This creamy Italian cheese can be so much more than merely a topping for espresso-soaked ladyfingers (even though there's a time and place for tiramisu). Dip into mascarpone's sweet and savory sides with these craveable mascarpone recipes that cover everything from parfaits to pasta.
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Mascarpone Polenta with Brown Butter Mushrooms
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Recipe developer Liz Mervosh transforms mascarpone-enriched polenta into a comforting vegetarian main course with a topping of brown butter mushrooms and a fried egg.
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Lemony Layered Cheesecake
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Icebox cake is traditionally made with chocolate wafer cookies and whipped cream. This unique spin uses graham crackers and lemon curd.
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Whipped Mascarpone
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Chef Sarah Grueneberg whips mascarpone with cream and sugar to give the dense cheese a soft and pillowy consistency. It adds that special something to any pie or tart — try it on Grueneberg's Rhubarb and Candied Ginger Crostata!
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Cherries Poached in Red Wine with Mascarpone Cream
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You can drink your wine and eat it too with these red wine-poached cherries that are topped with a mixture of mascarpone and honey.
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Cornmeal-Almond Cake with Strawberries and Mascarpone
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Chef Mike Lata's take on a strawberry shortcake combines a nutty base with a whipped mascarpone topping, adding both crunch and tang to otherwise simple flavors.
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Penne with Smoked Chicken and Mascarpone
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Not all mascarpone recipes are desserts. Here, the cheese adds some sweetness to a chicken and pasta dish.
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Bittersweet Chocolate Tart with Coffee Mascarpone Cream
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Pastry chef François Payard knows chocolate, and that comes through in this tiramisu-esque tart, piled high with coffee mascarpone cream.
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Pumpkin Layer Cake with Mascarpone Frosting
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This classic pumpkin cake from former Food & Wine editor Justin Chapple is perfectly moist and delicately spiced. The simple vanilla buttercream frosting gets a lovely tang from the mascarpone that's blended in.
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Fettuccine with Shrimp
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Justin Chapple mixes plenty of scallions, creamy mascarpone cheese, and fresh spinach into this super-easy pasta.
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Warm Chocolate Cakes with Mascarpone Cream
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These mini Black Forest cakes are best served warm, topped with mascarpone cream that melts into the chocolate.
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Spinach-and-Prosciutto Ravioli
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At Lilia in Brooklyn, chef Missy Robbins mixes spinach and prosciutto with two cheeses as a stuffing for her supple ravioli. This mascarpone recipe can be made a month ahead of time — freeze them in a single layer; when they are solid, they can be combined in a large resealable plastic bag.
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Pumpkin Parfaits
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Justin Chapple layers super-speedy pumpkin mousse with whipped mascarpone cream and crushed chocolate wafer cookies for his gorgeous, delicious parfaits.
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Cast-Iron Blackberry Galette with Whipped Mascarpone
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This galette is great baked in a cast-iron skillet because it's easy to transport and serve. The secret to the sturdy crust is the buttery brown sugar oat crumble, which absorbs the jammy blackberries as they bake.
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Lobster-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
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Delicate zucchini blossoms are made for filling and frying. We're giving this classic Italian appetizer a decadent spin with a lobster-and-mascarpone filling, though feel free to use lump crabmeat, cooked shrimp, or diced zucchini in place of the lobster.
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Scrambled Eggs Florentine
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Fold spinach and mascarpone into soft scrambled eggs and spoon them over crostini for an easy appetizer.
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Blackberry and Mascarpone Crêpe Cake
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This show-stopping cake would be perfect in July, when blackberries are at their peak.
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Bûche de Noël with Mascarpone Cream and Dark Chocolate Ganache
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A few smart moves make this Bûche de Noël a cut above the rest. Allowing the cake to cool while still rolled helps prevent cracking. Mascarpone stabilizes the whipped cream filling so that it can be chilled up to overnight without weeping. Butter and corn syrup in the ganache keep it smooth and glossy. And stirring slivered toasted almonds into the ganache frosting gives it a "tree bark" look and adds contrasting texture to the silky filling and tender cake.
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Goat Cheese Cake with Wine-Poached Cranberries
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Crowned with candied pistachios and draped in tart, glistening cranberry gelée, Claudia Fleming's holiday cheesecake is extra creamy thanks to a combination of tangy goat cheese and mascarpone. Be sure to beat in the mascarpone at low speed to preserve its extra-smooth texture.
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