How to skip Italian cheese and make tiramisu without mascarpone
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Of course, you can only try real tiramisu in Italy. However, if you can't travel abroad, you can make this delicacy at home: the recipe is no secret. You just need to know what to replace the unique Italian mascarpone cheese with.
The legend of the dessert's origin
Every famous dessert has its own origin story. Tiramisu is no exception. It is believed to have been invented in the 17th century by Italian pastry chefs commissioned to impress a high-ranking guest—a Medici duke known for his fondness for sweets.
The chefs didn't disgrace themselves and created a completely new dessert, calling it "Duke's Soup." The great gourmet was completely smitten with the exquisite taste and, when he left, took the recipe for his beloved delicacy with him.
The secret of mascarpone's uniqueness
What was it about this delicacy that so captivated the spoiled nobleman? Tiramisu, invented by skilled pastry chefs, included the delicate creamy mascarpone cheese. This amazing product was produced in the province of Lombardy.
Emerald meadows, clean air, and clear water—these were the conditions in which Lombardy's cows grazed, producing high-quality milk in return. The soft cheese was made exclusively from cream, reaching a fat content of 55%, almost approaching that of butter.
Simple alternatives
Needless to say, making a true tiramisu without the right cheese is difficult. Moreover, the cheese must be absolutely fresh. Such a rare product is certainly not found in our stores. However, there's no reason to despair and deny yourself the pleasure of enjoying this incredibly delicious dessert. After all, there's always a worthy alternative. So, what can you replace Italian mascarpone with?
Don't be alarmed—you won't need to raise a cow! The easiest option is to use rich cottage cheese mixed with cream. Incidentally, "mascherpa" means "cottage cheese" in the Lombard dialect.
Soft cream cheese like Almette or Philadelphia also makes a good substitute for mascarpone. Another option: mix a package of any cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of 35% heavy cream and 3 tablespoons of 25% sour cream and use the resulting mixture as a frosting for the dessert.
Possible options
However, there are more complex methods for producing a worthy analogue, which can allow you to experience the joys of cheesemaking. Of course, it's impossible to replicate the technological process of cheesemaking, but the achieved result is quite suitable for replacing the "Italian" cheese in tiramisu.
Option one:
- buy 1 kg of fatty sour cream (25%) at the store;
- Hang it overnight, wrapped in a canvas bag. The excess liquid will drain off, leaving a product very similar to mascarpone in its properties. It yields approximately 500 g—just enough for homemade tiramisu.
Option two:
- take 800 g of sour cream and one package of kefir;
- Mix them, add salt to taste, and hang them in a cloth bag over the sink for a couple of days. Once the product has hardened sufficiently, the homemade mascarpone is ready.
Option three:
- 1 liter of cream;
- a quarter teaspoon of citric acid.
This method of preparation is vaguely reminiscent of the traditional recipe:
- Bring the cream almost to a boil (80-90 degrees Celsius) – the first bubbles should begin to form. Dissolve the citric acid in a teaspoon of water and whisk into the hot cream.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, until the cheese has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Take another saucepan and place a colander lined with a double-folded kitchen towel over it. Pour the cream into the colander, whisking occasionally to help the whey drain.
- The process will take about an hour and a half. By the end, the mixture will resemble thick sour cream. After this, transfer the resulting product to a dry bowl and refrigerate until it reaches the desired consistency. The amount of homemade mascarpone created this way can replace 500 g of the original product.
In conclusion, it remains to be said: the absence of Italian cheese is absolutely no barrier to enjoying this exquisite dessert. Especially if you're determined to treat yourself and your family to the famous tiramisu.
