Stabilized mascarpone whipped cream with gelatin. Sturdy enough for piping designs and use as a filling for cakes without deflating. Perfect for cupcakes, cakes and tiramisu.
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This recipe came about when I was looking for a stabilized version of mascarpone whipped cream for topping off some carrot cupcakes. I found that stabilizing the frosting with gelatin made it very stable for piping and use inside cake rolls without drooping. Another benefit is that the structure is not dependent on sugar like other frostings so it has a wonderfully smooth texture and is super delicious. I've always loved the naturally sweet and slightly tangy taste of mascarpone cream on tiramisu and knew it would also be a great frosting for these carrot cupcakes I made for Bibi's second birthday party. I know you'll really love the stability and taste of this amazing frosting too!
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Delicious - uses minimal ingredients, semi-sweet, rich and creamy.
- Great texture - smooth and creamy, does not use powdered sugar.
- Stable - sturdy for piping and frosting. Won't droop when used in a cake roll.
- Minimal added sugar - great choice of frosting for the whole family.
- Multiple uses: use on desserts, fruits, pancakes, waffles, toast, cinnamon buns etc.
What is Mascarpone Cheese?
Mascarpone cheese has it's origins from Italy and is a type of triple-crème cheese known for it's soft and buttery properties, similar to cream cheese and ricotta. It is made with cream that is denatured with heat and an acid like lemon juice. A curd is formed then strained, resulting in a spreadable dense creamy cheese that is sweet and rich. It's less tangy than regular cream cheese and smoother than ricotta.
As mentioned earlier, mascarpone is a type of triple-crème cheese. To be a triple-cream, a cheese must contain a minimum of 75% butterfat fat content in the dry matter (FDM/FDB), "that is the fat present in the solids that would remain if all of the moisture was removed from the cheese, a quality achieved by adding cream to the milk before it forms curds." Source: The Cheese Professor. Because of this, it's much richer and naturally sweeter than cream cheese.
Do I Need to Stabilize this Frosting with Gelatin?
It depends on how you plan to use this frosting. Normally, the combination of both heavy cream and mascarpone will be enough to stabilize the cream for piping designs on treats that will be consumed within a short period of time. You can skip the gelatin if you are not too picky about the cream losing some of its volume or shape over time. One of the benefits for adding gelatin to this mascarpone cream is to make it extra sturdy for use in frosting and filling cakes and cake rolls without deflating, and for piping designs that will hold its shape for a longer period of time.
Do I Need a Stand Mixer to Whip Cream?
No, you don't necessarily need a stand mixer to whip cream. You can use a handheld mixer to whip cream too. In fact, you can even whip cream completely by hand! It does however take much longer and your hand might get very tired. There's a risk that the cream will become warmer making it much harder to whip than chilled cream so a handheld or stand mixer will still be more ideal.
Ingredients Needed
- Mascarpone cheese - it can usually found in the "gourmet" cheese section of the grocery store by the deli, sometimes away from where the regular cheese and yogurts are kept. The Tre Stelle brand was used in this recipe.
- Granulated sugar
- Heavy cream 36% M.F. - has a milk fat content of at least 36%. It can be substituted with whipping cream (with minimum 30% milk fat) but heavy cream will produce an even more sturdy frosting. It needs to be completely chilled before whipping or else it won't whip up.
- Vanilla extract
- Gelatin powder, unflavored - the Knox brand was used in this recipe. It can usually be found in the baking aisle by the yeast.
Is Whipping Cream and Heavy Cream the Same?
Whipped cream and heavy cream are sometimes used interchangeably in some recipes and it can usually be swapped one for another in cooking without affecting the texture too much. For whipping, however, there is a marked difference with heavy cream being more stable after whipping. Heavy cream is especially suited for this particular recipe because of it's added stability.
The main difference between whipping cream and heavy cream is their fat content. Whipping cream has milk fat content of 30-35% and is usually found at 33% in most regular grocery stores. It will usually be labelled as 33% M.F. The heavy whipped cream designation is given to cream with a minimum milk fat content of 36% and above. Even with just a small percentage change, it's whipping ability changes dramatically.
Step By Step
Refrigerate mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes. This will help the cream whip better. Place water in a heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes. Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.
Immediately start beating the mascarpone cheese and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the chilled bowl. Whip on low speed until it loosens up. Add chilled whipped cream, increase to medium and keep whipping until beater starts leaving tracks inside the cream.
Check on the gelatin. It should no longer be hot but still runny. Once the beaters leave tracks in the cream, pour the gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl.
Increase speed to medium-high. Stop beating once the cream turns stiff. Do not over whip. Use cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.
