so glad you enjoyed it. Take care!
I haven’t made this recipe, but that step is essentially pasteurizing the cream. As the cream you’re starting with is almost certainly pasteurized (if not ultrapasteurized!), it seems unnecessary to me. And, as you said, other recipes do not fuss with it. I am planning on skipping it.
Coukd I use the bottled lemon juice
Hi Annelies, no I would use fresh, it might not work with bottled. Take care!
Has anyone used coffee filters to drain cream?
Hi Gg, I think that would work. Take care!
If I wanted to make a whipped mascarpone frosting with this, could I? I’ve only ever used that store bought mascarpone for this purpose, so I thought I’d ask.
Hi Michelle, yes it would work. Let me know how it goes. Take care!
The first time worked amazingly well, the texture was perfect and it was delicious! I guess it was beginner’s luck because the second time… not so good. It did not have the lovely creamy texture and was somewhat thin and more fluidy. I have no idea what I did differently.
Hi Nancy, or maybe you rushed through it and did something different?
Hi,
I’ve made this recipe a few times and it’s fabulous and never fails. Am I able to double the recipe and have the same success?
Hi Racquel, I have never doubled it but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Glad you like it. Take care!
Can this be made in the instant using the Yogurt Setting? I’ve been making yogurt in the instant pot and was wondering if this could be made the same way?
Hi Nina, I really don’t know, I have never used one of those machines, if you try it, let me know. Take care!
Hi!
Could I use a stainless steel mixing bowl or does it have to be glass?
Thank you.
Hi Devon, I think that would work. Let me know how it goes. Take care!
This is so simple to make and tasted divine, to die for. I had 3 meals out of it and wished I had more. I have sent it to a few friends 😁 Love it!
Hi Suzy, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care!
What to do after it’s been in the fridge overnight?
Hi Dennis, after it has been in the fridge you can use it in whatever recipe you want that uses mascarpone. You can use it in tiramisu and even pasta dishes for example. Hope that helps. Take care!