Mascarpone cheese: a delicate and sophisticated cream cheese. How many calories are in mascarpone cheese Mascarpone cheese calories per 100

Mascarpone cheese is an Italian food product made from cream of 25% fat with the addition of tartaric acid, wine vinegar and lemon juice. Mascarpone is a cream cheese. To obtain it, the cream is heated in a water bath, and then cooled and hung in linen bags in order to drain excess liquid. If too fast cooking is not required, then the cream is mixed with milk and the mixture is infused for 12 hours, and then suspended in bags for a day to separate the product from excess moisture.

Mascarpone cheese is a high-calorie product, it contains 75% fat and looks more like a cream in consistency. Has a delicate creamy taste.

Mascarpone cheese is used both for the preparation of various desserts, cakes, pastries and other dishes, and it is also eaten simply with fruits or as part of sandwiches.

Other cream cheeses such as the soft cream cheese Philadelphia or Bursen can act as analogues of Mascarpone cheese.

The benefits of Mascarpone cheese

On the one hand, Mascarpone cheese is very high in calories, which is harmful to the body, but on the other hand, nutritious and rich in vitamins and useful elements. Mascarpone contains vitamins of groups A, B, C, K, PP, minerals in the form of calcium, potassium and phosphorus. The vitamins contained in Mascarpone cheese strengthen the immune and nervous systems, improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Minerals strengthen bones, nourish muscles, and improve growth.

In general, the benefits of Mascarpone are almost the same as those of other dairy products.

Harm of Mascarpone cheese

Mascarpone is very high in calories and this is its main danger. Excessive consumption of Mascarpone cheese can lead to obesity and high blood cholesterol levels, which are very dangerous. In addition, Mascarpone cheese is not recommended for children under 3 years old, people with a weak liver and intestinal diseases, as it can lead to various disorders.

Not every fatty cottage cheese can boast of such a delicate creamy texture. But the Italian curd cheese mascarpone is an exception to the rule, created on the basis of heavy cream.

The true birthplace of the production of tender mascarpone cheese is the Italian province of Lombardy (more precisely, the southwestern part of Milan). It was here that cheese makers found direct use for those cream that remained after the evening milk sludge and had to be skimmed before the famous extra-hard Parmesan was to be prepared from it. The skimmed cream was fermented with citric or acetic acid, heated, and this is how the world famous mascarpone curd cheese was obtained.

Mascarpone is a soft cheese with a very high fat content ranging from 60 to 75 percent. The resulting cheese is the main ingredient in famous Italian recipes such as tiramisu and cheesecakes.

The texture of the cheese ranges from smooth, creamy, without grains, to buttery depending on how it is prepared. Outwardly, mascarpone looks like well-whipped cream, from which butter is to be made.

If the cheese is made in compliance with all standards, then its color should vary from white to cream. The taste should be soft milky with a flavor characteristic of fatty milk.

By the way, undergoing gentle heat treatment, it retains all the properties of fresh milk, has no preservatives and is not salted at all. Rennet is also not used in production.

Mascarpone cheese composition

Many cheeses, completely different from cottage cheese, cannot boast of such a greasy buttery taste, as well as a huge amount of chemical components useful for the body. This type of cheese contains:

Carbohydrates;

Essential amino acids (the largest amount is antioxidant tryptophan);

Vitamin A;

Vitamins of group B (in particular, it contains the daily rate of niacin);

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C);

Phylloquinoan (hematopoietic vitamin K);

Important minerals such as potassium, calcium and phosphorus.

The amount of fat in it can go up to 50 percent, 3 percent protein and 5 percent carbohydrates. With such a fat content, it cannot be a low-calorie product. Therefore, the calorie content of such a soft cheese delicacy is quite high and amounts to 412 kilocalories per 100 grams of product.

Why mascarpone cheese is useful

The beneficial properties of Italian cream cheese, which is not at all like curd mass, are invaluable.

True, there is a certain list of the most striking qualities, which includes:

• Decrease in the level of increased irritability;
• Normalization of mood (you can avoid sharp changes in it);
• Getting rid of insomnia;
• Effective fight against depressive conditions;
• Preventing the negative effects of stress on the body;
• Strengthening the immune system;
• Stimulation of active hematopoiesis;
• Protection from the negative impact of a polluted environment;
• Removal of pain in arthritis and arthrosis;
• Strengthening the skeletal system;
• Formation and adjustment of the work of ligaments and muscles;
• Giving elasticity to blood vessels;
• Lowering blood cholesterol levels;
• Strengthening the heart muscle.

