Napoleon adored this cream for its round, full-bodied flavor with a subtle hint of acidity, and it’s the essential ingredient for one of the most famous Italian desserts in the world, tiramisù. We’re talking about mascarpone, the soft Italian triple cream cheese made from fresh cream. A delicacy born somewhere between Lodi and Abbiategrasso, southwest of Milan, probably in the late 16th or early 17th century. Legend has it that the name ‘mascarpone’ derives from ‘mascarpa,’ an unrelated milk product made from the whey of stracchino cheese. Mascarpone features an ivory color with a milky, slightly sweet flavor. It is an exceptionally smooth and creamy spreadable cheese, and its rich, buttery texture comes from the high butterfat content (up to 75%). But even if mascarpone is most well-known for its use in tiramisù, mascarpone can be added to all kinds of sweet and savory dishes, for a special touch of creamy richness. You can also use it instead of whipped cream as a topping for a bowl of fruit, or as a frosting for cakes, baked into cheesecakes, or even swapped out for sour cream to make banana bread or fresh muffins. To use mascarpone in savory dishes, you can add it to a pasta sauce or as a substitute for heavy cream in almost any recipe! Or use it as a bagel spread or to thicken soups. One piece of advice? Never cook mascarpone (and always keep it in the refrigerator until it comes time to use it).
To find out how to add that special “chef’s touch” to any dish with mascarpone, we asked Vito Gnazzo, Executive Chef at Il Gattopardo and The Leopard at Des Artistes, two upscale Italian restaurants in New York City owned by Gianfranco Sorrentino.
Vito grew up in the countryside of Cilento, a province of Salerno, in the South of Italy. As a teenager, he moved to Milan and started working in a restaurant. “During the years in Milan, I was very lucky to meet different chefs with different ideologies and styles of cooking,” he says. “It wasn’t until the last place where I worked in Milano, Antica Osteria del Ponte, a 3-star Michelin restaurant, when my perception of cooking completely changed. It was the chef and owner Ezio Santin, who taught me a new and more sophisticated way to approach food preparation.” When he came to the U.S., Gnazzo was the first Executive Chef at Rex Restaurant in Los Angeles (now closed), and later started working for Sorrentino at Sette MoMA in the Museum of Modern Art. In 2001, they opened Il Gattopardo, followed by The Leopard at Des Artistes, in the former iconic Café des Artistes location, in 2011.
Chef Gnazzo created three simple yet delicious recipes that everybody can make at home. And since Christmas is around the corner, Gnazzo decided to include a garnish for classic panettone, a must-have for Italian holiday festivities.
Apple Fritters
Frittelle di Mele (Apple Fritters) by Chef Vito Gnazzo
A sweet and simple apple fritter, with a hint of creamy mascarpone!
Ingredients:
3 oz type “00” flour
1 large egg
3 oz milk
1 oz granulated sugar
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of baking powder
2 egg whites, whipped
4 whole golden apples
Method:
Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth (except for the egg whites and apples). Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then incorporate them gently into the batter. Set the mixture aside. Peel and core the apples. Slice the apples horizontally for ¼ inch thick rounds. Then bread them in the previous mixture and deep-fry the apples in butter at 350°F until golden-brown. Drain on paper towels. Dust with sugar and cinnamon. Serve with mascarpone sauce.
Panettone and mascarpone
Mascarpone for Panettone by Chef Vito Gnazzo
An extra-special way to enjoy classic Christmas panettone!
Ingredients:
1/2 lb mascarpone
4 egg yolks
2.8 oz granulated sugar
1 fl oz Grand Marnier
3 fl oz whipped cream
Method:
Whip the sugar and egg yolks with an electric mixer until the sugar dissolves. Then add the mascarpone and blend at low speed. Add in the Grand Marnier and gently fold in the whipped cream. Chill until time to serve. To enhance the flavor, briefly warm the panettone to 80°F.
Chocolate mascarpone
Chocolate Mascarpone Sauce by Chef Vito Gnazzo
A chocolatey version of mascarpone cream. For gourmands only.
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
5 oz sugar
6 oz egg yolks
1 vanilla bean pod
10 oz mascarpone
Cocoa powder, to taste
Method:
In a medium bowl, whip the sugar and egg yolks until creamy. In a separate pot, combine the milk and cream with a vanilla bean pod, split open lengthwise. Bring the milk and cream to a boil, and add in the sugar-egg yolk mixture while still warm, whisking vigorously for just a few seconds. Add 10 oz mascarpone and cocoa powder to taste, whipping with an electric mixer until smooth. Let the sauce cool and serve with a slice of your favorite cake.