Sun-Kissed Strawberry Mascarpone
This delicious Sun-Kissed Strawberry Mascarpone transports you to a sunny day, filled with the ripe sweetness of summer strawberries.
It's such a delicious strawberry mascarpone frosting that brings the summer right to your table, even in the heart of winter.
The magic lies in the ingredients—specifically, freeze-dried strawberry powder, completely seedless for the purest and smoothest flavor. I revive this strawberry powder with just the right splash of warm water or lemon juice, awakening the vibrant, fresh taste of summer strawberries. It's as if these strawberries have been picked right under the summer sun, ensuring you can savor the joy of summer strawberries all year round.
For the richest strawberry taste in this frosting, let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours after you make it. This little pause gives the freeze-dried strawberries time to work their magic, making the flavor even more delicious and intense. It’s like giving your frosting a cozy, flavor-deepening nap. So, for that extra punch of berry goodness, a bit of waiting does wonders!
This frosting is perfect for filling and decorating your cakes and cupcakes, or simply indulging straight from the spoon.
I hope you love it as much as I do.
Before you start
Read the recipe completely, and make sure you have everything you need.
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Baker's Note
There are many different types of cream, distinguished primarily by their fat content. For this delicious frosting, I recommend using heavy cream with a 38% to 40% fat content. This range ensures the cream whips up beautifully and contributes additional richness to the frosting. Heavy cream may be labeled as either "heavy cream" or "heavy whipping cream." Always opt for the cream with the highest fat content within the 36% to 40% range for the best results.
Mascarpone is an exceptionally soft cheese, akin to a blend of heavy cream, sour cream, and cream cheese. It enhances the frosting's creaminess, making it irresistibly smooth and rich.
Freeze-dried strawberries can be found in the grocery store, specifically in the dried fruit aisle at Whole Foods or on Amazon. Do not use "dried strawberries" because they have a gummy texture and won't grind into a powder effectively. I prefer using organic freeze-dried strawberries for the best and most intense flavor.
Sun-Kissed Strawberry Mascarpone
- 50 grams freeze-dried strawberries, preferably organic
- 2 tablespoons pink papaya powder (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon citric acid, more to taste
- 50 grams hot boiling water or lemon juice or strawberry puree
- 150 grams mascarpone, cold
- 75 to 100 grams sugar (based on your sweetness preference)
- 500 grams heavy cream, 38 to 40% fat content, cold
Bakers Note:
- If you don’t like mascarpone replace the mascarpone with 150 grams of cold Greek yogurt with 10% fat content.
Sun-Kissed Strawberry Mascarpone
- Bakers Note: For the Sun-Kissed Strawberry Mascarpone, I use freeze-dried strawberry powder mixed with a splash of warm water or lemon juice or warm strawberry puree to really bring out that fresh summer strawberry flavor. Using the freeze-dried strawberry powder will give you a more intense strawberry flavor.
- In a small dry food processor, process 50 grams of freeze-dried strawberries until they become powdery and fine, which should take about 10 to 20 seconds. It's important to sift the strawberry powder to eliminate the seeds, or they will taste bitter. Refrain from re-processing the leftover seeds, as they can impart a bitter taste to your frosting.
- Sift the strawberry powder using a fine sieve. After sifting, you should be left with about 35 to 40 grams of superfine strawberry powder.
- Bakers Note: Although freeze-dried strawberries powder pack a punch of flavor, they don't impart much pink color to this mascarpone frosting. That's why I add pink papaya powder—a natural, tasteless powder that brings in the perfect pink hue. Feel free to skip it or opt for food coloring, but I love the subtle beauty it adds naturally.
- In a small bowl, add 1/4 teaspoon citric salt, 2 tablespoons pink papaya powder (optional), approximately 35-40 grams of superfine strawberry powder (without seeds), and place it in a small bowl. Pour 50 grams of freshly boiled water or lemon juice or warm strawberry puree over the powder. Allow it to sit briefly, then whisk to form a smooth paste. Set aside to cool down for a few minutes.
- Prepare the strawberry mascarpone mixture: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment combine 75 to 100 grams of sugar (based on your sweetness preference) 150 grams of mascarpone., 500-gram cold heavy cream, one teaspoon vanilla bean paste, and the strawberry paste.
- Start your mixer on low speed to get everything acquainted without making a mess. Then turn the mixer speed up to medium-high and let it whirl until the mix starts puffing up into something resembling fluffy pink clouds. About a minute in, detach your whisk, and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure no strawberry pockets are hiding out. Once everything's mixed well, dive back in with the mixer for another half minute or until you're greeted with the perfect pink strawberry fluffiness.
- Remove the whisk attachment , with a spatula give everything one last loving fold to make sure the frosting is uniform and dreamy. Keep the frosting in an airtight container with a locking lid for 3 to 5 days, depending on the expiration date of your cream.
- Baker’s Tip: For the richest strawberry taste in your frosting, let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours after you make it. This little pause gives the freeze-dried strawberries time to work their magic, making the flavor even more delicious and intense. It’s like giving your frosting a cozy, flavor-deepening nap. So, for that extra punch of berry goodness, a bit of waiting does wonders!
- For maximum freshness and deliciousness, the Sun-Kissed Strawberry Mascarpone keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days, depending on the expiration date of your cream.
For step-by-step pictures of how to make
→ Sun-Kissed Strawberry Mascarpone
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