strawberry mascarpone tart

This weekend we went to my mom's house for dinner.  As usual, she made a wonderful meal. To start, puff pastry with blue cheese, topped with sauted apples and onions.  Followed by a green salad with panko breaded goat cheese.  And for the main course grilled scallops served with roasted carrots and fennel.  It was a feast!

 

For dessert I made the strawberry mascarpone tart featured on the cover of April's Gourmet magazine. My tart actually looked fairly similar to the cover photo! 

And while everyone liked this dessert, including me, there was nothing "wow" about it. The crust was more like a crisp sugar cookie, not a tender buttery crust like I was expecting.  The mascarpone cheese mixture was great, I will definitely use that combo again. Instead of the port glaze (we don't keep port on hand) I mixed the sliced strawberries with a drizzle of buckwheat honey.  Overall I enjoyed this recipe.  I might make it again, although I think I prefer Ina's strawberry tart. 

STRAWBERRY MASCARPONE TART WITH PORT GLAZE

SERVES8

• ACTIVE TIME:30 MIN
 
• START TO FINISH:2 1/2 HR (INCLUDES COOLING)

Gourmet Magazine APRIL 2009

FOR TART SHELL

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Rounded 1/4 tsp salt
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons cold water

FOR FILLING

• 1 1/2 lb strawberries (about 1 1/2 qt), trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup ruby Port*
• 1 lb mascarpone (about 2 cups)
• 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• *(again, we just mixed the strawberries with a few tablespoons of honey and did not add port)

• EQUIPMENT: 

  a 10-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom; pie weights or dried beans

MAKE TART SHELL:

• Blend together flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Beat together yolk, vanilla, lemon juice, and water with a fork, then drizzle over flour mixture and stir with fork (or pulse) until mixture comes together.
• Gently knead with floured hands on a lightly floured surface until a dough forms, then gently knead 4 or 5 times. Press into a 5-inch disk. Place in center of tart pan and cover with plastic wrap. Using your fingers and bottom of a flat-bottomed measuring cup, spread and push dough to evenly cover bottom and side of pan. Prick bottom of tart shell all over with a fork and freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
• Line tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until side is set and edge is pale golden, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and continue to bake until shell is deep golden all over, about 20 minutes more. Cool in pan, about 45 minutes.

MAKE FILLING WHILE TART SHELL COOLS:

• Stir together strawberries and granulated sugar in a bowl and let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Strain in a sieve set over a small saucepan, reserving berries. Add Port to liquid in saucepan and boil until reduced to about 1/4 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, whisk together mascarpone, confectioners sugar, lemon juice, zest, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until stiff.

ASSEMBLE TART:

• Spread mascarpone mixture evenly in cooled tart shell, then top with strawberries. Drizzle Port glaze all over tart.

COOKS’ NOTE:

• Tart shell can be baked 1 day ahead and kept at room temperature.