A delectable Strawberry Mascarpone Cream Tart that is simple and easy to put together. It starts off with a baked sweet pastry crust which is then filled with velvety mascarpone cream and topped with sliced strawberries.
Happy New Year Folks.
I start off 2017 with a delicious strawberry mascarpone cream tart. This dessert is uncomplicated and easy to put together. Plus it can be eaten almost immediately.
There are three parts to this dessert. We have the pâte sucrée (sweet shortcrust pastry), velvety mascarpone cream and finally sliced strawberries.
To start off with, we make the pâte sucrée ( sweet shortcrust pastry). This crust can be made a day ahead and the dessert assembled on the day you want to enjoy it. Once baked, cool it and cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight.
4 ingredients is all you need for the crust. Flour, butter, sugar and an egg. We begin by rubbing together flour and butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Then mix in sugar and a little nutmeg. I love the depth of flavour nutmeg adds to the pastry. Add a whole egg and use fingers to bring pastry together. Turn onto a floured surface and knead lightly. At this point flatten the dough into a disc and chill for 30 minutes. This allows the pastry time to relax which helps to prevent it from shrinking when it is baked.
Pastry dough all done in less than 10 minutes 🙂
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface and transfer to a loose bottom tart tin. Then grab a fork and prick the base of the tray. Now we blind bake the pastry. Line the pastry case with a sheet of non-stick baking paper, greaseproof paper or foil and fill with baking beans. Do not miss this step, it is a very important step. These baking beans help conduct heat and cook the pastry. It also prevents the pastry from puffing up in the centre.
Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the baking paper and beans. Bake for a further 10 minutes until the pastry is just golden. Once cooled, fill your pastry cake with velvety mascarpone cream and fruit.
Beat mascarpone, cream and icing sugar until thick and fluffy like freshly whipped cream. Combining velvety smooth mascarpone with cream creates rich yet light filling. Spread into cooled crust. If you want to decorate your tart with pretty roses like in the picture, save some of the mascarpone cream and pipe onto the tart, using a 1M open star nozzle.
Layer with sliced strawberries or use whatever fruit is in season. Kiwis, grapes, sliced melons, pineapples and berries are also perfect.
Chill for at least an hour and cut yourself a slice of this delicious mascarpone cream tart and enjoy.
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Strawberry Mascarpone Tart
Ingredients
Pastry Case
- 225 grams  (1¾ cups plus 2 tablespoon) pastry or plain flour
- 120 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cold
- 1 caster sugar
- ¼ grated nutmeg
- 1 egg
Mascarpone Cream
- 250 grams (8.8 ounces) ,mascarpone
- 250 ml  (1 cup) whipping cream
- 50 grams (½ cup) icing sugar, sifted
Fruit
- sliced strawberries
Instructions
- Cut butter into small cubes and add to flour . Rub in using your fingertips, lifting your hands above the bowl to incorporate more air.
- Stir in sugar and nutmeg.
- Add the egg and use your fingers to bring pastry together. Turn dough out onto a light floured work surface and knead lightly.
- Flatten pastry into a disc and wrap in cling film and chill in fridge for 30 minutes or until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 170°C.
- Remove pastry from fridge and onto a lightly floured work surface.Roll out pastry to 3 mm thick and place into a 20 cm (8 inch) tart tin, leaving an overhang of pastry. Prick the base with a fork.
- Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans or rice. These baking beans help to conduct the heat and cook the pastry as well as prevent the pastry from puffing up in the centre.
- Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes then remove the paper and beans. Place back into oven and bake for a further 10 minutes until the pastry is just golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Trim off edges using a sharp knife. Leave to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Mascarpone Cream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or using a hand whisk, whip mascarpone cheese, whipping cream and icing sugar, until thick, soft peaks form.
- Spread onto cooled crust.
- Garnish with fruit and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
This tart looks incredible! I need a slice!
Thank you Miranda 🙂