Cream Cheese with Sugar and Rum (Lombardy)

Desserts

Ingredients

Fresh mascarpone cheese - 1 pound

Granulated sugar- 1/2 cup

Egg yolks- 4

Rum- 1/2 cup

Plain cookies- 4-6

Mascarpone is a very soft Italian cheese made in the winter from cow's milk in Lombardy and Tuscany. It is somewhat like Devonshire clotted cream and is sold in little muslin bags, each cheese weighting about 1/4 pound. It is eaten with fruit, such as strawberries and raspberries, or sprinkled with cinnamon. Sometimes, lemon juice is added or it is beaten up with rum and eggs and sweetened as in the following recipe. Like ricotta cheese, mascarpone is sometimes smoked.

Mix the cheese and sugar together and add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating constantly. Add the rum (brandy may be used instead if preferred). Fold in the egg whites, scoop the mixture into individual glasses and chill for several hours. Serve with plain cookies.

Serves 4 to 6.