Difference between ricotta and mascarpone What kind of curd cheese to use for the cream? Difference between mascarpone and ricotta

We continue to review the dishes and products that are not the most familiar for our Ural places. We have already talked about "soy meat" tempo, Sri Lankan coconut salad with tropical greens gotukola, tried to cook falafel and raw vinaigrette, learned the difference between cheesecake and tiramisu. Today we will talk about ricotta cheese (although technically it is not really cheese). We will learn about what it is, what can be prepared from it and what to replace without much loss.

Re-cooked

Ricotta is a traditional Italian dairy product. It is often called cheese, but this is not entirely true. The fact is that ricotta is not made from milk, but from whey that remains after the preparation of mozzarella or other cheeses. Actually, the word ricotta itself is translated from Italian as “re-cooked”.

The slightly salty taste of ricotta remarkably sets off the sweetness of desserts, making them especially expressive, - said pastry chef of the Chelyabinsk vegetarian cafe Maria Medvedevskaya... - It has a smoother, more delicate texture than our traditional cottage cheese, which allows ricotta to be used in making light creams for cakes and mini-muffins. And if you mix it with spicy herbs and spread on warm toast, you get a wonderful addition to breakfast.

According to our expert, domestic cheese makers have already learned how to make this overseas product, so ricotta is quite affordable. You can find it in the cheese section of almost any supermarket.

A worthy replacement

If you need ricotta for cooking and you don't have it, you can use other ingredients. For example, 20% sour cream, but specially prepared.

Sour cream should be placed in a clean linen bag, put in a colander and left for 8 hours in the refrigerator, - Maria Medvedevskaya shared her way. - Sour cream is a good substitute for ricotta when you need to prepare sauces for vegetables, crackers and chips. You can add herbs, spices, and other foods to enhance the flavor of the sour cream sauce. Also, sour cream will make an excellent topping (watering) for cookies, cakes, baked potatoes.

If for some reason you do not consume dairy products, you can use tofu cheese instead of ricotta. Only first you need to squeeze it out a little, then beat it with a blender so that its consistency becomes similar to ricotta. Tofu is good as a filling for lasagna, pasta, baked goods or ravioli. Tofu is high in protein but low in fat and carbohydrates, making it preferable to regular cheese.

Cottage cheese is also considered a healthier alternative to ricotta as it is lower in fat and calories. This is a good substitute for lasagna fillings and other dishes that require mild cheese. But before using it, like tofu, it should be squeezed out to get rid of excess whey.

Goat cheese. It is also suitable for those who, for some reason, do not consume cow's milk. Goat cheese serves as a substitute for ricotta in fresh fruit salads or as a filling for desserts. It is important that it is fresh goat cheese. The old one is not good because of the harsher taste.

Mascarpone. Italian "brother" of ricotta. This creamy product is made using citric acid, acetic acid and tartaric acid. Unlike ricotta, mascarpone has a more astringent taste and is also much more fatty. It is better to use it in dishes that contain highly aromatic foods, such as garlic. Before use, mascarpone can be lightly whipped with a blender.

Cream cheese. It is a good substitute for ricotta thanks to its soft, creamy texture. It is good to use it when preparing lasagna, cheesecakes, various desserts. It is especially tasty with nut bread.

A few more tips for replacing. You can pre-add spices and herbs to cheeses, then they will become more piquant. And adding yogurt to it will make the cheese taste more delicious and give it a creamy texture.

Dessert in a glass

Ricotta is a popular ingredient in many desserts. For their preparation, this product is usually whipped into a soft mass. In Italy, ricotta is part of cannoli, a Sicilian dessert, which is a crispy waffle tube filled with mascarpone cheese, whipped cottage cheese or ricotta with the addition of various syrups (usually vanilla or chocolate), strong dessert wine or rose water. Also, with the addition of ricotta, they make chocolate cakes, salty pies, traditional Neapolitan pastries, some varieties of lasagna and ravioli (something like our dumplings).

All of these are very tasty, but also quite difficult to prepare dishes. We offer a simpler version of the dessert. To prepare it, we need a tall glass, as well as the following ingredients:

Sour cream (20%) - 230 g,
ricotta - 40 g,
icing sugar - 75 g,
cracker - 80 g,
raspberry jam - 100 g,
fresh mint - 100 g.

First, chop the mint leaves into small pieces and stir in the raspberry jam. In another container, combine sour cream and ricotta and whisk the mixture until smooth. Sift the icing sugar through a sieve onto the sour cream-cheese mixture and mix.

