This is the archived version of the Milk Street website and is no longer up to date.

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This is the archived version of the Milk Street website and is no longer up to date.

Please visit 177milkstreet.com to see the current website with all of the latest recipes!

Mascarpone Mousse (Crema al Mascarpone)

4 Servings

20 minutes

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The Italian dessert known as zabaglione, a rich concoction of whipped egg yolks, sugar and sweet wine, is a classic for a reason, but it can be heavy and too sweet and/or boozy. This five-ingredient mascarpone mousse we encountered in Milan is both lighter and simpler. Unlike zabaglione, which uses only yolks and is cooked over a double boiler, the mousse, known as crema al mascarpone, uses egg whites as well, making it airy and light. It requires no cooking and comes together in minutes. Just be sure the mascarpone is softened to cool room temperature so it combines easily with the egg yolks. A hand mixer makes easy work of whipping the egg whites, but you also could use a whisk and little elbow grease. Serve the mousse as soon as it's made, or cover and refrigerate for up to 45 minutes. A dusting of cocoa adds visual appeal as well as a hint of chocolate flavor; fresh berries or crisp cookies also are excellent. Note that the eggs are not cooked.

4

Servings

Tip

Don't forget to thoroughly clean the bowl and beaters or whisk that you'll be using to whip the whites. Any residual fat will prevent the whites from attaining the proper loft.

20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2

    large eggs, separated

  • 3

    tablespoons white sugar, divided

Directions

Reviews
MICHAEL F.
April 26, 2026
High reward for little work
I served this with some fresh blackberries and strawberries. Fantastic treat for something so easy. This makes me want to have a tub of mascarpone always available in the fridge for dessert emergencies. Thank you Milk Street team.
Marge T.

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Zachary B.

Next the "dark rum" it says to see note. There is not a note. Is there something to know about the type of rum?

Lynn C.

Hi Zachary -

Good catch! That's a holdover from a previous version of the recipe that no longer applies and we've removed the parenthetical. Thanks for pointing it out to us!

Best,
The Milk Street Team


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