Contraindications

Due to its high fat content (despite its exceptional naturalness), mascarpone has a fairly wide range of contraindications for direct use. Among them it is necessary to highlight:

Mascarpone cheese with what and where it is used

Mascarpone has a soft, delicate structure, which is why many culinary experts call it creamy butter cheese.

Naturally, it can be easily spread on a cake or a piece of bread. They add it to soups, dumplings, risottos, sometimes replacing butter with them in baked goods.

Mascarpone cheese can be used:

• In tiramisu or as a filling for desserts such as tarts and cheesecakes. The rich soft creamy flavor of the cheese is an important property for these dishes.
• In pasta sauces.
• For thickening and adding rich flavor to dishes such as soups or risottos.
• Instead of butter or margarine. The advantage of this substitution is the lower fat content of mascarpone compared to butter or margarine.
• As a dessert, like whipped cream, served with fruits and berries.
• Can be frozen like ice cream, replacing cream with it in the recipe.

How to make mascarpone cheese at home

Cream is used to make the cheese, not milk. This is a cheese that every housewife can make. For its preparation, no special cheese rennet is used. All you need is cream, citric acid, or vinegar. But first, let's consider the technology of making cheese in his homeland - Italy.

• Fresh cream;
• They added a certain amount of tartaric acid (or rather, white wine) or lemon juice;
• Then all this mass was heated, but it was not brought to a boil;
• Then it was placed in small linen bags and hung to drain the serum.

The result was a creamy "cottage cheese" (this is how the word "mascarpone" is translated), which had to be consumed maximum within a day.

Today in dairy factories everything is easier:

• The cream is heated, but not boiled, along with a certain amount of citric acid;
• The serum is draining;
• The resulting curd mass is mixed and packed in a vacuum plastic bag of 80-500 grams.

Homemade cheese production works the same way. The cream, to which citric acid is added, is heated to a temperature of 85 degrees. At this temperature, they ferment, forming a curd mass. Now you need to separate the curd from the whey. The resulting curd mass in gauze is placed in the refrigerator for 12 hours.

How to replace mascarpone cheese

A similar substitute in recipes for mascarpone cheese can be ricotta cheese, which is made from cow's milk, or creamy soft cheese.

How to store mascarpone cheese

Mascarpone cheese is a fast perishable product. Therefore, you only need to store it in the refrigerator. After opening the vacuum package, it is better to use it immediately. Shelf life in the refrigerator is no more than three days. Then the cheese begins to flake and spoil.

Irina Kamshilina

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Content

Looking at photos on the pages of culinary magazines, we want to get dishes that will look just as delicious. However, in addition to the appearance, we need to get a pleasant taste. Found in many popular dishes, mascarpone cheese will help you achieve the desired effect.

What is mascarpone

In many recipes of Italian dishes, the mascarpone component is found - what kind of product many housewives do not know. It is a delicate cheese made from milk and cream. Delicate notes of baked milk are guessed in the taste. The lightness of mascarpone is deceiving - the cheese has a high calorie content of 450 kcal, so it is not suitable for people on a diet as part of the diet, it can harm the figure.

Among the properties that make it possible to understand what mascarpone is in cooking and determine the benefits of a cheese product, we can name the following:

• neutral creamy taste (suitable for both sweet and salty dishes);
• the presence of macro- and macroelements necessary for a person;
• the presence of a large number of vitamins;
• the content of amino acids essential for the body.

What to eat mascarpone with

Many housewives are interested in how to eat mascarpone. Cheese is widely used in cooking: it is eaten as a separate product or included in a variety of dishes that can be cooked over a fire, using an oven or a slow cooker. The component is used in the preparation of desserts, ravioli, various sauces and as a cream for cakes and pastries. Those who have tried mascarpone know well what it is, so they can easily find a suitable application.

Dessert with mascarpone

Sweet lovers who want to treat themselves or loved ones with delicious and delicate desserts can use the recipes that can be made from mascarpone:

• Cheesecake. The pie has a bright and at the same time delicate taste. Its base is crushed biscuits, and the filling is mascarpone and cream. You can supplement the deliciousness by adding chocolate, fruits or berries, coffee to the list of components.
• Tiramisu. The famous Italian mascarpone dessert. The classic recipe calls for this cheese in combination with cookies and cocoa.
• Cakes and pastries. For these pastries, you can make a cream cheese cream that will add mild flavors.
• Desserts with fruits. Mascarpone in combination with cream will be an excellent, quick-to-prepare sweetness if you add a fruit or berry component.

