Mascarpone cheese is an ingredient in tiramisu.
Mascarpone is an Italian cheese that is commonly used in tiramisu and other fancy desserts. It tastes very buttery and rich, and is wonderful simply topped with a fruit sauce. However, mascarpone cheese can be expensive or difficult to find. If you need a substitute for mascarpone, you can easily make one using easy-to-find ingredients.
Cream Cheese and Whipping Cream
To make a simple substitute for mascarpone cheese, blend together 8 oz. of softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup of whipping cream. Mix them together until the consistency is uniform, then measure out the amount you need. For the best flavor and texture, use full-fat cream cheese.
Cream Cheese, Sour Cream and Whipping Cream
Adding sour cream to the mixture gives the mascarpone substitute a tangy flavor. To make 1 1/2 cups of mascarpone cheese substitute, blend together 16 oz. of softened cream cheese, 1/3 cup of sour cream and 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream. Mix the ingredients in a food processor or by hand.
Cream Cheese and Sour Cream
Cream cheese and sour cream are readily available in supermarkets; mix the two together to make a substitute for mascarpone cheese. To make one pound of mascarpone substitute, blend 8 oz. of softened cream cheese with 8 oz. of sour cream. Use the full-fat variety of each ingredient so that the texture and consistency will be as rich as possible.
Ricotta Cheese and Cream
Ricotta is a fresh Italian cheese similar to mascarpone; however, it is much easier to find ricotta at grocery stores. To replace 16 oz. of mascarpone cheese in a recipe, mix 8 oz. of ricotta cheese with 1 cup of heavy cream in a food processor. Process the mixture until the consistency is uniform.
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