Mascar-what?

May 31, 2005 2:54 PM

CookingFilter: I want to make tiramisu for the first time ever. I've got a recipe, but it calls for mascarpone...

I don't know where to find mascarpone here in Fort Worth, ordering it is tremendously expensive, and making my own is right out, since I don't have a double boiler and I'm fairly certain I'd manage to mess that up anyway.

I have exercised my Google-Fu and found many different substitution possibilities, but I want to know if anyone here has found a really great substitution for mascarpone that won't compromise the yumminess of my tiramisu too much. Is there a "mascarfauxne" that really is head and shoulders above the rest?

posted by angeline to Food & Drink (13 answers total)

Ricotta cheese blended with a dash of vanilla extract and some confectioners sugar (to taste) will do the trick in a pinch. Cream cheese is a bit too thick.
posted by macadamiaranch at 2:56 PM on May 31, 2005

I'm not familiar with the grocery store chains in your area, but where I live, the big chains have mascarpone in with the "good " cheeses. Otherwise, the ricotta w/ vanilla route sounds like it'd work if you can't find it.
posted by bucko at 3:11 PM on May 31, 2005

have you checked your local whole foods? they've got it around here.

i've had some luck substituting either ricotta or cream cheese, whipped with a bit of cream (i've used both sour cream and regular cream), but i've never added vanilla extract or sugar to either, particularly not when using sour cream to bring the cheese to the right consistency.
posted by crush-onastick at 3:13 PM on May 31, 2005

I'd be willing to bet Central Market has it. Call 'em and ask.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 3:25 PM on May 31, 2005

angeline, did you try Central Market at Hulen and I-30? They have a recipe for tiramisu, so chances are they would have the mascarpone.

On preview: curse you and your fleet fingers, monju_bosatsu.
posted by joaquim at 3:30 PM on May 31, 2005

If you still can't find it at Central Market, I've also had good luck using ricotta blended with a smidge of cream. Sugar/vanilla to your taste (or not at all).
posted by scody at 3:33 PM on May 31, 2005

There is definitely mascarpone in Fort Worth. Call a few of the places above if you want to make good tiramisu. My chain grocery in Durham NC (Kroger's - not a deluxe/gourmet place) even carries it. I'm sure the ricotta and cream would work in a pinch, but call a few of the places. It's not always in the obvious place - mine's in the section with pasta sauces and fresh pasta in the fridge cases, not with the cheeses or dairy. Whole Foods would likely have it as well.
posted by fionab at 3:37 PM on May 31, 2005

If you're on the side of town that's significantly closer to one of the swanky Signature Kroger or Tom Thumb Flagship Stores you can probably try there before Central Market.
posted by Lyn Never at 3:42 PM on May 31, 2005

Long ago I came across the marscapone-less "Our Favorite Tiramisu" over at epicurious when I found myself in a similar boat. I'll gratiuitiously self-link to my working version of the same with the raw egg safety note since, damn, the title is appropriate and all.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 3:50 PM on May 31, 2005

Response by poster: The swanky Tom Thumbs and Signature Krogers are near where I work, so I might check there if Central Market doesn't pan out.

I'm quite ashamed I didn't think of Central Market or Whole Foods, both stores I adore and live very near. Then again, I'm not from here, I don't generally shop at either of them regularly, and heaven knows I'm not usually on a mascarpone hunt.

Thanks to everyone, I really appreciate it!
posted by angeline at 4:35 PM on May 31, 2005

A dallas friend of mine says that HEB Central Mart will have it.
posted by mosch at 5:38 PM on May 31, 2005

A faux mascarpone comment... I've made a lot of tiramisu over the past few years, and I HATE how much mascarpone costs. It's the reason why I don't make it more often. With that in mind though, I always slip a piece or two to a friend of my wife's who is a full-blooded goomba Italian type to get his "read" on how authentic it is.

He's always never been fooled with the faux mascarpone that I've tried to slip past him, although I've gotten away a few times with half genuine mascarpone and half faux mascarpone.

If you can find genuine imported Italian mascarpone, I think you'll get a bit better result, but don't pay a bunch more for it over the domestic. Here in the heartland, it's all really expensive ($12-$14 per pound) so the cost difference between domestic and imported isn't much.

If you are making faux mascarpone, I'd stick with the sour cream and/or heavy cream method and leave out the sugar and vanilla. Real mascarpone isn't sweet or vanilla-ish, so those are ingredients that should already be compensated for in your recipe.

One last "if"... if you are looking for a true tiramisu taste, I hope your recipe calls for sweet marsala wine. I ended up sticking with a recipe with marsala because it had a very distinctive taste that blends very nicely with the sweetened espresso dipped ladyfingers.
posted by ensign_ricky at 5:41 PM on May 31, 2005

Response by poster: Thanks to all! I ended up going to Central Market and picking up imported Italian Mascarpone - a bit over a pound for $10.99, I thought it was reasonable, since the American stuff would have been $10 for just about a pound.

The experimental dry run Tiramisu came out so delicious, even I ate it, and I normally hate the stuff. I went back for seconds.

So thank you to everyone for all of your help! This is going to be for my boyfriend's birthday next week, and you guys are helping me do it up right.
posted by angeline at 8:35 AM on June 3, 2005