Mascarpone Cheese

You may remember that last month I made ladyfingers, with the hope of being able to make my own Mascarpone cheese to turn out a Tiramisu. 

Well, I haven't tackled the Tiramisu just yet, but I was able to make Mascarpone! 

This recipe (Food 52) made it so dang easy and all it takes are two ingredients: cream and lemon juice.

I don't have pictures of the process, because both hands were busy stirring the cream and using an instant-read thermometer to keep the temperature in check. However, here's the final result:

And not only are there two ingredients, there are only five steps to make the cheese:

1. Heat the cream to 180 degrees.
2. Let it simmer at that temp for three minutes, then add the lemon juice.
3. Simmer for another three minutes, then remove from heat. Cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes).
4. Fill a small strainer with layers of cheesecloth and put a small bowl under the strainer.
5. Pour the cooled cheese into the cheesecloth and place the entire bowl in the fridge overnight.

The only thing I will do differently the next time is to try using a coffee filter, instead of cheesecloth, to strain off the whey. I am hoping it will be easier to remove the cheese after its stay in the refrigerator.

The final product is amazingly thick with a slight tang and tastes absolutely delicious. For this batch, I'm going to serve it with some lovely strawberries. 

Can't wait to make Tiramisu!