Easy Homemade Mascarpone

Last week we wanted to make tiramisu but realised there’s no mascarpone in our store, ‘well’, we thought, ‘why don’t we make it from scratch?’ Heat some cream, add some acid, stir and drain. Fresh mascarpone is easy to make, and the overnight draining time is definitely worth the wait. It delivers the creamiest, velvety mascarpone – better than anything you can buy at the shops.

Makes approximately 500g, just the right amount for this tiramisu recipe

Heat cream in a saucepan over a low–medium heat until it reaches 90°C, just before boiling point (we never use a thermometer for this, it’s easy to go by eye).

Add lemon juice and stir continuously for approximately 5 minutes. You don’t want the cream to boil, barely simmering is fine.

Remove from heat; set aside to cool completely.

Place a sieve over a bowl; line with three or four layers of clean, damp muslin/cheesecloth/clean chux. Pour cream into lined sieve; place in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight to drain. You will be left with a thick, velvety mixture, which is your mascarpone.

Transfer to an airtight container, stir/whisk to create an even consistency and store in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.