(Something like) tiramisu, version 2
November 19, 2009 • Hello. I am currently out of the country and unable to respond to comments and e-mails. Rest assured, however, that future posts have been scheduled so new recipes will go live almost everyday during my absence. I'll be back soon with lots of stories and photos. Ciao for now! ~ ConnieAs far as I can recall, it was at Gene Gonzalez’ The Smiling Chef where I tasted my first tiramisu, oh, around twelve years ago. Along with the crostata di ricotta, the tiramisu was my favorite cake from The Smiling Chef.
It was from Biba Caggiano’s now defunct TV cooking show Biba’s Italian Kitchen that I saw the first actual demonstration of tiramisu-making. At the time, mascarpone cheese was as alien to me as the atmosphere of Mars. But, all through the years, I remember that she distinctly said, “Please do not substitute cream cheese for the mascarpone.” Yesterday, I found out why.
The first time I tried making tiramisu, I was happy with the way it tasted but not too happy with the way it looked. I used a combination of mascarpone and cream cheeses and the custard part was great, except that there was too little of it. Substituting mamon tostado for the lady fingers would have worked fine were it not for the fact that the mamon tostado I bought were too thick. My, bad, but there was no way I could have found that out from through the sealed tin.
Yesterday, because there was no mascarpone, I made the tiramisu using two blocks of cream cheese. It looked perfect. But it was too salty. So, I guess there’s going to be a tiramisu, version 3 sometime in the near future where I will apply the lessons I have learned so far: 1) Mamon tostado tastes better than lady fingers; 2) The mamon tostado should not be more than half an inch thick; 3) The mamon tostado should only be lightly dipped in espresso; 4) An all-cream cheese tiramisu is too salty.
Nevertheless, because I did not mess up the procedure this time, I will show you how I made my perfect-looking but a tad too salty tiramisu.
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hi connie, tiramisu looks great!
what’s the diff bet mascarpone & cream cheese? where do you buy mascarpone? parang wala akong nakikita sa grocery.
more power & more blogs! thanks
Hi Leah. Mascarpone comes in tubs similar to the container of cottage cheese. It’s also white but softer and milder. Not as salty as cream cheese. My husband buys mascarpone at the Pioneer Center in Mandaluyong.
Try adding whipped cream to cream cheese to lighten it. I read somewhere that the mixture is a good substitute for mascarpone.
am now “living” for the moment at mascarpone land hehe
hello from italia sassy…add a dash of liquer yum yum
eva, oh ok, that is a great idea. thanks.
Hi Sha.
you never keep still, do you? In France one day, Italy the next LOL Have fun!
hey, just wanted to share how I substitute mascarpone when I dont have it. I usually add 1/4 cup of cream to a cup of cream cheese, and add a tablespoon or two of butter. Of course, it’s always best to use the real thing, but my mom couldn’t tell the difference. Mas mura na, walang hassle pa, grocery lang punta.
Tulip, thank you! Wow, that’s a life saver. Ka hirap maghanap ng mascarpone, mahal pa!
Hi Sassy,
There is also a constant supply of mascarpone in specialty delis like Santi’s or Galileo in Mandaluyong. I love tiramisu, too!
Ang layo, Mik.
Saddest part is that during the rare times I go to Santi’s, I really can’t buy mascarpone in bulk because of the expiration dates. Gosh, I miss Santi’s — the only place where I can buy frozen puff pastry dough.
hi connie,
I passed by Santi’s just this afternoon from NLRC, and thought of buying the tiramisu ingredients there. Maybe next time.
With the tips given here, not having mascarpone won’t stop me from making tiramisu after all.
hi connie!
gusto kong i-try ang tiramisu, kaya lang mukhang walang lady finger dito even mamon tostado, any suggestion for replacemnt for the two…….
regards…
jherry
yah, lemon, mascarpone is too expensive.
jherry, you can bake your own sponge cake and use that as a base.
wow ms connie… this is really a great site… i want to make tiramisu talaga… kaya lang the “mascarpone thing” alway prevented me… now makakagawa na ko with all the tips/subs that i got here… thanks po sa lahat… happy baking!!!
Hmm Tiramisu!!! The first thing I ever learn here in Italy, I hated the smell of olive oil, vinegar and coffee and pizza, but not tiramisu. Here are some tips na natutunan ko dito sa Italia on tiramisu:
Lady fingers? do it yourself
ingridients: lingua di gatto
100 gr. all purpose flour
3 eggwhites
100gr. butter
100gr. powdered sugar vailla flavouring
In a mixing bowl mix the soften butter and sugar, add vaniglia, add altenatetively flour and egg whites. Mix weel. With a piping bag, pipe the mixture on a baking shit and bake for 5 minutes 220°c.
Mascarpone cream cheese:
500 gr. mascarpone, 5 egg yolks, 5 egg whites, 5 tbsp sugar.
Beat egg whites untill stiff, in another bowl beat the yolk and sugar antil frothy, add mascapone, with a spatula add the egg whites arrage.
another version is kung ayaw mo ng raw egg is to do a english custard using 1/2 liter of fresh milk, 2 eggs, 3 tbps fllour, 5 tbps sugar. Boil 1/4 liter milk, meanwhile beat the eggs, sugar and flour then add the remaining milk, remove milk from fire and add the mixture stirring, cook the mixture over low heat stirring constantly until thick. Let cool then add the mascarpone. You can hardly taste the difference.
Another version is beat 500 grms mascarpone until soft and creamy and then add condense milk. arrange.
Or kung wala talagang mascarpone try whipped cream condensed milk mixture.