Can you make a cheesecake with just mascarpone cheese?

okay...let me clarify. I KNOW I can...I just don't know what it would taste like. I like to make a cheesecake during the holidays to share with neighbors, but my cheesecake recipes use either four or five 8-oz packages (2 lb or 2.5 lbs). Currently, that would cost $11 to ~$14 for one cake using Philadelphia cream cheese.

Today I picked up a FIVE POUND container of Galbani mascarpone for $8. I could easily make two cheesecakes with that...which normally would run me $22 to $28 just for the creamcheese. A quick online search shows mascarpone cheesecakes recipes, but they all use 1:1 ratio combining mascarpone AND cream cheese.

I want to know why. Is it a taste thing...or a texture thing? Expense? Cultural differences? What!

Mostly, I'd like to know if anyone has made one solely with mascarpone...or any other dessert that would use a big amount of this ingredient.

thanks,
M

Good question, M. I've only ever tried recipes with a combination of cream cheese and mascarpone. I finally ran across a no-bake cheesecake with only mascarpone here: No-Bake Mascarpone Cheesecake Recipe | From Scratch Fast

The following is good reading where different folks throw in their opinions about using only mascarpone in a cheesecake==>


Hmmm, Giada's mascarpone cheesecake recipe also calls for both regular cream cheese and mascarpone. One would think that she would have a "mascarpone only" version, but nothing is coming up that I am finding.

The following site is especially interesting regarding using mascarpone as a partial sub in cheesecake: The Secret to the Richest, Creamiest Cheesecake

Honestly, I think it would never set. Hence, her need to freeze it, which I think, diminishes the texture. And it seems to me it would come through as more delicate than I like for a cheesecake. I use mascarpone, when I can get it on sale, and make the equivalent of a cheesecake filling for a Konafa, or tira misu. This was not the original Konafa recipe but my version cuts some corners to an easy dessert. And of course, it bakes, with egg.

And I buy cream cheese.....SO much cheaper....at Walmart for $2.77 for 8 oz. That's the regular, not-on-sale price for the Walmart brand which (regardless of the actual producer) is just as good as Philadephia. A bargain in comparison. What a lucky find though on the mascarpone.

Konafa

1. Make a syrup by boiling 1 c. sugar, ½ c. water, 1 t. lemon juice and 1 T. orange flower water.

2. Melt 1 c. butter.

3. Unroll the 1 lb. box of defrosted konafa or kataifa (depending on its origin) and pull it apart so that there are no heavy clumps. Place it into a large bowl and pour about half of the butter over it. Pull and tear the dough, mixing the butter in so that it is well incorporated. Continue doing this, gradually adding all the butter until the dough is soft all over and appears butter-coloured throughout. (Takes about 3 minutes)

4. Line an ovenproof dish (I use a souffle bowl) with half the kataifa.

5. Add 1 beaten egg and 1½ t. vanilla to a 500 ml. tub of mascarpone. If you wish, add about 1 T. sugar. Pour the mascarpone over the dough. Cover the filling with remaining dough. If you have any remaining butter, pour it over the surface of the dough.

6. Bake at 350̊ for 40 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 400-425̊ and continue to bake for another 15 minutes or until the surface is golden brown.

7. Pour the syrup over the konafa. Sprinkle with chopped pistachio nuts and leave to cool before serving.


Comments: I make this in a springform pan but take care that the butter may leak.
This can be frozen after baking and before adding the syrup. After thawing, just reheat briefly to recrisp the dough.

marilynfl said:

okay...let me clarify. I KNOW I can...I just don't know what it would taste like. I like to make a cheesecake during the holidays to share with neighbors, but my cheesecake recipes use either four or five 8-oz packages (2 lb or 2.5 lbs). Currently, that would cost $11 to ~$14 for one cake using Philadelphia cream cheese.

Click to expand...

Marilyn, is there an Aldi near you? 8 oz cream cheese for $1.65, I think. And where in the world did you get that much mascarpone for that price?? What a bargain!

Thanks everyone. I think I'll try that BBC version in the Reddit comments. It uses 1.65 lbs of mascarpone and I can do two of those easily. Plus I already have my own lemon curd which would go nicely with it. I was confused at how often they talked about mascarpone breaking up and being very diva-ish. I always thought it was just like cream cheese. Another odd thing they kept recommending was making your own...but the method using heavy cream is how I make creme fraiche, so I wonder if we're all talking about the same thing.

Lana, the closest ALDI's is in Asheville. I used to get Trader Joe's cream cheese, but it ALWAYS seemed to leave tiny flat lumps, no matter how much I beat it. Even when baked I could still see the little lumps. That's when I went back to Philly. Have never tried ALDIs as it's an 80 mile round trip.

I found the tub at a discount grocery store...the type that has products really close to expiry dates. I never went there until Maria mentioned finding interesting vinegars at hers. My best deal was Champion unsalted butter (8 oz for $.99). I ended up getting 10 lbs and put it all in the freezer. Really helped with the pastry classes I did for the library. The expiry date for the mascarpone isn't that far off, which is why I'd like to make some treats now and freeze them. I know I can freeze my cheesecake. I'm hoping this will work the same way.

I thought it might be water content (why one doesn't use all mascarpone) but they have a similar water content - just mascarpone is way higher in fat.

As an aside, I always make my cheesecake filling in my food processor. I don't have to soften it first - I just cut a brick into about 3 pieces. And I just made the Bake from Scratch chocolate cheesecake - it was divine. if someone wants the recipe I'll post.

