How to make Mascarpone Cheese at home..

Yes...I now make my own Mascarpone Cheese...How cool is that!
Hahah...
My hubby wanted a Tiramisu cake for his birthday and I thought why not...
But mascarpone which is one of the key ingredients isn't easy to find here in India..and when you do finally find some you realize that it is bloody expensive (Rs 500/- or more for a meager 250g!!!)

So I did my homework...read a lot...surfed even more...and guess what I found out? that you can make your own mascarpone cheese! at home... and that too with just two simple ingredients!




Ingredients:

400-500ml of heavy cream
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Method:

In a heavy based pan on low-medium flame, heat the cream stirring occasionally till it reaches 88*C. It will take about 15 minutes or so.
Add the lemon juice and stir gently till the cream thickens. You should have a thick coating on the back of your spoon.
Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Line a sieve with four layers of muslin or cheese cloth and keep it on top of a bowl. Transfer the cooled cheese on to the cloth.
Dont worry if the cheese feels too soft at this stage. It will thicken up after it has cooled in the refrigerator.
Keep it in the fridge overnight...
You will find that the cheese has thickened up whilst giving out a little bit of whey water in the bowl below.

Your home made Mascarpone is now ready to be used! Beat it till it reaches the required soft consistency.
And now that you have your mascarpone cheese why don't you go ahead and make a Tiramisu.....