We treat the cracker mercilessly: we chop it into small pieces. For this dessert, you can choose any cookie option (but not salty). The main thing is that it is crispy and crumbly. Small fish-shaped cookies are also good.

We will put the ingredients in a glass one by one. Ideally, it should be transparent. Then all the beauty of this multi-layered dessert will be visible. But, in fact, any container with high vertical walls will do.

Lay out the mercilessly crumbled cracker in the first layer. Pour the mint jam with the second layer, letting it drain through the cookies. The third layer is sour cream with ricotta. Then we repeat the steps in the same sequence. If the glass is not very high (with a volume of about 200-250 ml), then two "layouts" will be enough.

You don't need to stir anything. Just let the dessert stand for a while so the cookies are soaked in the jam and soften, and enjoy.

Bon Appetit!

There are a huge number of varieties of cheese in the world. A separate line is made up of cottage cheese and creamy varieties, which are distinguished by special softness and tenderness. These include ricotta and mascarpone cheeses, which are present on the menu of any French and Italian restaurant. Experienced chefs are familiar with these products firsthand, which cannot be said about the average Russian. Cheese of this category belongs to the category of delicacies, which not everyone dares to try. Let's talk about them in more detail and give a detailed answer to the question of how ricotta differs from mascarpone.

Definitions

Ricotta- a dairy product of Italian origin. It is often referred to as cheese, but this name is not entirely fair. The fact is that ricotta is not made from milk, but from whey that remains after the production of mozzarella. That is, the protein base in this case is not casein, as in all cheeses, but albumin. The product has a sweetish taste with salty notes, which are achieved through the use of sea water. Initially, the ready-made ricotta was placed in baskets of willow twigs, due to which bizarre patterns formed on the surface of the cheese. Today, it is separated from the liquid and packaged in tapered plastic forms. It is worth noting that ricotta whey is obtained from the milk of cows, sheep, goats and even buffaloes. This cheese is a traditional product of the southern regions of Italy.

Mascarpone- Italian cream cheese. It is believed that they began to cook it at the end of the 16th century. In taste and consistency, this product resembles soft butter. The cheese recipe is surprisingly simple. Heavy cream is heated in a water bath with citric acid and wine vinegar, and then left in a cold place until thickened. The finished mass is transferred to bags to get rid of excess liquid, after which it is packaged in plastic jars. Mascarpone is considered a relative of cottage cheese. It has a pronounced creamy taste with sweet notes, indicating a high lactose content. Thanks to its creamy consistency, it is ideal for making desserts and sauces. It can be an excellent base for sandwiches. It is worth noting that the name "cheese" is also used very conditionally for this product, because in the process of its preparation, coagulation occurs without the participation of lactic acid cultures and enzymes.

Comparison

To begin with, let's say a few words about the intricacies of manufacturing the products in question. As can be seen from the description, the raw material for producing ricotta is whey left over from the production of other cheeses. Sea water is also added to it, which gives the delicacy a salty taste. In terms of consistency, ricotta is a fairly hard crumbling mass that looks like cottage cheese. If the jar with the product is turned upside down, a flat cone-shaped slide will remain on the plate. This type of cheese is most often used in vegetable salads and hot dishes (pizza, lasagne). To obtain original flavoring shades, it is subjected to various kinds of processing, be it baking or smoking. Being a low-calorie product, cheese contains from 8 to 24% fat.

The main difference between ricotta and mascarpone is that the latter is made from cream. It has a delicate creamy consistency, which makes it perfect for spreading on bread. Due to its pronounced creamy taste with sweet notes, this cheese is used for making desserts. Perhaps the most popular of these is tiramisu. Often, mascarpone is mixed with various sweeteners and then used as a filling. This product can hardly be called light, its calorie content is about 412 kcal per 100 grams. The fat content in it can be up to 75%.

To summarize, what is the difference between ricotta and mascarpone.

Mascarpone is a very soft creamy cheese with a delicate creamy taste that resembles the best varieties of sour cream and baked milk at the same time. Some believe that the name of this product comes from "mas que bueno", which means "better than good" in Spanish.

Mascarpone is most often used in the pastry business to prepare various desserts, the most famous of which are cheesecakes and. But cheese is also used as a spicy snack, prepared by mixing mascarpone with mustard and anchovies.

Useful properties of mascarpone

The calorie content of mascarpone cheese is high: about 450 kcal per 100 g of product, so it is unlikely to be suitable for a diet. But for people who do not have any special problems with the figure, the delicacy causes the most positive taste sensations.