Savory dishes

You can use cheese not only in confectionery, but also in savory foods. In such recipes, mascarpone is often used as a component in sauces and dressings, where herbs are added. You can use seasonings with cheese to add new flavors to vegetable salads, pasta, ravioli, and fish dishes. Cooks add it to pizza sauce to make it tender.

How to replace mascarpone

A substitute for mascarpone can be found among other varieties of cream cheeses:

• A substitute for Philadelphia cheese can be applied to dessert recipes. It has the consistency of butter melting in your mouth. It can be used to make cheesecakes, fruit desserts and other baked goods.
• If the price of mascarpone looks too high, replace it with Buco, a cream cheese variety. The product is well suited for creating creams and filling for cakes and pies.
• The most popular substitute is ricotta cheese, which resembles a curd mass. The difference is that this variety has a more delicate texture. It is used for second courses. In the photo, the two products are practically the same.

How to make mascarpone at home

Lovers of Italian food will be able to make mascarpone at home. This must be done using 2 components:

• citric acid - ¼ tsp;
• cream (at least 25% fat) - 1000 ml.

How to cook:

1. Pour the dairy product into a saucepan, place over the flame and heat until bubbles form.
2. The next step in making mascarpone cheese at home is to add acid, which must be mixed with a little water. This liquid must be gradually poured into the hot cream. Leave the substance on fire until it thickens.
3. Prepare a clean and dry container, place a colander inside, the bottom of which should be covered with a cotton towel. Pour the cream inside the prepared dish, wait until the whey is completely drained. The product remaining in the fabric will serve as a homemade analogue of cream cheese.

Mascarpone recipes

Having met this ingredient among the necessary products, many housewives try to replace the component, since the price of cream cheese is high for many. However, if you want to get desserts, as in the photo in beautiful culinary magazines or a restaurant menu, you should apply mascarpone directly. The product pays for its price with pleasant taste and tenderness.

Buttercream

The creamy base, the main ingredient of which is cream cheese, is widely used by confectioners in production. It is added to cakes, pastries and muffins. The recipe for mascarpone cream is not complicated. The base is 75% cheese, the composition is complemented by other tasty components that adjust the consistency and add new flavors.

Ingredients:

• cream 33% - 200 g;
• powdered sugar - 100 g;
• mascarpone - 250 g;
• cocoa;
• vanillin;
• liquor.

Cooking method:

1. Pour the cream into a deep mixing bowl. Stir with a mixer until the dairy product is fluffy. Then, start adding the icing sugar gradually, without stopping whipping.
2. If you decide to use for making cocoa, sift and add to the cream, mixing with the powder.
3. Stir the cream cheese well using a spoon. Gradually add whipped cream, then vanillin to the mass. Mix all ingredients well again. You can use a ready-made cream.

Cheesecake

The literal translation of the word means "cheese cake". In its consistency, the popular dessert resembles a cottage cheese casserole. The dish is based on shortbread crushed into small crumbs, and the filling consists of cream cheese and other components. Using the mascarpone cheesecake recipe, you will get a delicious and delicate dessert that is perfect for a holiday or tea party.

Ingredients:

• leguminous vanilla - 1 stick;
• mascarpone - 0.5 kg;
• powdered sugar - 1 faceted glass;
• chicken egg - 3 pcs.;
• cream (33%) - 0.2 l;
• shortbread cookies - 0.2 kg;
• butter - 100 g.

Cooking method:

1. Place the cookies in a blender and grind them into fine crumbs. Soften the oil and add to the base. Rub the ingredients until smooth.
2. Take a baking dish, put a mass of cookies in it, form a cake with sides, the height of which should be at least 2 cm. Put the dish with the base in the refrigerator.
3. Start preparing the filling. To do this, mix the mascarpone with the powdered sugar using a whisk. The result should be a mass of uniform consistency.
4. Gradually add cream to the resulting substance while continuing to mix.
5. Break one egg at a time into a bowl, stirring gently. Add vanilla.
6. Take the mold out of the refrigerator, wrap the container with 3-4 layers of foil. Pour the filling into it.
7. Fill a baking sheet with water, put a pie pan inside. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees, place a baking sheet inside. Bake the cheesecake for 80 minutes.
8. Put the finished dessert out of the mold, leave to cool in room conditions.
9. When the cake has cooled slightly, place it on a platter and refrigerate. Keep baked goods cold for at least 2 hours.

