Tart with fresh strawberries macerated in sugar, on a creamy mascarpone base and topped with a balsamic glaze.
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Strawberries are now in season in California (even in my little garden) and the markets are full of them. One of my favorite desserts on this site is a mascarpone mousse with strawberries in balsamic syrup.
Pair that with a sweetened mascarpone base and it’s just, well, really, really good. For example, eat the whole load and forget about the good dinner.
This week I experimented with using these ingredients for a strawberry tart, luckily for the family (dad had a box of strawberry jelly on the kitchen counter to make and when I told him I was going to make a strawberry tart he said: “Well, if I have to,” smiled and put the box away.)
I made a tart crust in a pie pan using my standard pâte brisée recipe and also experimented with some frozen puff pastry.
Both work well, I loved the flavor and flaky texture of the puff pastry although I had a bit of trouble rolling it out to a size large enough to hold a comparable amount of filling and strawberries as the tart pan.
My advice is to just use whatever crust you’re most comfortable with. You must bake the crust first as this tart is a no-bake pie. I’ve experimented with mascarpone and ricotta combinations, my preference is pure mascarpone for the cake, but experiment and see what you like.
Strawberry Mascarpone Tart
You can bake the tart shell a day in advance, keep at room temperature (do not refrigerate). Just before serving, fill the bowl with the filling and strawberries.
ingredients
- Tart Shell
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1 recipe pie dough (see Pâte Brisée recipe, increase sugar to 1 1/2 teaspoons)
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OR
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1 sheet of puff pastry, defrosted
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1 egg, whisked
- filling and glaze
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2 pounds strawberries, hulled and quartered
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1/2 cup granulated sugar
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1 tbsp orange zest, divided
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1 teaspoon lemon juice
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12 ounces mascarpone cheese (can also use 8 ounces mascarpone mixed with 4 ounces ricotta or 4 ounces heavy cream)
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla
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1/3 cup powdered sugar (powdered sugar)
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1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (substitute a teaspoon of lemon juice if you don’t have balsamic vinegar)
method
Roll out the pie dough and line a 10-inch cake pan with the dough. Prick the bottom of the bowl all over with the tines of a fork. Freeze for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line the cake base with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Fill at least two-thirds full with pie weights – dried beans, rice, or ceramic or metal pie weights.
Bake for 15 minutes first, then remove from the oven, allow to cool sufficiently and remove the aluminum foil or parchment paper and cake weights. Return to the oven and bake until lightly browned around the edges, about 20 more minutes. Leave to cool completely.
Roll out puff pastry sheet to 15×5 inches or 12×12 inches. Place on a baking sheet. Fold the edges over to form a rim. Prick the base of the pastry with the tines of a fork. Chill for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg suds onto exposed surfaces. Place in the hot oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until nicely browned all over. Remove from the oven onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
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Macerate strawberries in sugar:
In a large bowl, gently mix together the strawberries, half the orange zest, and the caster sugar so that the strawberries are coated in sugar. Leave to macerate for 30 minutes.
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Prepare the mascarpone base:
In a medium bowl, mix together the mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, remaining orange zest, lemon juice, and vanilla until well combined. Refrigerate until required.
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Prepare Strawberry Balsamic Glaze:
After the strawberries have soaked for 30 minutes, place a colander over a bowl and drain the liquid from the strawberry mixture into the bowl.
Take this strawberry liquid and put it in a small saucepan. Add a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Cook until the liquid is reduced to the consistency of syrup, remove from heat and allow to cool.
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Assembling the cake:
Spread the mascarpone mixture over the bottom of the tart shell.
Arrange the strawberries on the mascarpone mixture. Apply the balsamic glaze with a pastry brush.