Like any fermented milk product, mascarpone has a number of useful properties: it contains essential amino acids, valuable micro- and macroelements, including calcium necessary for the musculoskeletal system, and a number of vitamins.

Mascarpone cheese: what can be substituted?

Unfortunately, such a wonderful product cannot always be found on sale, and the cost of this type of soft cheese is quite high. Therefore, a natural question arises, what kind of cheese can replace mascarpone?

The most similar to mascarpone in taste and quality is another national Italian dairy product - cheese made from whey. Can ricotta replace mascarpone and how? Replacement is quite possible, but it is necessary to take into account which dish the cheese is intended for. Unlike mascarpone, ricotta varieties are of different types: slightly sweet, they are quite suitable instead of mascarpone in desserts, and salty and smoked varieties can replace a similar product in snack dishes. But ricotta is also an infrequent guest in our kitchen.

Some people advise replacing mascarpone with cream cheese Bonjour, Almette or Rama.

How to replace mascarpone cheese in home cooking? A product similar in taste to the original mascarpone is easy to prepare.

How to make mascarpone at home?

Ingredients:

• heavy cream (at least 25%) - 1 liter;
• citric acid - ¼ teaspoon.

Preparation

Pour the cream into a saucepan, heat until the first bubbles appear. We dilute citric acid, adding a little water to a teaspoon of acid. Stir constantly, pour the diluted acid into the hot cream. We keep the cream on low heat until it becomes very thick.

We place a colander in a dry container, put a cotton towel folded in half on its bottom. Place the cream in a colander and wait for the whey to drain. This process usually takes about 1.5 hours. The product left in the colander is a mascarpone analog. It should be half a kilogram.

Culinary experts suggest replacing mascarpone in tiramisu cream with familiar dairy products.

Ingredients:

• eggs - 3 pcs.;
• village sour cream - 300 g;
• homemade cottage cheese - 300 g;
• biscuit cookies - 300 g;
• icing sugar - 3 tbsp. spoons;
• cocoa / powder - 4 teaspoons;
• brewed natural strong coffee - 1 glass.

Preparation

Rub the cottage cheese through a sieve, add fresh sour cream, beat the mixture thoroughly with a mixer. Beat the yolks also until they turn white. We mix all the components. Whipped whites separately, carefully pour into the mass, stirring continuously. Choosing a dish with high edges. Place cookies soaked in cooled coffee on a dish in one layer, cover with prepared cream on top, put a layer of soaked cookies again, then a layer of cream. So we spread it to the edge of the dish, sprinkle the top creamy layer with cocoa.

It is customary to eat real tiramisu with spoons, like pudding, it is not cut into pieces like a cake.

Ricotta is a cheese that is a traditional Italians' dish. The culinary experts have an unspoken rule that nothing should be thrown away. This cheese is a classic example. Whey remains during the preparation of the cheese and it is from this whey that Ricotta is made. This word means "re-cooked". By its structure, this mass is not the usual cheese for us, but all over the world this is what it is called.

This cheese is prepared from whey, which remains after the preparation of other types of cheeses. Also made from milk:

• cows;
• sheeps;
• buffalo;
• goats.

This mass is sweet in taste due to the lactose included in the composition. It has a delicate and unusual taste.

With what and how ricotta is eaten

What ingredients are best to combine ricotta with, where and how to add it correctly, not everyone knows. It is a very practical product that fits perfectly into many dishes from salads to cakes.

1. To make the sauce tender and velvety, add a couple of tablespoons of ricotta at the end of cooking.
2. Thanks to the perfect combination of cheese and eggs, ricotta will add a unique flavor to omelet or scrambled eggs.
3. It will give a pleasant taste to casseroles, both sweet and meat.
4. It will add a delicate consistency to the lasagne.
5. Good for making sandwiches. Easy to spread on bread. On top you can add herbs, fish or avocado and a delicious quick snack is ready.
6. On the festive table, you can quickly decorate a cake or cupcakes by making a light, airy ricotta cream.
7. When making pie or cake batter, add a couple of tablespoons of cheese. This will make the delicacy more airy and fluffy.
8. Delicious to use for filling in pancakes and ravioli.

You can combine this miracle cheese with any product: fruits, herbs, pasta, vegetables, confectionery. It is not recommended to add to dishes that contain fish or meat.

It has no contraindications, except for rare diseases of lactose intolerance. It is not recommended to consume more than 250 grams per day.

