Lemon Mascarpone Tart

Help, Ive fallen and can’t get up.  Not literally (although sometimes it does happens), but figuratively.  I’ve fallen hard…..for this lemon tart.   To be fair, it’s not just any ordinary lemon tart.  It’s made with homemade lemon curd, and a healthy dose of creamy mascarpone cheese.  I’ve said recently that I’m crushing hard on lemon, but I’m also having an affair with Mascarpone on the side.  It’s a dangerous love triangle, but someone’s gotta do it.

I remember a time not that long ago, Mascarpone was hard to come by in Regina.  I asked a manager at my local grocery store about it once, and his reply was, “Oh, we only carry Mascarpone during the holidays.”

My response was a less censored version of, “Well, that’s stupid!”

Luckily, our grocery store selections have improved drastically in recent years, and beautiful ingredients such as Tre Stelle Mascarpone cheese are available all year round.

Mascarpone reminds me of a thick cream, that can’t decide if it wants to be cream cheese or ricotta.  And quite frankly, it doesn’t need to make up its mind – it’s perfect just as it is.  Mascarpone is rich, has a smooth texture, a hint of sweetness, and can be used in both sweet and savoury cooking.  I made this lemon tart with Tre Stelle Mascarpone, which is an award winning cheese, made with 100% Canadian milk and is readily available in any well-stocked grocery store.  You can’t go wrong with a cheese that’s won numerous awards, and it’s safe to say, Tre Stelle Mascarpone is the best of the best.

Speaking of the best, this lemon mascarpone tart is as good as it gets.  So good in fact, that it landed me a marriage proposal…..from my friends husband.  It’s that good!  The lemon mascarpone filling is perfect; light, smooth, and just the right amount of sweetness.  The pastry crust is worth the wait, but I imagine a graham cracker crust would work too.

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Lemon Mascarpone Tart

A light and creamy lemon tart made with lemon curd and mascarpone.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Lemon, Mascarpone

Servings 1 9-inch tart

Ingredients

Pastry

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup chilled unsalted butter cut into cubes
• 3 large egg yolks beaten to combine

Filling

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup mascarpone
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/4 cups Lemon Curd homemade or store-bought

Instructions

Pastry

• Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter; cut butter with the flour using a pastry knife, or by using your fingers, until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add egg yolks and mix with a fork until dough begins to clump together.
• Shape dough into ball; flatten into a disk.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. Dough can be made up to 2 days in advance. Let soften slightly at room temperature before using.
• Using a 9-inch tart pan with a collapsible bottom, press the tart dough up the sides of the pan, then evenly along the bottom. You can also roll your dough out between two pieces of parchment, then transfer to the pan, but I find it easier so take small pieces and press it into the pan. Dock the bottom with a fork.
• Freeze crust until firm; about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Lay a piece of parchment onto of the frozen dough. Place pie weights on the parchment, or use dried beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pie weights.
• Bake for another 20 minutes until the crust is lightly browned.
• Let cool completely.

Lemon Mascarpone Filling

• Whip the cream and sugar until medium-soft peaks form.
• Gently whisk in the mascarpone until completely smooth.
• Gently fold the lemon curd into the mascarpone and cream mixture.
• Pour the lemon mascarpone filling into the cooled crust.
• Chill the tart for at least 1 hour before serving.
• Garnish with more whipped cream if desired.

Notes

Culinary Cool Original Recipe

Disclaimer:  I was provided vouchers from Arla Foods to purchase and review their cheeses.