How to Use Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- Tiramisu, of course
- Piping and frosting pies, tarts, cupcakes & cakes
- On top of carrot loaves and cakes
- On top of fruit
- As a party dip since it won't deflate
- As a spread on toast or cinnamon buns
- On top of waffles & pancakes
- As a filling in cake rolls (e.g. gingerbread cake roll, Asian-style pumpkin roll, Earl Grey tea cake roll, chocolate cake roll, fancy pattern cake roll, coffee cake roll) and crepe cakes (e.g. rainbow crepe cake, matcha crepe cake).
How to Store
Mascarpone whipped cream is best used immediately after whipping for maximum volume. Even if you're not consuming the product right away, it's best to frost or pipe onto the final product first and then store the finished product accordingly. It should be left out for no longer than 2 hours at room temperature.
If not using immediately, this stabilized version of mascarpone whipped cream can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 4 days and gently re-whipped before piping or frosting. It's not recommended to freeze this frosting.
Recipe
Stabilized Mascarpone Cream with Gelatin
Stabilized mascarpone whipped cream with gelatin. Sturdy enough for piping designs and use as a filling for cakes without deflating. Perfect for cupcakes, cakes and tiramisu.
Ingredients
Stabilized Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- 115 grams mascarpone cheese
- 40 grams granulated sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream (36% M.F.), chilled
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 + ¼ teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
- 5 teaspoon water
Instructions
Stabilized Mascarpone Cream
- Refrigerate mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes. This will help the cream whip better.
- Place water in a heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes.
- Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.
- Immediately start beating the mascarpone cheese and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the chilled bowl. Whip on low speed until it loosens up.
- Add chilled cream, increase to medium and keep whipping until beater starts leaving tracks inside the cream.
- Check on the gelatin. It should no longer be hot but still runny.
- Once the beaters leave tracks in the cream, pour the gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl.
- Increase speed to medium-high. Add vanilla extract and stop whipping once the cream turns stiff. Do not over whip.
- Pipe or frost immediately.
Nutrition Information
Yield
2.5Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 735Total Fat 69gSaturated Fat 43gTrans Fat 2gUnsaturated Fat 21gCholesterol 213mgSodium 283mgCarbohydrates 25gFiber 0gSugar 25gProtein 6g
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Dania Flood says
Hi! I want to try out this recipe for a 3-tiered marble cake I want to make. Wondering if this will be enough or should I do you think I should double the recipe? Thank you!
Mimi says
How big is the cake though? 3 tiers and 3 layers are considerably different and the cake size will also affect how much frosting you need. Know that this recipe yields 2 1/2 cups of frosting. You can find some online calculators that will show you how much frosting you need depending on how big your cake is and how many layers there are.
XOXO,
Mimi
Kaj says
Will this work with cream cheese instead of mascarpone? I want to use it for cake roll.
Thanks
Mimi says
Hi Kaj,
I do have a recipe for stabilized cream cheese filling for use in a cake roll. Just take a look at these recipes for reference: bear cheesecake roll, pumpkin cheesecake roll, gingerbread cheesecake roll.
XOXO,
Mimi
Larissa says
Hi! I just love your page and the recipes you post 🙂
Will adding 1 Tbsp of mango puree change the consistency and texture of this frosting?
Mimi says
happy to hear that you enjoy my site. Adding the puree will change the consistency, whipped cream isn't particularly good at holding onto additional sauces without changing the texture. Fruit purees in particular also have acidity that might make the cream curdle. I would add both onto my dessert separately. For example, if it's cupcakes, I would make a cutout in the cake and add the puree in the depression, then add the whipped cream on top.
XOXO,
Mimi
Rose says
Hi Mimi, I was wondering if I can color this cream successfully? It's for a kid's birthday party and I'm going to make a unicorn cake. I want to color the cream in different pastel colors that I will decorate the cake with.
Mimi says
Hi Rose,
it can be used to decorate but please be aware that it's not the usual frosting of choice for unicorn cakes. Those frostings are usually sweeter/sturdier frostings like Swiss Meringue buttercream or Simple American buttercream. They can be colored and re-whipped again and again for piping designs. Here's a Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe if you need it.
XOXO,
Mimi
Rose says
Hi Mimi, thank you for your reply and information. I used this cream for the unicorn cake and it went very well. I made the unicorn cake with a light and fluffy sponge cake, so this cream was perfect for that 😍 Grettings from Rose
Mimi says
Thanks so much for coming back to let me know how it went for you! Really excited about your results! If you have Instagram, tag me with the results. I would love to see it!
XOXO,
Mimi
Laura Bennett says
I wonder if I could use flavored gelatin in this recipe.
Mimi says
Hi Laura,
The problem with flavored gelatin is the pH level in some flavors can make the whipped cream curdle. Please use unflavored.
XOXO,
Mimi