This mascarpone cream is the classic tiramisu cream with mascarpone and pasteurized egg yolks. Traditional tiramisu calls for the use of raw eggs, which may not be suitable for all guests. In this mascarpone cream you stabilize the egg yolks by pouring in hot syrup. This helps kill bacteria and makes raw eggs suitable even to people who otherwise would not eat them.

While I have always eaten my tiramisù with raw eggs, I have encountered more and more people who felt concerned. Most often, in comments online. The use of raw eggs in tiramisu is quite common in Italy. But even there, there are people who prefer to pasteurize their eggs for that purpose. The process is simple, and uses a technique called pâte à bombe.

If you are familiar with Italian meringue, pâte à bombe will sound quite similar. Italian meringue is the safest meringue to eat unbaked because the egg whites are pasteurized, as opposed to French meringue. In order to do that, a hot syrup is poured into the egg whites, as opposed to just sugar (as in classic French meringue). The heat of the syrup pasteurizes the egg whites. Pâte à bombe uses the same principle, but with egg yolks instead of egg whites. We’re making egg yolk cream, not meringue.

Mascarpone cream without tiramisu?

You might be wondering, what is the purpose of a mascarpone cream if we are not making tiramisu? The answer is: this cream is a delicious dessert as is, and you don’t need to be making tiramisu to enjoy some delicious tiramisu cream! In fact, my mom loves her mascarpone cream with panettone.

But we don’t want to limit this delicious cream to only Christmas-time. So this is why along with this cream I’m offering an easy serving suggestion that will turn this simple cream into a memorable dessert. Imagine dipping crunchy bits of sweet puff pastry into a decadent mascarpone cream. Are you ready?

Mascarpone cream ingredients

Here is what you will need to make this irresistible mascarpone cream with pasteurized eggs and the crunchy puff pastry bits to go with it.

For detailed quantities please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Read on for detailed instructions.

How to make pasteurized egg cream

First of all, you will need to separate the egg whites from the yolks. We only need the yolks in the cream, and a little of the whites to brush on the puff pastry, so put the whites aside for future use. If you don’t know what to do with them, my go-to way of using them is in shortcrust. Making a double batch of shortcrust pastry will help you use most of the egg whites, it freezes really well and you’ll have it for the next time you want to make a pie. Here’s the ultimate pie crust recipe cheat sheet.

To make the pâte à bombe first you need to combine the water and sugar and set on high heat. The sugar needs to dissolve and the mixture needs to reach boiling temperature and over. We need to bring it to 120C (248F) so you need a candy thermometer and ideally a pot with a thick bottom. Pour the water in the pot and then add the sugar, moving the pot around so it all comes into contact with water. Set on high heat and gently stir with the thermometer. Leave the thermometer inside and avoid stirring once it starts boiling to prevent re-crystallization. It is okay to lightly stir with the thermometer, though, as it already has the same temperature as the content of the pot; but never insert a cold spoon in there.

When the mixture reaches 110C (230F) you can start whisking your egg yolks, with an electric mixer at medium speed. Keep an eye out for the syrup: as soon as the thermometer shows 120C it will have reached the desired temperature. Remove from the stove and always mixing pour in the syrup in one continuous stream until it is all incorporated. Keep mixing, even increasing to high speed. The mixture will become fluffier and lighter in colour. You need to mix until the temperature lowers to room temperature (or just slightly higher, it should not feel warm to the touch), so budget in some 5 minutes for this. Just before stopping, mix in one tbsp of marsala for flavour.

Make the mascarpone cream

In another bowl add the mascarpone and gently whisk it (you don’t need to clean the whisk attachments from the egg mixture). This helps to incorporate some air into the mascarpone, that was very compressed in its package. After about a half minute, pour half of the egg mixture into the mascarpone and keep whisking at medium speed. When incorporated, add the rest of the egg cream and whisk until smooth. The mascarpone cream is ready and if you want to use it on panettone you’re good to go.

To make this mascarpone cream and puff pastry dessert, we still need to take care of the puff pastry. Unroll a sheet of puff pastry on a baking sheet. Cut into diamonds with a knife or a pizza cutter. Lightly brush the egg white all over the surface, then proceed to dust the cinnamon and sprinkle the brown sugar. Bake at 200C (392F) for 10 minutes, it should inflate around the cuts as it bakes. Once done, let cool completely.

How to serve this cream

My favourite way to serve mascarpone cream when not used in tiramisù is in small bowls, with a spoon, as any creamy dessert. Break apart the puff pastry portions and place 3-4 next to each serving cup of cream. While it might be tempting to dip the puff pastry into the cream, it is important to keep the cream and puff pastry separated. This way we are ensuring the puff pastry retains its crunchy and flaky quality. We can recommend the guests to dip each puff pastry portion in the cream, but it needs to be done on the spot when eating.

Alternatively, this cream can be used in tiramisu if you need to make it with pasteurized eggs. I generally prefer to keep the cream neutral, so if used in in tiramisù I would not add the marsala. This is entirely up to you, a dash of marsala can complement the flavour of coffee, but would clash if making other flavour variation tiramisu. Here are some recipes where you can use it:

• Classic tiramisu with coffee
• No-coffee tiramisu with Earl Grey tea
• Summer tiramisu with strawberries and limoncello

Please remember that different recipes may have different yield and therefore call for more or less cream. This is a standard dose made with 500g mascarpone, that can sub a raw egg alternative that calls for the same amount of mascarpone.

Pâte à bombe troubleshooting

Pouring hot syrup into the egg yolks is an easy way to ensure the eggs are warmed just enough to kill potential bacteria in them. If this makes you feel safer and allows you to enjoy raw-egg desserts like tiramisù, making pâte à bombe is a skill worth learning.

I wouldn’t say that this is a difficult procedure, but as I was testing this recipe I stumbled upon several sources warning against the possible formation of clumps from the syrup solidifying too abruptly when poured onto the egg yolks. Most recipes I followed recommended to just aim for the egg yolks and avoid pouring directly onto the whisks or the sides of the bowl, as coming into contact with a colder surface could make the syrup solidify. But despite aiming just right, I did encounter this problem more than once while testing.

The reason behind my failure was to be found in my colder than average room temperature. I live in Sweden and my room temperature is colder than other places I’ve lived. I always keep eggs at room temperature, but they still proved too cold for the syrup not to clump. If you are experiencing the same problem, here’s how I worked around it. First of all, I warmed the whisks under hot water and dabbed dry just before using them. Then, while whisking the egg yolks, I kept the bowl over the steam coming from the syrup pot. Do this carefully, as the hot steam may burn your hands, so do not hover too close. This helped raise the egg temperature just enough to have no problems when I poured the hot syrup in. Hope this helps you, too.

If you tried this recipe, let me know your thoughts in the comments. If you’re planning to try it another time, pin this recipe to Pinterest. Please consider subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Instagram and on Pinterest.