Mascarpone Cheese Dip

This easy 2 Ingredient, creamy and luxurious 5 minute Mascarpone cheese dip needs no cooking, heating or any kind of turning the stove on. No electric appliance needed and 5 minutes is too long it's probably 4.5 minutes :)! You're going to love it and everyone around you will love it too, so give this luxurious mascarpone dip a try.

Why You Will Love This Mascarpone Cheese Dip

Easy To Make: It's quick and easy with a creamy irresistible deliciousness!

Versatile: When I first made this dip, I was honestly trying out something different because we love mascarpone cheese and use it in most dishes both sweet and savory. The results spoke for themselves and the versatility of this cheese dip allows you to make it work for you.

Few Ingredients: Although there are many dips that are quick and easy, including this cream cheese dip, the number of ingredients is a plus. You can make this 2 ingredient mascarpone cheese dip, transfer it to a bowl and serve.

Easy To Serve: Serve it in a bowl with fruit or fresh vegetables making it a quick 'last minute' appetizer. Either way, its the best cheese dip!

What Is Mascarpone Cheese?

Mascarpone cheese is a soft Italian cream cheese that's made from fresh cows milk. The fat content in mascarpone cheese is typically 60% to 75% which gives it the creamy, silky consistency.

Mascarpone originated in the Lombardy region of Italy between the 16th and 17th century. The name originated from Mascarpia which is a word for the local Italian dilect of ricotta. According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mascarpone

What does mascarpone cheese taste like? It's smooth and luxurious! It has a silky texture with a slighly sweet element making it popular for desserts.

You can use Mascarpone cheese in a number of ways, as in the Italian classic dessert, Tiramasu. The thick and smooth cream lends itself well to many sweet treats. The similarity to cream cheese, ricotta and crème fraiche makes mascarpone cheese versatile for both sweet and savory dishes.

The Difference Between Mascarpone and Ricotta Cheese

Ricotta cheese is made from whey and Mascarpone cheese is made from cream. Incase you're wondering what whey is, whey is a by-product of the cheese making process.

Ricotta and Mascarpone are both Italian cheeses but the taste and texture as well as the fat content is very different.

Ricotta has a more fluffy yet grainy rustic look and feel, similar to cream cheese and it's also more acidic. Mascarpone is smooth like cream and much easier to spread.

The fat content of mascarpone cheese is higher than the fat content in ricotta. It's approximately 10 percent whereas mascarpone has around 70 to 75 percent fat.

Italians cuisine shares many ricotta recipes like Spinach Ricotta Cannelloni and Ricotta Cheese Balls with Sauce (Polpetta di Ricotta al Sugo). Eating ricotta cheese directly from the tub is also how it's enjoyed.

How To Make Mascarpone Cheese Dip

Ingredients

Mascarpone cheese: The actual star of the show.

Sour cream: It helps that mascarpone is not as tangy as cream cheese because that's what the sour cream addds.

Olive Oil: There is no olive oil in the dip because it was not needed but a drizzle all round just adds a certain kind of  je ne sais quoi (French) which simply means 'an expression of quality' We use this extra virgin olive oil.

Spice: You can add (or not) a bold colorful spice over your mascarpone dip to brighten it up with a pop of color. This will depend on what you are serving your dip with and which mascarpone you have. The color of mascarpone cheese is white or ivory, store dependent.

Instructions

Combine: Add the two ingredients into a bowl, give it a mix into a smooth consistency and either serve it right away or refrigerate, covered, until needed.

Serve: Transfer to a serving bowl and then add any of the optional ingredients. This recipe works with just the two ingredients but you can add these optional ingredients.

Tip! Remove the mascarpone cheese out of the fridge about 10 minutes before your start the dip it makes it easier to cream together.

Optional Ingredients For This Mascarpone Dip

Seasoning: Add a pinch of salt to the recipe, taste and adjust.

Mustard:  I do sometimes add a little mustard because some people love it!

Spice:  Add a sprinkle of spice. We use this one.

Olive oil:  Drizzle with olive oil for a smooth rich texture.

Fresh herbs:  Add chopped fresh herbs for an earthy green pop.

Lemon:  A squeeze of fresh lemon brightens the flavors up beautifully!

How To Serve Mascarpone Cheese Dip

Firstly, you can serve it, as you would any dip, in the center of a platter with fruit and vegetables. You can also serve it with a range of crackers as I did in this Summer Crackers Charcuterie Board.

