Mascarpone
Mascarpone (, or ; ) is an Italian cream cheese coagulated by the addition of certain acidic substances such as lemon juice, vinegar or citric acid. It is recognized as a  (traditional regional food product).

Production process
After denaturation, the whey is removed without pressing or aging. Mascarpone may also be made using cream and the residual tartaric acid from the bottom or sides of barreled wine.

The traditional method is to use lemon juice at a rate of three tablespoons per pint of heated heavy cream. It is allowed to cool to room temperature, poured into a cheese cloth lined colander, set into a shallow pan or dish, and chilled for one to two days.

Origins
Mascarpone originated in the area between Lodi and Abbiategrasso, Italy, southwest of Milan, probably in the late 16th or early 17th century. The name is popularly held to derive from mascarpa, an unrelated milk product made from the whey of stracchino (a young, barely aged cheese), or from mascarpia, a word in the local dialect for ricotta.  Ricotta, unlike mascarpone, is made from milk and not cream.

Uses
Mascarpone is milky-white in color and is easy to spread. It is used in various Lombardy dishes, and is considered a specialty in the region. It is one of the main ingredients in the modern Italian dessert known as tiramisu, and is sometimes used instead of, or along with, butter or Parmesan cheese to thicken and enrich risotto. Mascarpone is also used in cheesecake recipes.