November 18, 2010: This Seattle Free School free mascarpone class was taught by the school's director, Jessica Dally.Mascarpone turns out to be an ideal cheese for folks looking to get started with basic cheese-making. It’s quick – Jessica walked us through the whole preparation process during a 1-hour lunchtime class – and it doesn’t require any special molds or equipment other than a good quality, tightly woven cheesecloth and a thermometer. Be on the lookout for this class offered by Jessica and the free school in the future! Here are some tips from the class.
Recipes also often say let it sit in the cheesecloth overnight, but Jessica noted that seems to create a denser texture (like a whipped cream cheese) that might not work for things like tiramisu.
Tartaric acid, which is the agent used to create the curds of mascarpone, can be purchased at beer and wine-making shops.
Jessica had a lot of other great tips and realistic work-arounds for the cheese. She also gave us her tiramisu recipe, which she said is a perennial hit.
If you see this class offered by the Seattle Free School, definitely check it out! It’s a great introduction to a very accessible way to start making cheese.