Easy Italian Lemon Mascarpone Tart - Recipe Winners (2024)

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Easy Italian Lemon Mascarpone Tart - Recipe Winners (1)

Italian lemon mascarpone tart is creamy, tangy, lemony and delicious. Our friend Elle gave us this recipe and it’s one that she makes throughout the year. Elle uses a quality store bought artisan pastry which makes this super quick to put together.

War and Peace

Although the Italian lemon mascarpone tart recipe reads like war and peace with so many instructions it really is just a case of making and blind baking the pastry shell, make the filling in a food processor, then baking.

Candied Lemons

Although the candied lemon slices are optional we think they are worth the couple of minutes it takes to prepare them. They bring an extra lemon hit to the party that plays on your tongue. Also they look fabulous on the tart!

2 Minute Sour Cream Pastry

This recipe makes a beautiful short pastry that is both flaky and melt in the mouth. We find this pastry to be a great allrounder for both sweet and savoury pies.

What Tart Tin to use?

The original recipe for this Italian lemon mascarpone tart used a 25 cm x 2.5 cm (10 inch x 1 inch) round tart tin. We changed this to make in a rectangular tart tin 35 cm x 12 cm x 2.5 cm ( 14″ x 4 1/2″ x 1″) because of a platter we had wanted to serve the tart on for a luncheon. Using the rectangular tart tin then left us with a cup of the lemon mascarpone mixture left over. We simply baked the custard in a small ramekin and hid it for a late night treat.

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What’s your favourite tart recipe?

We would love to hear from you in the comments below when you make this Italian lemon mascarpone tart.

Easy Italian Lemon Mascarpone Tart - Recipe Winners (12)

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Italian lemon mascarpone tart is creamy, tangy, lemony and delicious. Quick to put together and quicker still if you use a store bought pastry.

Ingredients

pastry

  • 125 ml sour cream(4 ounces)
  • 250 g plain (all purpose) flour(9 ounces)
  • 200 g cold butter, cubed(7 ounces)

filling

  • 250 g fresh ricotta cheese(9 ounces)
  • 250 g mascarpone cheese(9 ounces)
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 large whole eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
  • 80 mls fresh lemon juice(3 fl ounces)

lemon slices

  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds
  • 1/3 cup castor sugar
  • 1/3 cup water

Instructions

Sour Cream Pastry

  • Put the butter and flour into the bowl of a food processor, then pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the sour cream and pulse again until the dough just forms a ball.
  • Form into a flat disk, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 20 mins.
  • Roll dough out to fit a round tart pan 25cm x 2.5cm (10” x 1”) size tin, using a fork poke holes all over the pastry and then fit the pastry into the tin and chill again for 60 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 200c (390f ) bake not fan.
  • Trim the excess pastry from the tin using a sharp knife.

Blind Bake

  • Line the pastry case with a double layer of foil and fill with sugar to the top of the tin – we have found sugar to be a wonderful weight for pastries as it manages to fill into the corners and creases of pans and can be reused without loosing any of its qualities. Doubling the foil helps with lifting the sugar from the case without breaking.
  • Blind bake the pastry case for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and sugar. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes or until the pastry is pale golden and the bottom is dry.
  • While pastry is blind baking prepare the lemon mascarpone mixture.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 170c (340f )

Lemon filling

  • place ricotta and mascarpone into a food processor and process until smooth
  • add sugar, eggs and yolks, lemon rind and juice and process again
  • put the tart tin on the middle oven shelf
  • carefully pour the mixture into the pastry
  • bake for 30 minutes or until just set
  • there should be a slight wobble to the centre when you jiggle the tin
  • remove from oven and allow to cool in the tin, then refrigerate still in the tart tin (mixture thickens up as it cools)
  • remove from tin
  • serve and enjoy!

Lemon slices

  • put water and sugar into a frypan over medium heat
  • cook until mixture starts to turn golden brown
  • slide in lemon slices and cook for a couple of minutes then turn slices over
  • cook until slices are well coated with the toffee
  • remove slices and place on a sheet of baking paper to cool
  • arrange slices over the top of the tart

Notes

  • allow several hours in the refrigerator to cool and set.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 531Total Fat 43gSaturated Fat 25gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 230mgSodium 369mgCarbohydrates 30gFiber 0gSugar 27gProtein 9g

Nutritional information provided here is only intended as a guide.

Cooper

Cooper like most retrievers loves soft toys and anything else he can grab, that includes socks, knickers, shoes……………………………. In the background you can see the paddocks have turned brown as the drought starts to bite even into the coastal areas of Australia.