Make this creamy cheese dip less thick by adding a little milk or ice water, you can serve it with curry as you would yogurt.

That's the best part of making it with just 2 ingredients, it's more versatile and you have more serving options. Once you add honey to it, it becomes restricted in terms of what to serve it with.

These incredibly deliciouss Mascarpone Chicken Wraps are just another way to enjoy this Italian cheese dip.

Fruit Dip With Mascarpone Cheese

This recipe, although it also uses mascarpone cheese is an entirely different recipe. It's more sweet hence appropriately served with fruit.

Essentially it's a whipped cream being mixed with mascarpone, so although it sounds lovely, it doesn't always come out as creamy.

Personally, I enjoy the smoothness of my 2 ingredient mascarpone dip that's more savory. I find this one a bit grainy (sorry Ina Garten, I love you!).

Crushed Chocolate: Add a bit of crushed chocolate or nuts, to your fruit dip for even more pizzaz!

How To Make A 5 Minute Mascarpone Fruit Dip

An easy mascarpone fruit dip that doesn't need an electric appliance. All you need is a bowl and a spatula to smooth the creams out.

Ingredients

Mascarpone Cheese: Homemade or store-bought.

Heavy Cream: It must be heavy cream to keep the thick luxurious texture of the cheese.

Maple syrup: You can also use honey.

Using almond extract is completely optional (I love adding it to whipped cream recipes).

Salt: Salt adds structure and balance.

Method

Combine the ingredients; mascarpone cheese and thick cream first and get them nice and smooth. Add the maple syrup, salt, almond extract and you're done!

Tip: My only suggestion is to not use an electric mixer, it's very easy to overmix!

What Are The Best Fruits To Serve With This Dip

Having a platter filled with fresh seasonal fruit is always a good idea and you can use any fruit that you choose. Here are a few ideas and what you will find on my Charcuterie Fruit Platter

• Pineapple
• Grapes
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Kiwi fruit
• Melon (all types)

Where To Buy Mascarpone Cheese

You can buy mascarpone cheese in most speciality stores and commercial, just look next to their soft cheese fridge section. Italian delicatessens always stock mascarpone, Woolworths and specific spar outlets.

If you enjoy Italian Liqueurs, then be sure to add a splash to your cheese dip!

Why Add Liqueur To A Mascarpone Fruit Dip?

For the same reason that we sometimes add a little liqueurs to our Tiramasu, it's delectable! Adds a little sweetness which complements the dessert. Adding a liqueur, gives it depth and in this recipe, it certainly adds a 'wow' factor.

But, make sure you're serving it with something sweet like this fresh Charcuterie Fruit Platter

The Best Italian Liqueurs

Galliano Vanilla Fragrant and a sweet vanilla flavour.

Amaretto A sweet Italian liqueur that originated which is a low-alcohol drink making it great for family desserts.

Frangelico: An absolute classic liqueur that's golden in color and sweet in taste. This is perfect for desserts and glazes used here in my Easy Frangelico Glazed Gammon Recipe

Marashino Italian Marasca Cherry Liqueur Sweet nutty flavors and can be a little strong.

Chinotto Liqueur It may be last on this list, but my goodness it deserves all the respect for the process of making it. Slightly bitter, vanillla taste and the long hand made orange infusion, makes it absolutely fabulous!

Limoncello Is definitely the smooth and delicious classic Italian drink and not just as an  aperitif or digestif in summer. Limoncello lends itself well to many recipes as an all round refreshing liqueur. Must be chilled!

There are many more Italian liqueurs that may not be great for tiramasu or mascarpone dip but if you enjoy liqueurs, you'll love the freshness of Cynar on a hot summers day!

If you love this Mascarpone Cheese Dip recipe, Mascarpone Fruit Dip and Whipped Cream Dip, then I'm sure you will love these!

Storing Mascarpone Cheese

This mascarpone cheese dip, whether it's made with cream or without, is best served fresh. However, if you find yourself needing to store it, wrap it well and refrigerate for a day or two. The quality of the texture and flavor will not be the same.

More Fabulous Recipes

• Whipped Feta Cheese Dip
• Smoked Salmon on Crackers
• Charcuterie Fruit Platter
• Clumpy Homemade Granola
• Mascarpone Chicken Wraps

It may be best for you to see my Sauces Dressings and Dips collection for even more inspiration!

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