Cake

Making a cake with mascarpone cheese is an integral part of the Italian holidays. To make the baking tasty, take a biscuit cake as a basis, make the right cream. The recipe for how to prepare the filling is simple, but it will require some culinary skills. You can supplement the cake with fruits or berries to your taste, decorate with chocolate.

Ingredients:

• wheat flour - 150 g;
• granulated sugar - 0.3 kg;
• mascarpone - 250 g;
• cherries (or other fruits and berries) - 0.3 kg;
• butter - 50 g;
• chicken egg - 3 pcs.;
• cream (for whipping) - 250 g;
• chocolate - 1 bar.

Cooking method:

1. The first step in how to make a cake is to create a dough. To do this, beat the sugar and eggs until the sweet crystals dissolve. Then gradually add flour, knead the dough mass.
2. Grease a detachable form with butter, pour the dough inside. Place the workpiece on a baking sheet preheated to 185 degrees of the oven. The cake should be baked for about 20 minutes. Soak the finished base a little with cherry juice.
3. Place the washed and pitted berries around the perimeter of the cake.
4. The next step is to make the cream. Mix the cream and granulated sugar with a mixer, add cheese to the resulting mass. Smear the finished cream over the berry layer. Sprinkle with grated chocolate.
5. Refrigerate dessert for about 4 hours.

Classic tiramisu

The famous airy dessert comes from sunny Italy. Mascarpone tiramisu can also be prepared at home, it is only important to choose the right ingredients for the dish. According to the classic recipe, tiramisu is based on “Ladies fingers” cookies, which can be replaced with dried biscuit, and cheese - with heavy cream, but the taste of the cake will differ.

Ingredients:

• cookies - 0.3 kg;
• chicken eggs - 4 pcs.;
• granulated sugar - 100 g;
• coffee - 0.4 l;
• mascarpone - 0.5 kg;
• cocoa powder - 5 tbsp. l .;
• wine (liquor, cognac) - for impregnation.

Cooking method:

1. Take eggs, separate the yolks, mix them with sugar so that the mass turns white. Stir the cheese to the mass, use a spoon to knead until smooth.
2. Put the separated proteins in a separate bowl, beat until dense foam forms. Transfer the resulting mass to the cheese, stir at a slow pace.
3. Boil coffee, cool, add some alcohol to the liquid. The cookie sticks should be dipped in the drink and placed on a baking sheet tightly in one layer. Spread half of the prepared cream on top.
4. Spread the next layer of cookies soaked in coffee liquid. Spread the remaining cream on top. Send the prepared dessert to the cold for 3 hours.
5. Sprinkle the chilled dessert with a thick layer of cocoa powder, which must be sieved through a sieve.
6. Carefully divide the sweetness into portions as the cake is very soft.

Price of mascarpone cheese

You can buy this kind of cream cheese in specialized stores or large retail chains. If the product is not on the shelves, try placing an order in the online store. Prices depend on the manufacturer and the packaging, which contains 250 g or 0.5 kg of mascarpone. The average cost of 1 jar of the first volume is 100-150 rubles, and a half-kilogram package can be purchased at a price of 300-400 rubles. If you cannot buy a product, you can make it at home. The price will not change significantly, since 1 liter of heavy cream or sour cream is expensive.

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Mascarpone - what is it: recipes with cheese

Mascarpone cheese first appeared in Italy. The recipe for this product is quite simple: heavy cream is added to high quality milk, stirred well and placed in a cold place for half a day. Due to this, the mass acquires a thick consistency. Then it is transferred to special bags to remove all excess liquid, and then it is kept for a day. That's it, the product is ready for packaging and consumption.

Mascarpone cheese has a creamy consistency, which has a delicate taste with a noticeable creamy aftertaste. Most often this product is colored white, although it can also acquire beige shades (see photo).

Selection and storage

When choosing mascarpone cheese, the first thing to do is look at the appearance of the product. The color should be white and the consistency should be smooth and creamy. It is worth paying attention to the fat content of dry matter, it should be at least 80%.

