Mascarpone, the Bakery Way

Brownies cooling on the rack.

Hello Wednesday! Tonight I had a very successful fiesta, which ended in my world famous brownies! But no, I will not being giving you that recipe. Instead we're going to talk about the deliciousness of mascarpone, in frosting form. Enjoy!

Next to a chocolate lava cake...
Mascarpone Cream
Hosea Rosenberg

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 cup mascarpone (8 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

In a bowl, beat the cream with the vanilla seeds, brown sugar and lemon zest until soft peaks form. Add the mascarpone and lemon juice and beat until blended.

On a deep, dark chocolate cake

Mocha-Mascarpone Frosting

Abigail Johnson Dodge, Bon Appetit

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 1 1/2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 8-ounce containers chilled mascarpone cheese

Directions

1. Sift cocoa powder into large bowl; add espresso powder. Bring 1 cup cream to boil in small saucepan. Slowly pour cream over cocoa mixture, whisking until cocoa is completely dissolved, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup cream and sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Chill until cold, at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.
2. Add mascarpone to chilled cocoa mixture. Using electric mixer, beat on low speed until blended and smooth. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until mixture is thick and medium-firm peaks form when beaters are lifted, about 2 minutes (do not overbeat or mixture will curdle).

For a fancy carrot cake...

Ginger Mascarpone Frosting

Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 12 ounces Italian mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
• ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup minced crystallized ginger (not in syrup), plus more for garnish
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt

Directions

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat mascarpone, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, cream, and vanilla about 1 minute, until light and fluffy. Add crystallized ginger and salt and beat 30 seconds more.

Happy frosting!