I just cant find the mascarpone cheese anywhere. I have to make a Tiramisu cake. Does anyone know a good substitution for the mascarpone cheese!!
Thanks!
Linda
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You can substitute ricotta for mascarpone. I use them interchangibly in cannolis and Italian cheesecake (ricotta pie). I think you'll get better results than with cream cheese. Just whip your ricotta in your mixer for a couple of minutes & you'll get almost exactly the consistency of mascarpone with a very close flavor match. If you do go with cream cheese, you'll want to add 3-4 tbsp. of heavy cream to each package of cream cheese and mix it up really well in order to get the right consistency.
In our grocery store, the mascarpone is in the specialty cheese case in the deli, not with the cheese in the dairy section. You might want to give your grocer's deli a call and see if they have it. It is more expensive than ricotta, which is another reason why I'll interchange the two! Good luck!
Bec
You can substitute ricotta for mascarpone. I use them interchangibly in cannolis and Italian cheesecake (ricotta pie). I think you'll get better results than with cream cheese. Just whip your ricotta in your mixer for a couple of minutes & you'll get almost exactly the consistency of mascarpone with a very close flavor match. If you do go with cream cheese, you'll want to add 3-4 tbsp. of heavy cream to each package of cream cheese and mix it up really well in order to get the right consistency.
In our grocery store, the mascarpone is in the specialty cheese case in the deli, not with the cheese in the dairy section. You might want to give your grocer's deli a call and see if they have it. It is more expensive than ricotta, which is another reason why I'll interchange the two! Good luck!
Bec
Wait!!! Ricotta is nothing like marscapone. The closest thing you can substitute is cream cheese with sour cream added and beaten in.
Go to this website, you'll learn about Marscarpone cheese and how to substitute.
http://www.heavenlytiramisu.com/mascarpo.htm
I did a google search for "mascarpone cheese substitution" to see what others thought. There were several pages. This excerpt is from the first page to pop up (http://www.heavenlytiramisu.com/mascarpo.htm):
How To Substitute For Mascarpone
Sometimes, it's a lot easier just to substitute. Tiramisu creators have used ricotta or cottage cheese as successful substitutes by whipping the cheese until it is smooth.
Other sources have created their own substitutions. In the Epicurean Chef's Forum, "Kim" posted the following: "I found a substitution that worked okay is 8 ounces of softened cream cheese, plus 3 tablespoons of sour cream, plus 2 tablespoons of heavy cream (liquid, not whipped).
In "The Cook's Thesaurus," the following are suggested: (1) Blend 8 ounces softened cream cheese with 1/4 cup whipping cream, or (2) blend 8 ounces softened cream cheese with 1 tablespoon cream or butter or milk, or (3) Blend 6 ounces softened cream cheese with 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup cream (or Montrachet).
Looks like it's a matter of personal preference. I'll stick with the ricotta, since it always brings compliments! 
Bec
Do You have a Raleys or a Fred Myers in your area? They might have it. But I think if you were to blend some Ricotta and Cream cheese together You might get the flavor and texture your looking for.
cCc
LOOK at what I just found!! This answers your "chees" questions, and then a few more that some may be asking! Woot!
Non-Alcoholic Tiramisù Recipe
From The Best of Bugiali (Canada, UK), by Giuliano Bigiali.
Ingredients:
6 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
6 heaping tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 pound mascarpone cheese or 1/2 pound ricotta plus 1 cup heavy cream, blended very well in a food processor until a light cream forms
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
24 very crisp Italian ladyfingers
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar
2 cups strong espresso coffee, cooled
Instructions:
Bring water to a boil in the bottom of a double boiler.
Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a crockery or glass bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is completely dissolved and the egg yolks turn a lighter color. Add the milk and mix thoroughly. Transfer the egg mixture to the top part of the double boiler and insert it over the boiling water. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon, always in the same direction, until the cream is thick enough to coat the spoon, just before the mixture is about to start to boil. Absolutely do not allow the mixture to boil. Immediately remove the top part of the double boiler from the heat. Continue to stir for 1 minute longer, then transfer the crema to a crockery or glass bowl to cool, about 1 hour.
Place the mascarpone or ricotta cream mixture in the bowl of a food processor, add the cooled crema and blend very well until a very smooth and light cream forms. Refrigerate until needed.
Chop the chocolate coarsely. Place the ladyfingers in one layer in a jelly-roll pan.
Whip the heavy cream, granulated sugar and confectioners sugar in a chilled metal bowl with a wire whisk. Add the cooled crema-mascarpone and whisk very well.
Soak the ladyfingers with the cold coffee and gently transfer 12 of them to a 14-inch "trifle" bowl. Spread half of the cream on top of the ladyfingers, then sprinkle on half of the chocolate. Make one more layer with the remaining ingredients, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Yield: Serves 12
I always use ricotta cheese beaten for about 1.5 minutes in my KA. Marscapone is hard to find and it's expensive. Try it and you won't be disappointed with the results! 
Thank you so much Ladies!! You are all the best.
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