Mascarpone Auricchio is the fresh, ultra-creamy cow’s milk cheese produced by Gennaro Auricchio S.p.A., the historic Italian cheesemaker founded in 1877. LAPA stocks it in 500 g tubs (case of 6 = 3 kg net) in the refrigerated warehouse in Embrach (ZH) and delivers across Switzerland within 24-48 hours. A single ingredient — pasteurised cow’s milk cream — with citric acid as the only acidity regulator: no preservatives, no thickeners, no flavourings. EAN 8004603100800.
What is mascarpone, exactly
Mascarpone is a fresh cheese, but a fresh cheese in a category of its own: it is not made from milk but from cream. Pasteurised cow’s milk cream is heated to around 90 °C and acidified — traditionally with lemon juice, industrially with citric acid — so that the milk proteins coagulate while the fats stay suspended. The curd is cooled, drained and packed without ripening. The result is a velvety, spreadable cheese with around 35 % fat and the sweet, buttery flavour that makes tiramisu work.
The producer: Gennaro Auricchio since 1877
Gennaro Auricchio S.p.A. is one of the oldest names in Italian cheese. The company was founded in 1877 in San Giuseppe Vesuviano (Naples) by Gennaro Auricchio, who patented a special calf-rennet recipe for the Provolone he made famous. In the early 20th century the family moved operations to Cremona, the historic capital of Italian dairy, where the headquarters still are today (Via Dante 27). Production is now concentrated in the modern plant of Pieve San Giacomo, on the outskirts of Cremona, where around 200 people work — of which 80 are cheesemakers. The mascarpone line is marketed under the group sub-brand Giovanni Colombo, produced in the same plant.
Ingredients and label
- Ingredients: pasteurised cow’s milk cream, acidity regulator: citric acid.
- Allergens (Reg. EU 1169/2011): contains MILK and milk products.
- No preservatives, no thickeners, no flavourings, no added salt to speak of.
- Milk origin: EU (predominantly Italian).
- Country of processing: Italy — Pieve San Giacomo (CR), Lombardy.
Nutritional values (per 100 g)
Energy 355 kcal / 1463 kJ; fat 35.5 g (of which saturates 24.9 g); carbohydrates 3 g (of which sugars 3 g); protein 5.8 g; salt 0.07 g. Mascarpone is a high-fat fresh cheese: portion it accordingly in the recipe.
How chefs use it
- Tiramisu (the gold standard): the classic recipe is 500 g mascarpone + 4 eggs + 100 g sugar + 300 g savoiardi soaked in espresso + cocoa powder. The whole 500 g tub serves 8-10 portions.
- Pastry cream and frosting: 1:1 with whipped cream gives a stable, pipe-able frosting for cakes; with icing sugar gives a quick filling for choux and tartlets.
- Mantecatura for risotto: 1 tablespoon per portion at the very end of cooking, off the heat, in place of butter — lighter on the palate, more rounded.
- Creamy pasta sauces: fold 2-3 tablespoons into a pasta sauce off the heat for an instant velvety finish (carbonara variant, salmon, mushroom, gorgonzola).
- Savoury appetisers: mix with herbs, lemon zest, anchovy or smoked salmon and use as a spread for crostini and canapés.
Storage and shelf life
Keep refrigerated at 0/+4 °C, never frozen. Best-before is typically around 110 days from production; LAPA rotates the stock FIFO from the refrigerated warehouse in Embrach (ZH). Once opened, cover the tub or transfer the mascarpone to a sealed food-grade container, keep refrigerated and consume within 3 days.
Who is this product for
Italian restaurants and trattorie that serve a tiramisu they are proud of, pastry shops, bakeries with creamy fillings, gelaterie that make mascarpone-based gelato, hotels with breakfast and dessert service, school and workplace canteens, professional cooking schools, and serious home cooks who want the same fresh cheese used by Italian pastry chefs. For an even more economical option in larger formats, see the alternative mascarpone listings in the LAPA catalogue.