Calorie cheese

It is a dietary product that contains a large amount of calcium and proteins. Due to its low calorie content of only 174 kcal per 100 grams, it is suitable for people who follow a healthy diet.

Ricotta cheese recipes

This cheese is well suited for cooking. Thanks to its naturally sweet taste, the amount of sugar required by the recipe is reduced.

Pasta with tomatoes and ricotta

Tasting pasta using this recipe is sure to make it your signature dish.

To make the dish tasty, the main thing is to choose the right tomatoes. They should be juicy and strong, without damage.

Ingredients:

• ricotta cheese - 400 g;
• tomatoes - 900 g;
• olive oil - 40 ml;
• onions - 4 pcs.;
• hot pepper - 2 pods;
• salt - 0.5 tsp;
• garlic - 4 cloves;
• ground black pepper - 1 tsp.

Preparation:

1. Cut the onion into medium-sized cubes.
2. Cut half of the garlic into strips. The other is to grate.
3. Peel the tomatoes and chop into large pieces.
4. Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Add garlic strips, chili and onion. Saute until the onions are translucent. If you don't like spicy food, then the pepper can be removed as soon as the onion is ready.
5. Add the tomatoes without closing the lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Place the remaining garlic and cheese in the mixture. Spice up. Salt. Simmer for three minutes.

Ricotta salad recipe

Ingredients:

• ricotta cheese - 400 g;
• chicken fillet - 5 pcs.;
• green salad - 50 g;
• water - 5 tbsp. spoons;
• wine white vinegar - 1 tbsp. spoon;
• apple - 5 pcs.;
• honey - 2 tsp;
• olive oil - 10 tbsp. spoons;
• granular mustard - 2 tbsp. spoons;
• ground black pepper
• salt.

Preparation:

1. Wash the apples, cut into quarters. Remove seeds and core. Cut into slices.
2. Prepare the dressing. To do this, mix salt, water, honey, oil, mustard, vinegar and pepper.
3. Boil the chicken fillet. Cut into thin slices.
4. Mash the ricotta with a fork to make small pieces.
5. Tear the green lettuce leaves into pieces with your hands. Transfer to a bowl.
6. Add apples.
7. Put cheese on the next layer.
8. Drizzle with the dressing.

Cheesecakes with ricotta

For lovers of ricotta and cheese cakes, this recipe is suitable. Replacing cottage cheese with cheese, you get a dish of delicate consistency and amazing taste. Prepare quickly and easily.

Ingredients:

• ricotta cheese - 500 g;
• flour - 140 g;
• sugar - 75 g;
• vanilla sugar - 1 tbsp spoon;
• egg - 2 pcs.;
• salt.

Preparation:

1. Beat eggs with salt and sugar.
2. In a bowl, combine cheese, flour and egg mixture.
3. Knead the dough. If it sticks a lot to your hands, add more flour. Leave in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
4. Roll the sausage.
5. Cut into 18 equal pieces.
6. Dip the sliced ​​round pieces in flour.
7. Fry in hot oil. It is tastier to use the olive component.
8. The cheesecakes should turn golden brown.
9. Transfer to paper towel. It will absorb the remaining fat. Put on a plate after a couple of minutes.

Ricotta cream cake

Delicious sponge cake with delicate, airy ricotta cream will decorate your holiday and surprise guests with exquisite taste.

Ingredients:

• ricotta cheese - 1 kg;
• flour - 150 g;
• milk cream - 1 liter;
• almond flakes - 100 g;
• canned tangerines - 800 g;
• sugar for cream - 300 g;
• egg - 8 pcs.;
• sugar for dough - 150 g;
• canned pineapples - 500 g

Preparation:

1. Beat the eggs with the amount of sugar for the dough.
2. Add flour. Beat with a mixer.
3. Bake a biscuit.
4. Cut into five cakes.
5. Pour the juice from the tangerine into a separate container.
6. Cut pineapples into pieces.
7. Pour sugar and cream into a separate bowl. Beat.
8. Turn on the mixer at low speed and gradually add ricotta cheese with a spoon. You should get a homogeneous mass.
9. Pour tangerine juice over each cake.
10. Smear the cake with cream, lay out the pineapples. Put the tangerines on the next missed cake. In this alternate order, collect the cake using all five cakes.
11. Cover the finished cake with cream on all sides.
12. Cover the side of the cake with almond flakes. Decorate the top of the cake with tangerines.
13. Be sure to let it soak for four hours, but it is better to leave it in the refrigerator overnight.

Lemon Honey Cheesecake

Cottage cheese adds sourness to the dish, replacing it with sweet ricotta, you get a rich, pleasant, delicate taste of the delicacy.

