Mascarpone Cheesecake Tart with Rosemary-Kissed Strawberries
Makes one 8-inch tart
For the crust:
1/4 cup (42 grams) brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
one egg yolk
pinch of salt
1/2 cup (113 grams or one stick) unsalted butter, gently warmed until just melted
1 cup (125 grams) flour, plus more as needed
1/4 cup (25 grams) almond flour
For the filling:
8 ounces (226 grams) mascarpone cheese, room temperature (Vermont Creamery is my personal favorite!)
8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup (55 grams) Greek yogurt
1/4 cup (42 grams) brown sugar, lightly packed
juice of half a lemon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
For the berries:
1 pound strawberries, rinsed, hulled and halved
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
pinch of salt
Make the crust: In a medium bowl whisk together brown sugar, vanilla, egg yolk, and salt until smooth. Slowly whisk in the melted butter until combined, then add the flour and almond flour all at once and stir vigorously until the dough comes together in a smooth ball. If needed, add flour one tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the bowl. Don’t fret if it looks a little oily
Press walnut-sized balls of dough evenly around the edges of an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom then crumble the remaining dough over the bottom of the pan, and use your fingers to press the dough into an even layer. [See a visual of this in action.] Use a fork to lightly prick the dough (every few inches or so) and freeze for 20 minutes. While it is freezing, preheat the oven to 350.
Remove the crust from the freezer and press a piece of foil very tightly up against the bottom and up the sides of the crust. This avoids the need for using pie weights! Yay! Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove foil and use a spoon to press back the dough if it has puffed up then continue to bake uncovered for another 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
Make filling: In a small bowl whisk together Greek yogurt, brown sugar, the juice of half a lemon, vanilla, and pinch of salt until smooth. Beat the mascarpone and cream cheese together in a large bowl until combined, or about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the yogurt mixture and beat until combined. Transfer to the cooled tart shell and use an offset spatula to spread the filling evenly into the crust. Refrigerate for several hours or until firm.
Make the topping: About 30 minutes before you’d like to serve your tart, combine the strawberries, brown sugar, fresh rosemary, and pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Stir the berries every so often as they release their juices then just before serving, discard the rosemary leaves and pile the berries on top of the tart. If desired, pour the juices left behind in the bowl over the top. Slice and serve immediately. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
