Lemon Tart Recipe with Mascarpone and Fresh Berries

As the summer winds down, I’m doing all I can to soak in the last drop of sun and heat, and the abundance of in season fresh berries.  I never realize how much I take utilizing fresh berries in my cooking for granted until about mid-January.  There is no denying it- I’m a summer produce fan and wish I could have access to it all year long.  However, I’m a man of principle when it comes to cooking with in season produce so you’ll almost never catch me eating things that aren’t at its peak.

I am almost always a citrus first dessert kind of person.  Whether it be lemon meringue, key lime pie, or just a simple lemon sabayon and berries, I prefer citrus.  I like really strong flavors and lemon is almost always able to hit that key for me.  I’ve made quite a few lemon tart recipes over the years, but this is a tad lighter due to incorporating mascarpone cheese and cream cheese.  The flavor is still bold, but incredibly smooth without the finishing bite of a pie that only has citrus.

We are big dessert people in this family, so whatever I’m baking is guaranteed to be eaten within minutes of it being finished.  Heck, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a big slice of pie and coffee for breakfast.  To me there is nothing better than a sweet pie and a black coffee- literally my idea of heaven!  We also almost always have people over every week who we share food with, and it’s honestly one of the highlights of my week.  We love being able to entertain and host people, and ever since we rehabbed our kitchen, we can finally enjoy it to its fullest.  One of the main attractions in our kitchen is our Franke farmhouse sink with gooseneck faucet and matching pot filler faucet.  The elegant polished steel along with the classic look stands out the second you walk in, and we are constantly getting compliments on it.  I always tell everyone that the Franke pot filler is hands down my favorite thing in our newly renovated kitchen.  I was always filling up pots from the sink and carrying it over, and I’m clumsy so it was guaranteed that water would spill out on my short journey.  The pot filler really allows me to be organized when I’m cooking by keeping everything in its place.  I love it!  In addition, I’m not sure I’d be able to go about my daily cooking routine without the Franke roller mat.  I use it every day to dry dishes and wash produce in.  The slots allow me to put a colander on it when washing fresh berries. While water runs through the berries with ease, it also helps take pressure off my back as I don’t have to lean over into the sink. I’m tall, so anything I can use to help keep me aligned is huge!

I’m a huge advocate for making pie crusts in a food processor.  It’s quick, it’s easy, and a whole lot cleaner than trying to do it yourself with a pastry knife.  Once the dough is made you simply roll it out and then form it to your tart pan.  You can absolutely use a different size or shape when making this tart, so don’t feel like you need to go buy an 8” tart pan like this one.

The next step is to make a lemon curd, which I know may sound a little scary for you beginners, but it is super easy.  In fact, if it terrifies you a little too much, you can buy pre-made lemon curd from the store, which is just fine by me.  You make a lemon curd over a double boiler and once it gets thick, you finish it with butter and chill it until cold. Simple as that.

The last thing you want to do is whip together the mascarpone cheese and cream cheese to help lighten up this tart a bit.  Once the mixture becomes light and fluffy, you then add in the lemon curd and mix it until it’s combined.  From there keep it cool in the refrigerator until it hardens, and then finish it with some fresh berries.  This Lemon Tart Recipe with Mascarpone and Fresh Berries is beautiful, easy to make, and always a hit in my house!  If you love berries then also check out my blackberry cobbler recipe. Happy Baking!

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Lemon Tart Recipe with Mascarpone and Fresh Berries

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5 from 2 votes

Sink your teeth into this light and refreshing Lemon Tart Recipe with Mascarpone and Fresh Berries with simple sugar crust!

Servings: 10

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Cool Overnight: 8 hours

Total Time: 9 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients 

For the Crust:

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• ½ cup of powdered sugar
• 1 stick of unsalted ice cold butter, cut up
• pinch of salt
• 4 ounces of ice cold water

For the Filling:

• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• ¼ cup of sugar
• zest of 1 lemon
• juice of 1 ½ lemons
• 1 stick of unsalted ice cold butter, cut up
• 16 ounces of mascarpone cheese
• 4 ounces of cream cheese
• ½ cup of powdered sugar
• assorted fresh berries

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°.
• Crust: In a food processor pulse together the flour, powdered sugar, butter and salt until the butter is the size of rice. Slowly drizzle in the water while pulsing until it becomes a meal like texture.
• Remove the dough and roll out until it is 1/8” thick and form it to an 8” tart pan.
• Bake in the oven at 400° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked. Let cool.
• Curd: In a large metal bowl over a medium size pot of boiling water whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, ¼ cup of sugar, zest of ½ lemon and juice of 1 lemon until it becomes very thick, like a custard, about 2 to 4 minutes. Be sure to constantly whisk.
• Remove the bowl and whisk in the butter until it has melted. Cool the mixture in the refrigerator until completely cooled.
• In a standing mixture with the whip attachment on high speed, mix the mascarpone and cream cheese until light and fluffy and then add in the remaining lemon zest, lemon juice, powdered sugar. Mix until combined and then fold in the chilled lemon curd.
• Pour the mixture into the cooked pie shell and cool over night or until it firms up.
• Garnish with berries and serve!

Nutrition

Calories: 426kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 8gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 130mgSodium: 77mgPotassium: 58mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 887IUCalcium: 88mgIron: 1mg

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Chef Billy Parisi