Mascarpone;
An Italian, fresh, triple crème cheese
of cows milk from the Lombardy region.
Amaretti; also from the Lombardy region of Italy and are
made mainly from apricot kernels, sugar and egg whites.
Choosing
ingredients from the same region usually makes for great recipes, why?
{ perche e cosi }
Translation; because it’s like that
I
am a big fan of Mascarpone cheese! Most
famous for its place in Tiramisu, mascarpone is so much more than just for
dessert! We use it in place of heavy
cream in soups for a rich and silky smoothness, or in place of cream cheese as
it doesn’t have that sticky feel cream cheese possesses. I throw a spoonful into my macaroni and
cheese instead of creating a béchamel and use it in vegetable gratins and
risotto.
I
discovered another Italian favorite of mine is Amaretti cookies. I am
charmed by their oh-so-european wrappers and appearance. I love the jolt of almond flavor and the dry,
crusty quality. Amaretti are also from
the Lombardy region of Italy and are made mainly from apricot kernels, sugar
and egg whites. They come packaged
occasionally as a “ball” of two separate cookies. I also purchase them in bags.
I
always keep a bag on hand for garnishing puddings or cooked fruits, a tiny
treat with a late day espresso, or even topping squash/pumpkin soups. They seem to keep forever when tightly sealed
and if perhaps they get stale…a dunk in coffee or crushed into a crust perks
them right back up!
My
favorite dessert using these Italian specialties is found under my Sicilian
Recipe Booklet! I thought I’d give you a
few photos to go along with it and create an outstanding cheesecake to share
with friends today!
CRUST;
6
ounces Amaretti Cookies, crushed into crumbs
4
Tablespoons Butter, melted
Combine
in a small dish and press into a 9 inch springform pan.
Bake
crust in a 350 degree, preheated oven for 12 minutes.
FILLING;
16
ounces cream cheese, room temperature
16
ounces Mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1
¼ cups sugar
2
teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Zest
of 1 lemon
1
teaspoon vanilla extract
4
large eggs
In
a large mixing bowl, beat cheeses and sugar until smooth. Add lemon juice, zest and vanilla, stir until
combined. With your mixer on low, add
eggs one at a time, waiting until each is incorporated before adding the next.
Pour
filling into baked crust and bake 65 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool an hour. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before
serving.
