Vegan Mascarpone Cream｜Made with Soy Yogurt
This vegan mascarpone cheese-style cream is made by straining soy yogurt overnight. Rich, creamy, and completely dairy-free, it's perfect for vegan tiramisu and other desserts.
Equipment
- Colander or strainer
- Deep bowl deep enough to keep the strained liquid from touching the yogurt
- Paper towels sturdy paper towels work best
- Weight about 650g; stacked plates work well
- plastic wrap
- rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 400g / 14 oz unsweetened soy yogurt see Notes
- ½ teaspoon shio koji grains mashed
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tsps powdered sugar or more to taste
Instructions
Strain the Yogurt
- Place a colander over a deep bowl.
- Line the colander with two connected sheets of paper towel, leaving one sheet hanging over the edge.
- Pour in the soy yogurt and fold the overhanging paper towel over the top to cover it.400g / 14 oz unsweetened soy yogurt
- Place a weight of about 650g (1.4 lb) on top.
- Refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Ideally, continue straining until the yogurt reaches about 200–220g.
If you're concerned about fridge odours, cover with plastic wrap before adding the weight.
If you're in a hurry, you can add a little extra weight partway through straining, but too much may tear the paper towels.
Make the Mascarpone Cream
- Transfer 150g of the strained yogurt to a bowl.
- Add the shio koji, powdered sugar, and lemon juice. Mix well.
- Chill before serving to allow the flavours to meld.
Use the remaining yogurt in other recipes, enjoy it as is, or add more to adjust the flavour if desired.
Notes
- The straining time and final texture will vary depending on the soy yogurt used.
- I use Marusan unsweetened soy yogurt, made from soy milk only. In my experience, soy yogurts containing added sugar, starches, or other thickeners do not strain properly.