Mascarpone cheese refers to foods that lose their freshness quickly enough... The product is best kept vacuum packed in the refrigerator on a shelf near the freezer. If you have opened the package, then the freshness of the mascarpone cheese will remain for 3 days.

Beneficial features

The benefits of mascarpone cheese are due to the rich composition of minerals and vitamins. There are antioxidants in this product, which contribute to the resistance at the cellular level to the action of negative external factors. In addition, they are involved in hematopoiesis and strengthen the immune system. Included in mascarpone cheese and tryptophan is an essential amino acid for the body, which helps to more quickly and effectively cope with stress, fatigue, insomnia, and also normalize the nervous system as a whole.

This product contains calcium, which strengthens teeth, nails and bones. There is also vitamin A in this cheese, which has a positive effect on the state of vision. Included in mascarpone are B vitamins, which normalize the activity of the nervous system and metabolism.

Cooking use

Mascarpone cheese is used as an independent product, but most often it is used to make a variety of creams and sauces. In addition, this product is included in the recipes of numerous desserts, for example, among them everyone's favorite "tiramisu" stands out. Mascarpone cheese is used in ravioli, as well as filling for pancakes and various pastries. Generally, this product is versatile as it can be combined with both sweet and salty foods.

Homemade recipe

If you don't trust the quality of the mascarpone cheese that is sold in the store, then it can be made at home, and the process is quite simple.

To make this product, take a liter of cream, the fat content of which should not be less than 33%.They need to be heated in a water bath to 85 degrees. Then add 2 tbsp to them. tablespoons of lemon juice and heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the cream begins to thicken, it should be removed from the heat and cooled. In this case, the lid must be closed. Then you need to put cheesecloth in a colander and pour out all the contents. Form a bag of cheesecloth and hang it for 12 hours to remove any unnecessary liquid.

The resulting mascarpone cheese must be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

What can be replaced?

When it is not possible to buy or make mascarpone cheese, it can be replaced. High fat sour cream is a great alternative. Use this fermented milk product with sugar to prepare dessert. If you need a substitute not for sweet dishes, then add spices or herbs to the sour cream.

In addition, mascarpone cheese can be replaced with a mass that includes cream, cottage cheese, butter and milk.

Harm of mascarpone cheese and contraindications

Mascarpone cheese can be harmful to people with an individual intolerance to this product. Due to the significant fat content, it is worth limiting consumption or abandoning this product altogether with obesity and hypertension. It is not recommended to eat this cheese for people with high cholesterol levels, as well as during an exacerbation of hepatitis and other gastrointestinal diseases. You should not eat large amounts of mascarpone cheese, as it can negatively affect the activity of the cardiovascular system, pancreas and liver. Contraindications to the use of this product are in people with atherosclerosis.

Not everyone has tried mascarpone, that only those who are really fond of cooking know this. And even just trying to prepare a dish, you can stumble upon incomprehensible ingredients in the recipe. Now everything is simpler, explanations can be found on any thematic resource, but what if the required product is simply not sold in your city? Or its price makes us look for alternative solutions to the problem.

Learning to cook

Cooking yourself is much cheaper and more interesting than buying ready-made semi-finished products:

• The cost of food is negligible, if we are not talking about some delicacies.
• The cooking process is completely controlled.
• The composition of the dish served is fully known.
• Cooking takes much less time than it might seem at first glance.

There are no difficulties in the cooking process, you just need to read the recommendations and try several times. The first attempt is not always successful, this applies to all areas of life. The main thing is not to give up even after several failures.

Over time, it becomes clear what exactly was done wrong:

1. When to turn on the gas and continue cooking over low heat.
2. How long to beat and mix the ingredients.
3. How long does it take to fry, boil or stew.
4. When is the best time to add spices.

This is the case when everything is decided by experience and trial and error. You can't do without "bruises", but who will remember a dozen spoiled dishes, after hundreds of edible and tasty ones?

How is real Italian cheese made?

Mascarpone is one of the varieties of cheese... To make it:

• Heavy cream is taken, at least 33%.
• They are heated in a water bath, tartaric acid is added.
• The liquid contents are decanted.
• The dry residue is placed in a cloth bag and hung overnight.

In order not to waste time preparing this cheese, you can simply buy it at the nearest store. If he is there, of course.

