Only if absolutely necessary, or is it possible to freeze mascarpone cheese in the freezer?

Mascarpone is a type of cheese that is popular not only in its country of origin, Italy, but also far beyond its borders.

If this product needs to be preserved for a long time, a natural question arises: is it possible to freeze mascarpone cheese?

This option is possible, but subject to a number of conditions.

Product Features

Mascarpone is a creamy type of cheese. The dry residue contains up to 75% fat, which explains its creamy plastic consistency. The product can be used for sandwiches and in the preparation of desserts.

According to the technology, they are heated to a temperature not exceeding 90°C and add tartaric acid (wine vinegar or lemon juice) to coagulate the milk protein. After heating and removing the whey, the product is self-pressed in linen fabric.

Prepared fresh cheese has a very limited shelf life. The exception is those purchased in sealed original packaging. The peculiarity of the preparation is the absence of the use of enzymes and lactic acid cultures.

Is it possible to freeze?

Like any type of cheese, mascarpone can be used fresh for food, without additional processing. But, if necessary, it can be frozen.

The freezing process itself is possible due to the high fat content of the product and high moisture content.

This allows you to freeze not only the cheese itself, but also the dishes in which it is included. For example, tiramisu, cheesecake and pasta sauce. If the freezing technology is violated, the product may lose its consistency and taste.

How long can I store in the freezer?

If you strictly follow the freezing rules, mascarpone cheese can stay in the freezer for quite a long time. Maximum time frame – up to 4 months.

It is important to take into account that the longer storage lasts, the more the cheese loses its quality and taste.

How to freeze correctly?

In order for cheese to retain its maximum quality when frozen, it is necessary to follow a number of rules. These include preparing not only the container, but also the product itself.

Preparation

The cheese must be thoroughly mixed to give it homogeneity.. If there are already lumps in it initially, it is advisable to break them up. Light steam heating can help with this. The mass will become more homogeneous, more plastic, and it will be easier to mix.

If you plan to use the cheese in the future for preparing sweet dishes (desserts), then when preparing it for freezing, you can use one interesting technique - add sugar in advance.

It is advisable to freeze a fresh product, and not one that has almost expired.

Tara

In an open container, when exposed to air, mascarpone begins to crumble and deteriorate. For freezing the choice of packaging must be especially careful.

Plastic containers with a lid and thick freezer bags that have a zipper closure are suitable.

The prepared cheese is transferred to a clean, dry container in which it will remain in the freezer. At the same time, it is important to control that there are no air pockets left in the product.

It is necessary to select containers in such a way that there is enough product in it for one use. Repeated freezing is highly undesirable.

It is not advisable to freeze mascarpone straight from the store packaging, as this will cause the whey and fat to separate. The consistency of the product will change - it will become watery, and lumps will form.

Freezing

The best option for organizing freezing is shock or quick freezing. If this option is not available, it is advisable to place the container with cheese so that it gets as much cold air as possible.

The faster freezing occurs, the fewer water crystals will form in the product., and the better it will be in quality after defrosting.

Defrosting process

To ensure that the consistency of the cheese does not suffer too much, the defrosting process should be gradual. The best way is to move the container with cheese from the freezer to the refrigerator shelf.

Depending on the volume of the product, may need to wait up to 12 hours. Thawing will take time, but the result will be better than if you speed up the process and expose it to hot air or hot water.

If a lot of liquid has formed after defrosting, it is recommended to stir and/or whisk the entire mixture. This will give the cheese a smooth consistency. But even in this case, it is better to use the defrosted product not in its pure form, but as part of baked goods and other dishes.

The thawed product should be put into use without delay, since it can no longer lie for a long time. Even though the cheese was kept fresh, its taste and consistency will still deteriorate after exposure to low temperatures.

Conclusion

Freezing mascarpone cheese is a controversial decision. If it is possible to avoid this storage method, then it is better to do so.

Only if there is an urgent need to preserve the product for several months, it can be frozen. In this case, you need to act strictly according to the algorithm.