Actual Tiramisu is made with an egg yolk-enriched mascarpone cheese. However, I ordered some, and it seemed to be some cake with a bunch of whipped cream. My fears were confirmed in looking at another restaurant's menu with the English translation where it mentioned whipped cream. Is this now a common cheap trick hoping tourists won't notice the difference?
Posted by
TX, USA
4854 posts
In reading your recent posts, you seem to be having a heck of a time on this trip. I sure hope you are having some fun moments in between all the hard stuff and just aren’t talking about those.
Posted by
Firenze, Italy
1709 posts
As mascarpone is quite fat, at home we make tiramisu with a good ricotta cheese, it is easier on calories and most people are challenged to taste the difference, if any. Actually most people ask my wife to prepare it again.
You are right that a restaurant should stick to the classic recipe. However, making a fast price check with my supermarket offers, using 200 grams of ricotta instead of mascarpone comes to be 73 cents cheaper, probably a little less if you are a professional and VAT is transferred to the customer. I believe it is more a question of making things easier to the kitchen brigade, mascarpone has not many uses but tiramisu.
Posted by
Bend, OR
1053 posts
In the last 3 weeks of Northern Italy, I’ve had Tiramisu, a favorite, probably 5 different ways. No restaurant has made it the same but that should be expected as each chef has their own variation. Kind of boring if it was always exactly the same. If you want to have the classic recipe, then its an adventure to seek it out.
Posted by
482 posts
Unbelievably, I had fantastic tiramisu at the McDonald’s in Milan, near the cathedral, you never know Brad
Posted by
georgetown, KY, USA
114 posts
We had crazy different experiences with tiramisù on our last trip to Italy. One restaurant actually served it in the same grocery store plastic cup that it came in and it was still frozen in the center. After that we started asking how it was made and only ordered if made in house (fatto in casa) and sliced from a pan (not in a bowl).