Mascarpone
Thick, yellow and creamy, with a very high fat content (40 per cent) but a distinctive, rich dairy flavour, mascarpone forms the main part of the famous tiramisu. There again, it is lovely served alone with soft fruits or in a cheesecake.
Because of its high fat content, it can be lightened by mixing it with an equal quantity of fromage frais and used as a filling for sponge cakes or as a topping for desserts. Add a small amount of sugar to sweeten the mixture and what you get is the flavour of mascarpone given a lighter texture and, if you are watching your waistline, far less guilt!
I can also recommend mascarpone spread on sweet biscuits (digestives or sweet oat biscuits) with fresh strawberry jam. Mascarpone is also brilliant for adding to sauces.
Related Recipes
Serves 6 Trifle deserves to be in demand – what can beat that luscious combination of cream, custard, fruit and sponge? This version cheats with a tub of ready-made custard mixed with mascarpone, but you’d never guess!
Serves 4 Buy ready-made meringue nests (Delia's tracked down the very best bought version) and you can make this wonderful summer dessert in minutes, if not seconds - just add strawberries and mascarpone and you're done!
Serves 8 A different take on the usual strawberries and cream, but just as luscious - you can use any fruit you like for this easy cheat recipe, but passionfruit is good for cutting through the richness of the mascarpone.
Serves 8 A brilliant party dish this, as it's so easy to make - all you need is bought meringue nests and a tin of sweetened chestnut puree, one of Delia's favourite ingredients.
Serves 8 Made in moments, this trifle is a real treat for chocolate lovers. And even complete beginners can make this, as all it involves is a quick trawl round the supermarket and an assembly job.