Easy Italian Lemon Mascarpone Tart - Recipe Winners (13)
Easy Italian Lemon Mascarpone Tart - Recipe Winners (14)

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Easy Italian Lemon Mascarpone Tart - Recipe Winners (2024)

FAQs

What is Italian mascarpone? ›

What is Mascarpone cheese? Mascarpone cheese is a soft, slightly sweet and a tad bit tart, spreadable cheese often described as an Italian sweet cream cheese. Mascarpone is probably most well-known as the key ingredient in Italian desserts like tiramisu and cannoli.

Is mascarpone a processed cheese? ›

It is a fresh cheese that is most commonly made with pasteurized cow's milk.

What are the ingredients in mascarpone cheese? ›

When people say mascarpone, they're most likely referring to mascarpone cheese. Mascarpone cheese is a type of cheese originating in Italy. It's made from only two ingredients: heavy cream and citric or tartaric acid. The cream is heated and then the acid is added to solidify and thicken the cream.

Does mascarpone melt well? ›

When stirred into risottos and pastas just before serving, mascarpone melts into the silkiest, luxurious one-ingredient sauce. You can even stir a few spoonfuls to finish grits or polenta for an extra creamy touch.

How do Italians eat mascarpone? ›

Mascarpone isn't just for panettone or tiramisù. Slathered on crostini or whipped into spaghetti, it's more sumptuous than butter — add a little sugar, and it's even more enticing than cream.

Is mascarpone healthier than cream? ›

No, mascarpone cheese is not healthier than cream cheese as it contains 25% more fat than cream cheese. Yet mascarpone cheese is only preferred for its extra smooth texture. You can use cream cheese and mascarpone cheese for salty and sweet dishes.

Can I eat mascarpone by itself? ›

Mascarpone cheese isn't very good to eat by itself (imagine eating a spoonful of butter), but it is perfect to use as an ingredient for savory and dessert recipes alike. Next time you want to try out a recipe calling for mascarpone cheese, give this recipe a try!

Can I use Philadelphia instead of mascarpone? ›

No mascarpone and cream cheese are not the same, they are both dairy-based and do have some similarities but they are made in different ways. They have a similar texture so can very often substitute each other but Philadephia is more savory while mascarpone is milkier in taste.

What is a good substitute for mascarpone cheese? ›

To make this mascarpone substitute, mix together 12 ounces of room temperature cream cheese (1 ½ blocks) with ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream and ¼ cup of sour cream until combined. The whipping cream will cut some of the tanginess of cream cheese while mimicking mascarpone's smooth, velvety texture.

How long does mascarpone last once opened? ›

A closed package of mascarpone will last in the fridge until its best-by date. If you've already opened it, the clock starts ticking, and you have around 1 week to use it all up.

What goes well with mascarpone? ›

Add a spoonful of softened Mascarpone to omelets and scrambles instead of crème fraîche, add some to your mashed potatoes instead of cream cheese, or add a few spoonfuls to a pan with frying mushrooms instead of sour cream.

Can I put mascarpone in coffee? ›

Tiramisu coffee is everything you love about that infamous dessert of espresso soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cheese and cocoa powder without all the work. This coffee comes together in minutes and is rich, bold perfection.

What is the best way to eat mascarpone cheese? ›

For an easy dip, whisk fresh herbs and garlic into the mascarpone. Or enjoy a big dollop of mascarpone as a light dessert with a sprinkle of cocoa powder, chocolate shavings, or a drizzle of honey on top. Serve it with fresh berries, figs, or simple cookies.

Why is my homemade mascarpone grainy? ›

If you accidentally over-whip the mascarpone and it turns grainy, you can rescue it by folding in a splash of cream until it smooths out again. You can use it right away or cover and refrigerate it for up to 2 days or so.

What is the difference between cream cheese and mascarpone? ›

Mascarpone is made similarly to American cream cheese, but it uses a base of whole cream rather than milk. Like cream cheese, it is a fresh cheese that is not aged before it is eaten. Cream cheese contains at least 33% milk fat, and mascarpone may contain 60-75% milk fat.

What is a substitute for mascarpone? ›

To make this mascarpone substitute, mix together 12 ounces of room temperature cream cheese (1 ½ blocks) with ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream and ¼ cup of sour cream until combined. The whipping cream will cut some of the tanginess of cream cheese while mimicking mascarpone's smooth, velvety texture.

Is mascarpone the same as ricotta? ›

Ricotta has a grainy texture, like cottage cheese, and mascarpone has a smooth, creamy texture, similar to heavy whipping cream. Mascarpone is a more spreadable cheese than ricotta. Taste: Ricotta is brighter and more acidic than mascarpone. Mascarpone has a slightly sweet, milky flavor.

What does mascarpone taste like? ›

Mascarpone is a fresh, soft cow's milk cheese with a lightly sweet, rich flavor that is originally from Northern Italy. Mascarpone contains 70 to 75% milk fat, giving it a smooth, creamy texture and pale ivory color.

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