Yes please. Pretty please. Pretty pretty please with sour cream topping on top.

marilynfl said:

Thanks everyone. I think I'll try that BBC version in the Reddit comments. It uses 1.65 lbs of mascarpone and I can do two of those easily. Plus I already have my own lemon curd which would go nicely with it. I was confused at how often they talked about mascarpone breaking up and being very diva-ish. I always thought it was just like cream cheese. Another odd thing they kept recommending was making your own...but the method using heavy cream is how I make creme fraiche, so I wonder if we're all talking about the same thing.

Lana, the closest ALDI's is in Asheville. I used to get Trader Joe's cream cheese, but it ALWAYS seemed to leave tiny flat lumps, no matter how much I beat it. Even when baked I could still see the little lumps. That's when I went back to Philly. Have never tried ALDIs as it's an 80 mile round trip.

I found the tub at a discount grocery store...the type that has products really close to expiry dates. I never went there until Maria mentioned finding interesting vinegars at hers. My best deal was Champion unsalted butter (8 oz for $.99). I ended up getting 10 lbs and put it all in the freezer. Really helped with the pastry classes I did for the library. The expiry date for the mascarpone isn't that far off, which is why I'd like to make some treats now and freeze them. I know I can freeze my cheesecake. I'm hoping this will work the same way.

Click to expand...

Huh, I find tj’s cream cheese good enough to eat (not other store brands) and such a better price, I think $1.67 the other day, but admit I only use Philly for cheesecake (I don’t know why). If there is a Costco near by, their price here is $1.89 (x6 for a pack) of Philly, I can easily email you a gift card that will allow you to shop there if you like. Philly at Walmart is a “rollback“ price $4.86 for a 2 pack here

Bake from Scratch Chocolate Cheesecake 2025

Crust:

• 3 cups (3 grams) Oreos cookie crumbs (about 26 reg. Oreo)s
• To 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• ½ tsp. kosher salt

Filling:

• 3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temp
• 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder (I use jet black cocoa)
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp espresso powder
• 4 large eggs, room temp
• 6 oz. 60 cacao bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

(Note: I never bake the crust first. I put the crust in and pour the filling over it. Nor do I line my spring for pan with parchment paper or wrap sides with foil. I just put in the oven bag. Also - i start with cold cream cheese and make the whole thing in a food processor. Because I am one helluva lazy baker)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly spray a 9-inch spring form pan with baking spray with flour. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Wrap bottom and sides of pan in a large sheet of heavy-duty foil

For crust: In a large bowl, whisk together cookie crumbs, 5 Tbsp melted butter and salt until combined; add remaining 1 Tbsp butter if needed to moisten crumbs. Press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. (Mixture may appear crumbly but should hold together when pressed into pan.)

Bake until crust is fragrant and set, 5 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325 F. and position oven rack in bottom third of oven.

Place spring form pan in a large oven bag, tucking ends so bag is flush with top edge of pan.

For filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth. Add sugar, cream, cocoa, vanilla, and espresso powder, and beat until smooth and no lumps remain. Stopping to scrape whisk and bottom and sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition and stopping to scrape bottom and sides of bowl. With mixer on ow speed, gradually add melted chocolate, beating until just combined and stopping to scrape bottom and sides of bowl. Spread filling into prepared crust.

Place wrapped spring form pan in a large roasting pan. Place roasting pan in oven and add hot water to roasting pan to come 1 inch up sides of spring form pan.

Bake until edges are set but center is slightly jiggly and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 150 F to 155 F, 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes. Carefully removed cheesecake from water bath and let cool completely in pan on a wire rack, 1.5 to 2 hours. (Carefully removed bag and foil once pan is cool enough to handle.)

Refrigerate in Pan on a wire rack overnight, loosely covering with foil only when completely cool to prevent condensation from forming on cheesecake.



To serve, run a think, sharp knife around sides of pan to loosen cheesecake;; remove sides of pan. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

oh wowwww. Be still, my beating arteries.
Thank you!

Maria, thank you but the closest COSTCO is 2 hours away in South Carolina. But west Asheville will get one within the next 2 years. Apparently they have rigid requirements for store locations (near highway exit; flat land, sizable lot). Turns out our hometown NC grocery store (Ingles) had been buying up the available lots for years. Not building anything on them…just not letting COSTCO build there.

marilynfl said:

Maria, thank you but the closest COSTCO is 2 hours away in South Carolina. But west Asheville will get one within the next 2 years. Apparently they have rigid requirements for store locations (near highway exit; flat land, sizable lot). Turns out our hometown NC grocery store (Ingles) had been buying up the available lots for years. Not building anything on them…just not letting COSTCO build there.

Click to expand...

We have the opposite problem w Costco. They are shoving one in a nearby neighborhood many of us are fighting. Trying to use their criteria you mentioned against them because the location meets none of that. I feel so bad for those houses right across the back street. It’s going to be 2 stories, plus a parking lot on top. Replacing a drug store in a small strip mall. It’s filling not just where the drugstore was, but also the huge back parking lot W only 5 ft from that quite street w houses. All those top parking lot lights will shine in their homes. They are also blocking access from that street into mall except for Costco trucks. Forcing everyone to go in/out one entrance (4 stoplight around corner) to everything. I wouldn’t care but it’s right next to Trader Joe’s and will eliminate most of that parking. It’s going to be a nightmare as it’s already bad traffic, and they are also putting up 4, 12 story condos and Whole Foods across the street. This in a neighborhood of quite single story homes. We tried to fight both projects, but the city is ignoring us. The kicker is it will be a smaller than average Costco, so won’t carry everything other stores have.