I have wanted to make this tart since 2004. That is the year that Frank Stitt’s Southern Table, one of my favorite cookbooks, was published. I find the book very inspiring and I return to it regularly. Early on I noticed this tart which sounded and looked SO good, but then, without fail, I would forget to make it every time strawberry season rolled around. Major frustration. But not this year!
Of course it was good. How could a strawberry mascarpone tart be bad? It couldn’t. It wouldn’t. I am now pretty into this idea of a flat-bottomed tart. It is like a pizza-tart—good-looking and simple. I think most berries would work well here, but strawberry is very special.
This seems, at first glance, like a lot of work. It isn’t, really. Things can all be made in stages. It is most certainly not a keeper. If you are serving this to guests, you need to serve it within a few hours of assembling it. But all of the components could be made the day before and then assembled once guests arrive. I had two slices of the finished tart left over, and stored them in the fridge overnight. They were still great the next day (for breakfast!) but I would not have served them to a guest (the crust softens a bit, the tart becomes less vibrant).
Strawberry Mascarpone Tart (adapted from Frank Stitt’s Southern Table)
Crust:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water
Preserves:
- 2 cups quartered ripe strawberries
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Finishing:
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cups sliced strawberries
To prepare crust, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and cut in with a pastry blender until the butter in the size of peas. Add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough comes together. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap the disk in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
To prepare the preserves, combine the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, cooking until the juices thicken to a jam-like consistency, 30 to 45 minutes. The mixture will thicken more when it cools. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely.
On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 1/8-inch thick circle. Cut it into a neat 9 to 10-inch circle and transfer the round of dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick the surface a few times with a fork. Cover the crust with a sheet of parchment, and top with something to weight it down and keep it flat. I used another baking sheet, you could use a tart pan filled with pie weights or whatever else you have on hand. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the top baking sheet, and return to the oven. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until golden. I suggest taking it pretty dark golden. Remove from the oven and allow the crust to cool completely.
Mix the mascarpone and sugar together in a small bowl. Spread the mascarpone evenly over the cooled crust, going almost all of the way to the edge. Spread a thin layer of the cooled strawberry preserves (I used about 1/2-3/4 cup) over the mascarpone. You won’t use all of the jam.
Arrange the sliced strawberries on top of the preserves, working in concentric circles from the outside in.
Pass a generous 1/4-cup of the strawberry preserves through a fine strainer. Combine with 2 teaspoons water in a small saucepan and warm over low heat, stirring, just until smooth. Using a pastry brush, brush the glaze over the strawberries. Serve the tart at room temperature.
Dan from Platter Talk says:
July 1st, 2013 at 2:08 pm
Beautiful tort! Our strawberries are finally ripening in the garden, this would make a great home for a bunch of them, thanks for posting!
Sarah | The Sugar Hit says:
July 1st, 2013 at 5:58 pm
When you have beautifully ripe berries and you add something crunchy and some rich cream, you have magic. I know mascarpone is technically a cheese, but the logic is the same. I would dive into this tart.
Ashley says:
July 1st, 2013 at 6:59 pm
I have not tried this recipe, but plan to now. Frank Stitt’s Southern Table is one of my favorite cookbooks, too, and my cookbook collection isn’t lacking. Other faves: his recipes for poisson en papillote, spicy remoulade and the Highlands grits (oh lord, the grits — the sauce tastes exactly like the restaurant’s version). Thanks for sharing this!
Jordan says:
July 2nd, 2013 at 1:06 am
how do you always know exactly what I want to eat? it’s amazing!
Yohann says:
July 2nd, 2013 at 2:24 am
This looks very french! I like the thin crust!
lisa from Panning The Globe says:
July 2nd, 2013 at 5:32 am
This is my kind of dessert, and I’m not a big dessert person (don’t like cake at all), but the thought of those sweet tart strawberries, the buttery crust and the mascarpone truly makes my mouth water. Will definitely put this on my list of desserts for summer entertaining.
Amy @ The American-Made Guide to Life says:
July 2nd, 2013 at 5:37 am
“How could a strawberry mascarpone tart be bad?” I mean, seriously. The photos have me drooling.
ileana says:
July 2nd, 2013 at 5:43 am
So pretty! That thin crust looks very cool.
reggiorif says:
July 3rd, 2013 at 9:37 am
The crust looks delicious… thinking about trying it with fresh blueberries from my garden.
val says:
July 3rd, 2013 at 12:28 pm
Thank you! I’ve been racking my brain trying to come up with something easy to make with mascarpone and fruit. For me, strawberries are disappearing fast, but I have figs and fig jam.
Marilin says:
July 3rd, 2013 at 1:53 pm
Perfect timing! I had just got my hands on about 10 kilos of strawberries and then realised I only had about 3 days to use them all when I saw this “life-saver” recipe. I loved the crisp crust of this tart!
Abraham says:
July 5th, 2013 at 5:08 am
This looks good man!
ItalianGirlCooks says:
July 5th, 2013 at 3:25 pm
Looks amazing and best time of the year to make it.
Liz Rose Bowman says:
July 8th, 2013 at 5:27 pm
this looks incredible, so glad its strawb season.
Marleena @ The Flex Foodie says:
July 11th, 2013 at 5:53 pm
Stunning photos! They really display the natural beauty of summer fruit – yum!
Meeps says:
July 13th, 2013 at 11:13 am
Delicious. Would you use this crust for a cheesecake?
Sophie says:
July 15th, 2013 at 12:51 pm
I made this last week and it was so, so wonderful! It’s pretty rich with the mascarpone, but that means that one tiny slice is the perfect dessert after a summertime meal.
Salih Seckin Sevinc says:
July 19th, 2013 at 3:57 am
Not just want to eat it. I want to swim in it :) Great photos. Glad to find your blog.
Evie says:
August 14th, 2013 at 12:53 pm
This looks absolutely divine. Your pictures are really great. I love your site!
Tim says:
August 14th, 2013 at 3:52 pm
Thanks, Evie!
schneiderluvsdoof says:
August 29th, 2013 at 8:16 pm
If I were your guest, I would eat your less vibrant tart. I bet it would still be delicious!
Alice McCormick says:
May 13th, 2014 at 1:47 pm
This looks absolutely devine!
Paola says:
July 20th, 2014 at 8:22 am
Strawberry season is done but I’ll bet this would be great with blueberries too
Chris P. says:
May 23rd, 2015 at 2:16 pm
I still go back to this recipe, especially now that the Strawberries are so beautiful. Guess what’s for desert tonight!
Tim says:
May 26th, 2015 at 4:16 pm
Hey Chris! Thanks for checking in, glad to hear it remains a favorite.