Not enough Cream Cheese - can I use Mascapone?

[pippop1]

Just had a huge online shopping order delivered. Was planning to make a rum and raisin cheesecake for Sat night (guests) for which I have a recipie but I've never made it before.

I was (mistakenly) delivered some Mascapone cheese and some cream cheese (both full fat) which together makes up enough grams but it's all supposed to be cream cheese.

The cheesecake is a cooked one and has a sour cream topping (which do I have).

So if I use Mascapone + Cream cheese instead of all Cream Cheese will it work?

I'd rather not trek off to buy just one ingredient if I don't need to.

I would be grateful if anyone knows the answer to this. I'm kind of inclined to risk it as they are not that different

should be fine, I would have thought.

Really, that's reassuring. They seem v similar. I reckon the rum soaked raisins will make up for it if it goes a bit soggy!

Yeah go for it, it will be fine. I have also used cottage cheese drained and squished through a sieve for cheese cake before. I think anything that is vaguely soft/mild/white cheese is fine.

The rum soaked raisins sound fab.

Don't they just. Might make few too many for the cake "by accident" and have to eat them.

Thanks Seth and Himalaya.

Yes I would def substitute- if anyhting it might even be nicer and be more 'creamy' than 'cheesey' IYSWIM.

Thanks again. I have one RL friend who might have known but then I would have had to explain that she wasn't invited to the dinner party (it's for the dessert) so I'd just be using her knowledge.

What a great thing is Mumsnet!

youget works fine aswell

Well, dear readers, I made it and both cheese mixed together and what I scraped from the bowl tasted yummy. Thanks again.

G'is the recipe, then...

OK.

Rum and Raisin Cheesecake - serves 10 to 12. Cooking time 1 hour 15 mins.

Base:
180g digestive biscuits
75g melted butter

Filling:
100g raisins
4 tablespoons white rum
900g cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
3 eggs

Topping:
100 caster suggar
450 ml sour cream
1 tablespoon rum

Method:
Oven at 170C/325F/Gas mark 3

Crush biscuits in food processor into crumbs (or by hand).
Mix melted butter into crumbs until combined.
Press crumb crust firmly into base of loose-bottomed 26cm cake tin. Chill in fridge.
Place raisins and 4 tablespoons rum (mixed tog)in dish and microwave for two mins. Leave to cool a bit.

Put cream cheese, eggs, vanilla and salt into mixer and beat together. Stir in raisins and rum.

Transfer to prepared tin and bake for 50 mins or until top is set.

Mix sour cream, sugar and extra rum and pour over cake (after the 50 mins). Return cake to oven and cook for further 15 mins. Turn off oven and allow to cool completely with oven door slightly ajar.

Decorate side of plate with grapes and icing sugar if desired.

This was in a local newspaper.

I've never made a baked cheese cake but always use half cream cheese and half mascapone for a fridge cheese cake. In fact I have a yummy vanilla and lemon one sitting in the fridge for tomorrow night.

Must resist it

Maybe it will be served in slices on beautiully decorated plates so you could "test" a slice to make sure it is really fresh?

Actually I probably could get away with it. We're having a trio of desserts so a missing slice would go unnoticed..