Mascarpone cheese is a soft, creamy Italian cheese with a subtly sweet flavor, often used in casseroles, sauces or desserts, such as tiramisu. Though desired for its flavor and texture, it can be expensive and is high in fat, calories and cholesterol.ow-fat cottage cheese can be substituted for mascarpone cheese in dishes in which the texture of the cheese need not be identical to the original recipe. While cottage cheese is moist and mild in flavor, it lacks mascarpone's custard-like consistency.