Tiramisu Recipe with Mascarpone Substitute

Tiramisu is a dessert unlike any other. It is often recreated in coffee, cocktails, and even breakfast. As you can see, it can be enjoyed in many different ways.

Today, however, I decided to go back to basics. It's been a long while since I've posted Tiramisu Cake and as delicious as it was, I felt that post needed a bit of a visual update. While I was at it, I thought it would be a clever opportunity to show you how to make Tiramisu if you don't have mascarpone on hand.

You can make a mascarpone substitute with cream cheese (or sour cream), heavy cream, and powdered sugar. I'll teach you how to make this more accessible option with ingredients you already have on hand. As a bonus, it's a more economical resolution as well. There's a lot to cover, so let's get into it!

Recipe Overview - What to Expect

One of the many reasons to love Tiramisu is the fact that it's a no-bake cake which makes it one of summer's most quintessential desserts. It is also a perfect blend of light and airy yet rich and decadent and that makes it the perfect holiday dessert too. So for these reasons, it is an evergreen recipe that will delight you no matter the occasion.

Taste and Texture

Three exquisitely creamy layers come together for a sublime result. The ladyfinger cakes get dunked into a rum-infused coffee bath and the longer the cake is left to set, the silkier these spongecake cookies become. The second layer, our mascarpone-inspired filling mimics that delicious blend of tangy-sweet cream. It's rich and dense but it's balanced out by the layers that it gets sandwiched between. Next, our whipped topping- sweet cream with a touch of vanilla and powdered sugar is the perfect finisher. Finally, a generous sprinkling of cocoa powder which I argue is essential to any Tiramisu. Its subtle bitterness is not just the finishing touch visually, but the equalizer palatably.

Some variations add chocolate chips or chopped nuts, but I prefer the harmonious layers of cream uninterrupted by anything crunchy.

Difficulty Level

Far from what I would ever call a difficult recipe, I suppose that's part of the attraction to this dessert. It's no-bake and if you are using mascarpone, then it's a very concise ingredient list. Even with our homemade mascarpone cream though, it doesn't make the recipe any more difficult, it's just one extra step added. Which brings us to our next point...

Preparation Process

You're going to need three separate stations: a bowl for the whipped cream, a bowl for homemade mascarpone, and a shallow dish for the coffee base. From there everything comes together easily. One layer of ladyfingers, a layer of mascarpone, followed by a layer of whipped cream. This recipe yields enough to fill an 11 x 8-inch baking dish.

Ingredient Checklist for this Tiramisu Recipe with Mascarpone Substitute

For the Homemade Mascarpone

• Cream cheese
  • Substitution: Sour cream is a fine substitute for cream cheese but if you're wondering which to use should you have both on hand, both will work equally. The cream cheese whips to a creamier consistency especially when used at room temperature. Naturally, sour cream has a creamier texture but will produce the same result once blended with cream and sugar.
  • Substitution 2: If you're curious about crème fraîche you can also use that in place of mascarpone. The difference between the two is that mascarpone tends to be sweeter while crème fraîche is more similar to sour cream. So you would still need to add sugar and because it can be a little runny depending on the brand, you would still need to whip it with heavy cream.
• Confectioner's sugar - powdered sugar blends better into cream which is why I prefer it over granulated sugar.
• Heavy cream - After a couple of trial runs, I've noticed that it's best practice to whip the cream cheese first with the sugar until it is smooth before adding heavy cream. Don't whip the cream separately and then fold it into the cream cheese either, otherwise you'll be left with a clumpy mixture.

For the Whipped Cream Topping

• Heavy whipping cream - Very few desserts are complete without whipped cream.
  • Substitutions: You can use nondairy whipping cream if you desire.
• Vanilla extract - A splash of vanilla just elevates freshly whipped cream.
• Confectioner's sugar - Again, I don't use granulated sugar because powdered sugar absorbs right into the cream.
• Unflavored gelatin - This is my secret for stabilizing whipped cream. To keep your cake fresher longer without the cream weeping over time and turning to liquid, I sprinkle unflavored gelatin to stiffen it.

For the Ladyfinger Layer

• Ladyfingers - These little spongecake biscuits were made to absorb which is why they're prominently used in trifles, charlottes, and of course, Tiramisu.
• Extra strong coffee - A strong black coffee or espresso blend is what you need. This part is all about the battle of potent flavors because that is what gives this cake its body.
• Dark rum - Traditionally I've always had rum in my Tiramisu cakes whether it was homemade or from the bakery. It's such a delicious flavor pairing with coffee. Again, you want dark rum but golden rum will work as well- but the flavor is deeper and the color is richer the darker the rum.
• Almond extract - Almond extract is one of the most potent extracts. A little goes a long way. I put a teaspoon in today's recipe and I could taste it competing with the rum. Delicious.
• Dark brown sugar - You need to sweeten and balance the alcohol and extract in the strong coffee so I like using brown sugar. It stays with the theme and adds just the right amount of sweetness.
• Cocoa powder - Essential to Tiramisu. You want unsweetened cocoa powder because the bitterness of the cocoa pairs nicely with the complex flavor profile.

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And that’s our Tiramisu Recipe with Mascarpone Substitute. If you enjoyed today’s recipe or have any questions or suggestions, be sure to let us know in the comments below, we always love hearing from you. Enjoy!

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