Have you ever gone to make a recipe and realized that you didn’t have one of the ingredients you needed? Having a substitute handy is always a good thing! There are many foods that are so similar that they can be considered substitutes for traditional ingredients. However, this does not mean that they are the same thing! Cream cheese and mascarpone are two foods that may look and feel similar ways, but aren’t the same thing. We explain the differences between them and what makes them work together below!
Ingredients
If you put a bit of cream cheese and mascarpone side by side, they may look almost identical. However, there are a few distinguishing features that make cream cheese and mascarpone different from each other. It all boils down to what each spread is made out of. Cream cheese’s base ingredient is whole milk, while mascarpone’s base ingredient is heavy cream. This gives cream cheese a more acidic taste than mascarpone, but a very roughly similar texture and look.
Fat Content
Based on the ingredient makeup of cream cheese and mascarpone, it should be pretty easy to tell which one is healthier for you. If you aren’t sure, however, take a look at the fat content of each spread! Cream cheese has a fat content of at least 30%, but it can get as high as 40%, depending on what brand you buy. Mascarpone is much higher in fat content than that, as it averages out to around 60-70% fat! Mascarpone has a richer and creamier texture as a result, while cream cheese is more rigid.
Origins
You may have been thinking throughout this piece that mascarpone is a fattier knockoff of cream cheese. However, you have the roles reversed – mascarpone actually came first! It was first introduced in Italy in the 16th century, rising to prominence and popularity in the north before moving internationally. Cream cheese didn’t become a staple until almost 300 years later when it was introduced in the United States. While they are a similar spread, they are three centuries apart in origin!
Mascarpone at AquaPazza
Mascarpone has many uses on the AquaPazza menu – from our appetizers to our desserts! We’re home of some of the best seafood in the Boston area, with plenty of options to choose from plus our very own oyster bar. To satisfy your seafood cravings and try some mascarpone for yourself, click here to make a reservation with us!
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