This berry mascarpone tart is one of those desserts that looks like it came from a pastry shop and asks almost nothing of you. A buttery shortbread crust you simply press into the pan (no rolling, no chilling), a silky mascarpone filling scented with orange zest and vanilla bean, a thin layer of strawberry jam, and as many fresh berries as you can pile on top.
If you’ve been searching for a mascarpone tart that’s easy enough for a first-time baker but pretty enough to bring to the table with a little flourish, this is it.
Why you’ll love this mascarpone tart
Ingredients
- Strawberries and blueberries — or any berries that look best; a mix is prettiest.
- Mascarpone cheese — leave it out for about an hour so it beats up smooth.
- Heavy cream — loosens and lightens the mascarpone (half and half works too).
- Vanilla bean — or vanilla extract or vanilla powder (see the notes in the recipe card).
- Oranges — juice for the berries, zest for the cream.
- Strawberry jam — the sweet layer between cream and fruit.
- Salted butter, all-purpose flour and confectioner’s sugar — that’s the whole crust.
How to make a berry mascarpone tart
STEP 1. Soak the berries in orange juice
Wash the strawberries, hull them and cut them in half. Place them in a bowl with the washed and drained blueberries, pour the juice of two oranges over them, and let them sit while you make the crust. It’s the same idea as these macerated strawberries — the juice brightens the fruit and makes it glossy.
STEP 2. Make the press-in shortbread crust
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Beat the softened butter, flour and confectioner’s sugar with a hand or stand mixer for 2–3 minutes, until it comes together into a soft dough.
Press the dough into an 11-inch tart pan with your hands, evenly over the base and up the sides, about 3 mm (⅛ inch) thick. I like to trim the edges with a knife for that sharp, bakery look, then press any extra dough into thin spots.
I like to trim the edges with a knife for that sharp, bakery look, then press any extra dough into thin spots.
STEP 3. Bake and cool completely
Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the crust is a light golden color. Let it cool completely before filling — warm crust will melt the mascarpone.
STEP 5. Whip the mascarpone filling
Beat the softened mascarpone with the heavy cream and the vanilla bean seeds on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the orange zest at the very end. Stop as soon as it’s smooth — mascarpone can turn grainy if you keep beating.
STEP 6. Assemble the tart
Spread the mascarpone cream evenly over the cooled crust.
Add a generous layer of strawberry jam, then top it off with an abundance of strawberries and blueberries in any pattern you like.
Tips for the best mascarpone tart
- Soften the mascarpone first. Cold mascarpone lumps; room-temperature mascarpone whips silky in two minutes.
- Don’t overbeat the cream. Once it’s smooth and holds soft peaks, stop.
- Let the crust cool all the way. Even a slightly warm base will make the filling slide.
- Assemble close to serving. The crust stays crispest when the cream and berries go on within a few hours of eating.
- Use a tart pan with a removable bottom so you can lift the tart out cleanly for slicing.
Variations and substitutions
- Other fruit: Swap the berries and jam for any fruit and jam you like. Fresh ripe pears over fig jam would be delicious.
- A Greek twist: Swap the strawberry jam for a Greek spoon sweet — sour cherry (vyssino) is gorgeous with the mascarpone. [New idea — keep only if you like it.]
- Instead of mascarpone: Blend 8 ounces softened cream cheese with ¼ cup whipping cream, or 8 ounces softened full-fat cream cheese with ¼ cup softened butter and ¼ cup cream.
- Unsalted butter: I use salted butter in everything and only use unsalted if a recipe requires it. You can absolutely use unsalted — just add ½ tsp salt to the flour.
- Vanilla: Use 1 tsp vanilla extract or ½ tsp vanilla powder instead of the bean.
Make-ahead and storage
- Crust: Bake up to 2 days ahead and keep it, cooled, in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Filling: Whip it up to 1 day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge; give it a quick stir before spreading.
- Assembled tart: Best the day it’s made. Keep it in the fridge, loosely covered, and eat within 2 days — the crust softens a little over time.
- Food safety: This is a fresh dairy dessert, so don’t leave it out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
When to serve it
This tart shines in summer, when berries are at their sweetest, but it’s just as welcome on a holiday dessert table, for Valentine’s Day, Easter or a birthday, because strawberries and blueberries are available all year.
FAQ
More desserts you’ll love
- This lemon & ginger tart has a deliciously tangy lemon filling.
- Portokalopita – Greek orange phyllo cake is a decadent, syrupy Greek dessert.
- Macerated strawberries are the easiest topping for yogurt, cake or ice cream.
- This moist Greek yogurt cake is an everyday favorite.
- A tender olive oil cake with bright lemon.
- This easy puff pastry apple pie has Granny Smith apples and fresh rosemary.
Cooked it? Rate it!
If you tried this recipe, I’d love to know how you liked it — drop a comment below or tag me on Instagram @thegreekfoodie__.
Berry Mascarpone Tart
Equipment
- a mixer (hand mixer or tabletop)
- a citrus squeezer
- 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom
Ingredients
For the shortbread crust
- 1 cup salted butter , (or unsalted butter + ½ tsp salt)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
For the toppings
- 2 cups mascarpone cheese, softened. Leave it out for an hour before mixing.
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, or half and half
- 1 vanilla bean, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 oranges, juiced and zested
- 4 cups strawberries, cut in half
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup strawberry jam
Instructions
- Wash and clean the strawberries and cut them in half. Place them in a bowl and add the juice of the two oranges all over and let them sit. Wash and drain the blueberries.
Make the crust
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Using a mixer (hand or regular) mix together butter, flour, and confectioner’s sugar, 2-3 min.
- Add dough to the tart pan and press all over, and up the edges until it is evenly distributed. Trim edges with a knife if you have to and add the extra dough to any bald or thin patches.
- Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before filling.
Prepare the filling
- Using a mixer on medium speed, beat the mascarpone with the heavy cream and vanilla seeds until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the orange zest at the end. Don't overbeat, or the mascarpone can turn grainy.
- Spread the mascarpone mix evenly all over the tart crust.
- Add an even layer of the strawberry jam on top of the mascarpone.
- Arrange the berries in a pattern of your choice. Serve right away or refrigerate until serving.
Notes
- I like using vanilla beans, but they can be very expensive. So I alternate between vanilla extract, vanilla powder, and beans. Vanilla powder gives a really concentrated flavor, so if you’re substituting powder for beans or extract in recipes, use ½ tsp of ground powder for 1 bean, or ½ teaspoon of ground powder for every teaspoon of extract.
- Store the assembled tart in the fridge and enjoy within 2 days. Don’t leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Nutrition