If you pay attention to the taste and appearance of the product, you can immediately begin to suspect that something was wrong - it looks more like some kind of curd mass. But don't panic, this is how it should be.

Mascarpone used as a dessertas part of a more sophisticated dish. So it is better to evaluate the taste after the implementation of the plan and the preparation of the dish.

In our area, cheese has not gained much popularity. Why overpay when you can take curd and cream? A little effort and the result is almost the same, but the truth is, boasting a delicacy will no longer work.

Mascarpone: taste

1. Melted butter.
2. Plain yogurt.
3. Cottage cheese with sour cream.

Not all of us are gourmets and not everyone can recognize all the subtleties of mascarpone taste. But capturing a couple of points is not so difficult:

• The mass does not taste like cheese at all.
• Not salty.
• It has something in common with fermented milk products.

Don't expect any fantastic taste, this product is guaranteed not to make it to the top 10 tastiest foods you have ever tasted in your life.

Low calorie oil - such a comparison would be most appropriate.

Mascarpone will be neither salty nor sweet at the same time. Because the fermented cream will not give any of these flavors, and judging by the recipes, it seems like no other additives.

If a person has never tasted this type of cheese, one of the “substitutes” (described below) can be served under its guise, most likely no one will feel the difference.

How to replace mascarpone cheese?

If you urgently need to prepare a dish and there is mascarpone in the recipe, the easiest way is to visit the supermarket and purchase this cheese. But if the desired product is not on the shelf, you will have to look alternative.

If you have time, you can cook it yourself, according to the specified recipe. If time is an unaffordable luxury, then:

• Take regular sour cream, the higher the fat level, the better.
• Add sugar or spices, depending on the desired result.
• Use as directed.

Suitable instead of sour cream cottage cheese with cream :

1. Mix in a bowl.
2. Pass through the separator.
3. Serve.

It is necessary to get a kind of curd mass by separating the liquid part. With these substitution options, you will not deceive those who have already tried real mascarpone. But if you add it to a dish, only a real gourmet will feel the difference, and that is not a fact.

More complex options for making a substitute include heavy cream, hard cheese, and butter. Again - mix until smooth and separate the liquid part. The selected cheese can give a specific taste to the finished mass, this issue needs to be given special attention.

Mascarpone is not some unique product produced using a special technology in Italian cellars. The manufacturing procedure is known to everyone and is in the public domain, homemade cheese will be no worse, and maybe better than the purchased version. In any case, it will be clear what it is made of.

Mascarpone - what is it eaten with?

Oddly enough, this cheese can be smeared on bread:

• It is an excellent oil substitute.
• Suitable for those who are trying to lose weight.
• Contains significantly fewer calories than butter.

But it would be strange to limit ourselves to just this use case:

1. Together with berries and fruits, this product is perfect as a dessert.
2. Mascarpone makes a wonderful sauce.
3. In tiramisu and curd casseroles.
4. Liqueurs and chocolate give the cheese a special flavor.

Most often, this product is used in the confectionery business. But again, in our area this product is not used very often, so it is difficult to find really interesting applications. And this should not stop novice pastry chefs on the path of culinary experiments.

Fermented milk product

Mascarpone is a type of cheese made with cream. This fermented milk product first appeared in Italy, hence the exotic name.

Initially, the cheese was made according to the following scheme:

• The cream is allowed to stand in milk for 10-12 hours.
• The resulting mass is transferred to linen bags.
• After the same 12 hours, all the "excess" liquid leaves and only the finished product remains.

Today, only cream and citric acid are more often used to speed up and somewhat simplify the whole process. The resulting cheese can be:

1. Use for tiramisu and casseroles.
2. Serve as a dessert with fruit, chocolate or liqueurs.
3. Spread on bread.
4. Apply as a sauce.

All these are classic options, but you can try something new, it all depends on your imagination. Mascarpone tastes the most like melted butter, yogurt, or curd. Nothing out of the ordinary, actually, but it feels good.

If you've ever tried mascarpone, it's pretty simple to explain it. It is enough to compare it with the ordinary curd mass and all questions will disappear. Whether it is worth overpaying for such a dessert, when there are always analogues at hand, is too difficult a question.

Video tutorial: making mascarpone at home

In this video, the chef Irina Leonidova will show how homemade mascarpone cheese is prepared, from what ingredients, a simple way of cooking: