Top 10 Recipes with Mascarpone

Our batch of homemade mascarpone was a major success.  Not only did it taste exactly like store bought mascarpone minus the preservatives and plastic wrapped containers, it was less expensive to make.  To celebrate, we’ve curated a delicious looking spread of savory and sweet recipes that incorporate mascarpone.  Enjoy!

Topiary Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting

by So Domesticated

So lovely!  I’m a big fan of cupcakes with mascarpone frosting.  It’s more rich and less cloyingly sweet than traditional buttercream.

 

Deviled Strawberries stuffed with spiced Mascarpone

by Quinces and the Pea

A very simple recipe that dazzles with just a few delicious ingredients.

 

Pumpkin Tart with Mascarpone

by Tartlette

Like tiny spiced pumpkin pies, but topped with whipped sweetened mascarpone !

 

Fresh Berries & Mascarpone Tart

by Two Tarts

A shortbread cookie crust, very lightly sweetened mascarpone filling, topped with fresh berries.

 

Lemon Mascarpone Cream Cake

by Not so Humble Pie

A gorgeous layer cake. Tart lemon with creamy mascarpone is a genius combination.

 

Mushroom Mascarpone Ravioli

by The Doctor’s Dishes, Desserts, and Decor

Earthy mushrooms combined with garlic and mascarpone inside pillows of pasta. 

 

Au Gratin Potatoes with Mascarpone

by Naturally Ella

An extra rich take on this classic potatoes and cheese dish.

 

Spinach & Mascarpone Pasta

by Running with Tweezers

Simple, delicious looking, and beautiful pasta dish with an almost-pesto style sauce of spinach and mascarpone.

 

French Toast with Mascarpone & Rhubarb Compote

by Two Tarts

Perfect for a springtime brunch.  French toast topped with rich mascarpone and a tangy fruit compote.

 

Creamy Chard, Cannellini, and Mascarpone Risotto

by Green Kitchen Stories

Another great looking & innovative savory use for mascarpone.  Yum!

Berry and Mascarpone Tart

On a recent rainy afternoon, we were stuck indoors with our toddlers wondering what to do. Rainy weather is baking weather, of course, and we decided to use our homemade mascarpone to make a Berry and Mascarpone Tart. Sarah confessed to me that she has never made a tart before. Can you believe that? Should this blog be called One Tart?

Personally, I love tarts. Any dessert in which fruit is artfully arranged looks way more complicated and impressive than it really is. People point and swoon, and I take all the credit.

We based this recipe off of a Martha Stewart recipe that I once used several years ago. Her recipe used cream cheese, but I knew that our easy-peasy homemade mascarpone would make an already tasty recipe even more delicious. What makes this recipe easier than your typical tart is the shortbread crust. There's no fiddling about with rolling pins and such; you just press the crust right into the tart pan. Of course, the crust is extra delicate, just like a shortbread cookie... but it also tastes just like a shortbread cookie. Win!

Berry and Mascarpone Tart

For the crust

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut up into pieces

• 1/3 cup sugar (we used vanilla sugar)

• 1/4 tsp salt

For the filling

• 1 cup mascarpone

• 1/4 cup sugar (again, vanilla sugar for us!)

• 1 pint strawberries

• 1 pint blackberries

1. Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 F. In a food processor, blend flour, butter, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt until moist crumbs form. This will probably take 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer to a 9-in round tart pan with a removable bottom.

2. Press evenly into pan and up the sides. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press dough firmly into bottom and along sides and make it even. Freeze crust until firm, about 15 minutes.

3. Using a fork, prick crust all over. Bake until golden, 25-30 minutes, pressing down gently on the crust once or twice with a spoon if the crust puffs up while baking. Cool completely in pan.

4. Make the filling: In a bowl, mix mascarpone and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over the cooled crust in the pan. (I found that you need to press the mascarpone into place, it doesn't really spread evenly. Plop it around the tart, and then press it into submission. It will work, and it is covered with berries in the end anyway.)

5. Starting from the edge, arrange berries in concentric circles over mascarpone. Do whatever looks the prettiest.

6. Chill in pan for at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours. Remove from pan carefully just before serving.

May Brunch Party {Monthly Menu}

It’s finally the time of year where we can have brunch parties outside on the patio.  We’ve been excited for warm weather for a few months now and when it finally hit us this weekend we could barely handle it.  Complaining about the heat and sun almost happened, but then we realized how ridiculous that would be and restrained ourselves.

Instead we celebrated with a delicious May brunch.  The star of the show was this French toast smothered in homemade mascarpone and strawberry rhubarb compote.

May Brunch Menu

• French Toast topped with
• Homemade Mascarpone and
• Fresh Rhubarb Strawberry Compote
• Frittata modified with asparagus, goat cheese, and pepitas (101 Cookbooks)
• Lemon Cucumber Thyme Water
• Bacon

The mascarpone that topped the french toast was almost like butter – but better.  Just as rich and decadent in flavor, but more closely resembling a very creamy cheese in texture.

The tangy strawberry rhubarb compote was made with fresh fruit and just a bit of sugar. 

We threw in some delicious and healthy egg dishes to even things out a bit.  Oh but then we added back in a platter of crisp bacon; not so healthy.  But it’s a party! What do you expect?

Flowers were arranged, tables were set, umbrellas to shade from the suddenly powerful sun were procured.  Spring is here!

French Toast for Brunch

• 1 large loaf French bread, sliced 1” thick. Approx 10 slices.
• 4 eggs
• 1 c whole milk
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• butter (for frying)

Whisk together the eggs, whole milk, cinnamon, and vanilla.  Pour mixture into a fairly shallow dish to allow for easy dipping of the slices of bread.

Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture, then flip over to coat the other side.  I don’t let my bread soak in the egg mixture for long – just enough to completely coat it.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, and fry each side of the dipped bread until golden brown.

Top with Mascarpone and Strawberry Rhubarb Compote.

Homemade Mascarpone

Here's another easy DIY recipe which is pretty similar to homemade ricotta. Of course, now that I've proclaimed how easy it is, I'll confess that we completely botched it up the first time we tried it. There was much fretting about just what went wrong, but in the end it was just a matter of heat. Not enough heat, that is.

 

And as it turns out, our "bad batch" of mascarpone is still pretty damn tasty. It was a little more lemony than mascarpone is supposed to be…we didn’t have much trouble finding a way to use it up (with pasta and tomato sauce).  So don’t let a screw-up dissuade you from trying your hand at homemade mascarpone.  Heavy cream is delicious no matter what!

 

 

The successful batch of mascarpone was super thick, creamy, and mild (not tangy).  Exactly like it’s supposed to be.  No preservatives, no plastic wrapped containers, and the crowning glory – cheaper than the store-bought version!

 

Homemade Mascarpone

• 2 cups cream, pasteurized but not ultra-pasteurized

• 1 tb fresh lemon juice

• candy thermometer

• cheesecloth

Heat cream gently in heavy-bottomed saucepan until it reaches 190 F, stirring to ensure the bottom doesn't scorch. It should be gently simmering at this point. Add lemon juice to the cream and continue to heat at 190 F for 5 minutes while continuing to stir. The cream will thicken up so that it coats the back of your spoon, but no visible curds will form.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Once it has cooled, pour the cream into a sieve lined with four layers of cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Allow the cream to drain, letting it cool completely. Not much liquid will drain out – we only got 1 or 2 Tbsp.

Cover with plastic wrap, and put the sieve in the fridge overnight. The next day, remove the cheese from the sieve and store for up to 10 days. Yield: about 1 1/2 cups.

French Toast with Mascarpone and Rhubarb Strawberry Compote

Berry and Mascarpone Tart