Fresh Berry Mascarpone Tart
This fresh berry mascarpone tart starts with a sweet cookie crust, is filled with whipped mascarpone cream and then topped with fresh berries.
My family started summer in a most exciting way, taking a whirlwind trip to California. We visited Sequoia National Forest, Disneyland, Santa Monica, and Los Angeles. It was Eric’s and my second time on the west coast, and I get why people love it there. It’s beautiful, and the weather was incredible the entire time. We stayed in two gorgeous AirBnB homes, one of which was on an orange grove. We saw jackrabbits and birds we don’t see in Virginia. While in Sequoia, we saw a controlled burn, and one of the firefighters even came over to talk to us about what the burns achieve. I had told our oldest about them before the trip, but it was way more interesting coming straight from a firefighter. We came home feeling refreshed and eager to visit California again.
We arrived in Virginia just in time to attend our friends’ annual start of summer party. After not cooking or baking at all on the trip, I was excited to get back in the kitchen. I knew I wanted to make something fruity and chilled, and this tart hit all the right notes.
This fresh berry mascarpone tart is my new go-to summer dessert. It’s exactly the type of dessert I want after a cookout – not too heavy and brimming with fresh fruit. It starts with a sweet cookie crust and is filled with a light and airy whipped mascarpone. My favorite part of this tart, though, is the berry topping. I’m not against cooked fruit desserts, but it almost seems wrong to cook summer berries when they’re at their peak. So what makes these berries so delicious? Tossing them in a reduction of jam and berry liqueur amplifies their sweetness and adds a glossy sheen. Add a few fresh mint leaves, and you’ve got a showstopper summer dessert that requires minimal cooking and truly shows off summer berries.
Looking for more summer desserts? This peach ice cream is one of our summer favorites, and this key lime pie is another great dessert for hot summer evenings.
- COOK TIME:
- YIELD: 1 9-inch tart
For the crust:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons very cold or frozen unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
For the filling:
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
⅓ cup well-chilled heavy cream
¼ cup sugar
1½ cups strawberries, hulled and halved or quatered
1½ cups blueberries
1½ cups blackberries
2 tablespoons strawberry (or other berry) jam
2 tablespoons dark berry liqueur, like crème de cassis
Fresh mint leaves for garnish, optional
- 1
Start by making the crust. Put the flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Scatter the butter over the top and pulse again until the butter is mixed in with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Whisk the yolk in a small bowl. Drizzle it into the food processor, a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. Continue processing in long pulses until the dough forms clumps and then comes together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- 2
Grease a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before baking.
When ready to bake, heat oven to 375º. Spray a piece of aluminum foil with nonstick spray and place, oil side down, firmly onto the crust. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and use the back of a spoon to gently press down the crust if it has puffed. Continue baking another 8 minutes, until the crust is firm and golden. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- 3
To make the filling, combine the mascarpone, cream and sugar in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Transfer the mixture to the cooled shell and use a spatula to smooth it evenly. Refrigerate while preparing the berries.
- 4
In a large bowl, combine the strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. Combine the jam and berry liqueur in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook until reduced to about 3 tablespoons. Pour the mixture over the berries and gently toss to coat evenly. Mound the berries over the top of the mascarpone cream. Garnish with fresh mint, if desired.
The tart can be made a couple hours ahead of time and chilled. It’s best the day it’s made, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the last remaining slice the next day.
The mascarpone makes this extra special! Such a beautiful tart and definitely summer-perfect.
YUM! And I don’t think your crazy to go on a 10 year anniversary trip with two young ones! We hope to do the same next year! Glad to hear it went smoothly.