Mascarpone

Thick, yellow and creamy, with a very high fat content (40 per cent) but a distinctive, rich dairy flavour, mascarpone forms the main part of the famous tiramisu. There again, it is lovely served alone with soft fruits or in a cheesecake.

Because of its high fat content, it can be lightened by mixing it with an equal quantity of fromage frais and used as a filling for sponge cakes or as a topping for desserts. Add a small amount of sugar to sweeten the mixture and what you get is the flavour of mascarpone given a lighter texture and, if you are watching your waistline, far less guilt!

I can also recommend mascarpone spread on sweet biscuits (digestives or sweet oat biscuits) with fresh strawberry jam. Mascarpone is also brilliant for adding to sauces.