New Cheesecake with home made Marcapone Cheese

It has been quite a while since I have given you a dessert which was delicious and fun to make.  Imagine telling your guest that you made your own Mascarpone Cheese.  I guarantee they will be impressed.  The cheese recipe I am going to give you is best used for a dessert cream but the uses are endless.  

First the Cheesecake:

Lemon Cheesecake

Ingredients

• CRUST:
• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3/4 cup finely chopped nuts
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• FILLING:
• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• TOPPING:
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or lemon extract

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine crumbs, nuts and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 10-in. springform pan; set aside. in a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, beating on low speed just until combined. Add lemon juice, peel and vanilla; beat just until blended. Pour into crust.
2. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from the oven; let stand for 5 minutes. 
3. **Combine topping ingredients; spread over filling. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cutting.

**I used the sour cream topping but did not put it back in the oven so I could decorate the top with raspberries.  I served with the homemade Mascarpone Cream below.

 First you need to make the substitute Mascarpone Cheese...
 

Mascarpone substitute Cheese

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, cream and butter until well blended. Use in place of mascarpone in any recipe.

Then you make the cream...

 

Mascarpone Crème

2 cups mascarpone cheese

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

1.      Beat mascarpone and sugar on medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk until combined. Add cream; beat until stiff.

This seems like a lot of work but boy is it worth it.  

Enjoy and let me know how you like it.

Brenda