Velvety and delicate, Mascarpone cheese is the slightly sweet, soft Italian version of cream cheese. Because of its taste and texture, the cheese makes the perfect ingredient for decadent desserts, including tantalizing tarts and the ever-popular tiramisu. When you’re looking to treat your family, friends and most importantly, yourself, consider using Mascarpone cheese in your next adventures in dessert making.

Tiramisu

One of the most popular cakes in Italy, tiramisu calls for mascarpone cheese in its creamy filling. Basically, the dessert offers a lady finger type of biscuit or cake dipped in espresso, strong coffee, or rum, which is then layered with a whipped blend of egg yolks, mascarpone cheese, and sugar. The finished product is then dusted off with cocoa. Whipped cream with a single mint leaf makes a delightful garnish.

Berries and Mascarpone Cream

Combine 4 ounces of mascarpone cheese, 8 ounces ricotta cheese, 4 ounces sour cream, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, and 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest to create a cream that has a wide range of dessert possibilities. Beat the ingredients with an electric mixer for about seven minutes. Afterward, choose your favorite berries to mix into the cream. Blackberries, sliced strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries work well with the rich sweetness of the cream.

If you’re watching your waistline, keep in mind that mascarpone paired with the rest of the ingredients creates one sweet, calorie-laden dessert. Once you have savored the deliciousness in all its glory, you can experiment with various low-fat ricotta cheeses and reduced or fat-free sour creams, to lower the overall calorie content.

Mascarpone Tart

Tarts come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from dainty single servings to pie-like creations that serve an entire dinner party. When making a large dessert, expect to use about one pound of Mascarpone cheese in a typical recipe.

Usually, the tart is topped with whipped cream or pieces of fruit. Strawberries make a popular topping, but you may also replace berries with another fruit, such as nectarines or bananas. You may also experiment with different ingredients for the crust. Graham crackers are popular, but ginger snap lovers can surely get creative with this sweet treat. Broken chocolate wafer cookies also make a delicious crust for chocoholics.