Fresh Strawberry Tart With Mascarpone Cheese

This was yesterdays Birthday dessert for my Mother and Brother- along with a chocolate cake!
It was delicate and rich...what a wonderful dessert!
We are making this one again!


Prep: 15 min., Bake: 12 min., Cool: 15 min.


2 (8-oz.) packages mascarpone cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 (15-oz.) package refrigerated pie crusts
Fresh Whole Strawberries
1/4 cup apricot jam*

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Whisk together mascarpone cheese and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill.

2. Meanwhile, fit pie crust into a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom; press into fluted edges. Fold any excess dough over outside of pan, and pinch to secure to pan. (This will keep pie crust from sliding down pan as it bakes.) Line crust with aluminum foil, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.

3. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes. Remove weights and foil, and bake 3 to 4 more minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven to a wire rack, and cool completely (about 15 minutes). Gently tap excess crust from sides of pan, using a rolling pin.

4. Spoon mascarpone mixture into cooled tart shell, spreading to edges. Arrange fruit in tart.

5. Combine apricot jam and 1 Tbsp. water in a small microwave-safe glass dish. Microwave at HIGH 25 seconds. Stir until well blended. Pour apricot mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard solids. Brush fruit in tart with apricot mixture. Serve immediately.

*Apple jelly may be substituted. Decrease water to 2 tsp. in Step 5 and do not strain jelly mixture after heating.

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings


*** I wanted to post the dinner I made.
Shell fish over Linguine- but we were so hungry that we ate first and I remembered too late to take pictures!
Sorry- we are doing a rerun of the seafood dinner... in 2 weeks for my Mother in Laws birthday...I will try to get pictures then!



This is the chocolate cake I made with chocolate whipped cream icing.
Its always a big hit!