Know your ingredients: Greek yoghurt, mascarpone and crème fraîche

February 3, 2015 (Last Updated: January 11, 2019)

Greek yoghurt:

  • Greek yoghurt is traditionally strained through a cloth to separate the whey. This provides the thick consistency of the yogurt while still preserving that distinct sour tang.
  • Yoghurt strained through muslin cloth is a traditional staple among Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countires – the thicket the better.
  • Thick Greek yoghurt is fantastic for making traditional dips like tzatziki, adding to smoothies or turning into a simple dessert of creamy yoghurt, crushed pistachios and plenty of runny honey.

Mascarpone:

  • Mascarpone is a soft, unripe Italian cheese made from cream and coagulated with citric acid or lemon juice. The whey is then removed without any ageing occurring.
  • Milky white in colour, it’s soft, rich and creamy.
  • It’s used in both savoury and sweet dishes, with special preference given to dishes of the Lombardy region of Italy.
  • Mascarpone is perhaps most well known for being a key ingredient of tiramisu, a traditional Italian dessert


Crème fraîche:

  • Crème fraiche, directly translated from French, means ‘fresh cream’.
  • It’s actually a sour cream containing about 28% butterfat.
  • Soured with bacterial cultures, crème fraiche has a higher fat content than sour cream.
  • It’s delicious served with fresh strawberries or added to warm pasta to create a creamy coating.

 

Send this to a friend