Ingredients:

• ricotta cheese - 680 g;
• mascarpone cheese - 450 g;
• egg - 8 pcs.;
• sugar - 280 g;
• butter - 180 g;
• biscuit cookies - 450 g;
• honey - 150 g.

Preparation:

1. Before cooking, you need to prepare a split form. Wrap it in foil in two layers on the sides. It is better to use a mold with a diameter of 28 cm.
2. Beat cookies in a food processor.
3. Melt butter in a water bath or microwave.
4. Pour over the liver and beat.
5. Spread the mass evenly over the bottom of the mold. There should be no cookies on the edges.
6. Beat Ricotta.
7. Add the sugar mascarpone cream cheese. Beat.
8. Pour in the zest and add honey. Mix.
9. Drive in the eggs. Stir all ingredients.
10. Transfer the filling into the mold.
11. Take a mold with a diameter of 30 cm, pour hot water and put a prepared container with a pie in it. The liquid should cover half of the edges of the split mold.
12. Bake in the oven for one hour.
13. When the cheesecake is done, the filling will be golden brown.
14. Leave to cool for an hour. Then put in the refrigerator for 10 hours. The filling will harden and the treat will take the desired shape, which will be easy to cut.

Neapolitan Pastier Pie

Every year the inhabitants of Naples prepare this delicious delicacy for the Easter holiday.

Ingredients:

• flour - 600 g;
• egg - 6 pcs.;
• ricotta cheese - 1000 g;
• baking powder - 2 tsp;
• sugar - 250 g;
• salt - 2 tsp;
• candied lemon - 4 tbsp. spoons;
• butter - 350 g;
• orange peel - 2 tbsp. spoons;
• ground cinnamon - 1 tsp.

Cream:

• corn starch - 2 tbsp spoons;
• egg yolk - 8 pcs.;
• milk - 500 ml;
• vanilla sugar - 2 tbsp. spoons.

Preparation:

1. Add baking powder and salt to the sifted flour.
2. Cut the cooled butter 240 g into pieces. Transfer to flour and cover with 80 g sugar.
3. Grind with your hands until bread crumbs.
4. Add 4 eggs. Stir.
5. Knead the dough for a long time, at least 10 minutes.
6. Cut the dough in half. Wrap in a bag. Leave in the cold for an hour.
7. Beat 4 egg yolks with the remaining sugar. Pour 6 tbsp. tablespoons of flour and starch. Beat.
8. Boil the milk.
9. Constantly stirring the egg mixture, pour in the milk. Put on fire, boil and stir constantly for one minute.
10. Remove from heat, add remaining butter and vanilla sugar. Cool down.
11. Beat the ricotta with the remaining sugar. Without turning off the mixer, pour in the cooled cream and 4 yolks.
12. Roll the first half of the dough into a circle so that the diameter is seven centimeters larger than the diameter of the mold. Transfer to a baking dish. The dough should cover all the bottom and edges. Chill for half an hour in the refrigerator.
13. Transfer the cream, evenly spreading over the entire surface of the dough.
14. Roll out the remaining dough. Cut into 10 strips.
15. Put the strips on the dough with a wire rack, pinching the edges. Beat the yolk and brush over the top of the pie.
16. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees. hour. Take out, cover with foil. Bake for another half hour.
17. Allow to cool completely, then leave in a cool place for two hours.

What can replace ricotta in recipes?

If you decide to cook a dish that contains ricotta, but did not find this cheese on sale, you can safely replace it with other products, such as:

1. Cottage cheese. It is not as plastic as ricotta, low in calories, and contains less fat. Squeeze it out before adding it to the dish to get rid of excess moisture.
2. Fromage blanc. This is a more expensive type of cheese that resembles yogurt in consistency.
3. Sour cream... It is an ideal substitute for ricotta when making a sauce.
4. Tofu cheese... To make it look like ricotta, it must be squeezed and whipped.
5. Buttermilk cheese. Ideal as a substitute for cheesecake and pasta fillings.
6. Goat cheese... Only freshly made cheese is suitable, old cheese cannot replace ricotta due to its sharp taste.
7. Potted cheese. It resembles cottage cheese, the same loose and soft.
8. Mascarpone. It also belongs to the Italian variety, has a denser texture. Therefore, before use, it must be whipped.
9. Cream cheese. It differs from ricotta only in fat content. This is the best replacement option.
10. Panir. The cheese is native to India and is a vegetarian product.