Strawberry Lemon Mascarpone Tart with Graham Cracker Crust
Strawberry Lemon Mascarpone Tart is made with fluffy, whipped mascarpone cheese spread over a homemade graham cracker crust, and topped with freshly sliced strawberries. This dessert is perfect for summer when berries are in season and you’re craving something cold and not excessively sweet!
Ingredients for Strawberry Lemon Mascarpone Tart
Graham cracker crumbs comprise the crust of this Strawberry Lemon Mascarpone Tart. Although you can use regular, store bought graham crackers, they’re very easy to make at home and taste a lot better! A typical box of graham crackers contains refined flour, refined sugar, ultra-processed canola oil, soy lecithin, and artificial flavours. These ingredients are genetically modified and heavily sprayed with pesticides, so it is best to avoid them by making some Homemade Graham Crackers from scratch.
Irish butter is the most delicious butter I’ve found. Kerrygold is the most popular brand, though I haven’t tried it. My go-to is Waterford, which is based in Wisconsin, but uses milk from Irish cows. The cows are grass-fed, pasture-raised, and don’t eat GMO feed. The butter is noticeably yellower than conventional varieties, indicating higher vitamin A levels. And, like I said, it tastes amazing!
Mascarpone is a soft, mild Italian cheese, reminiscent of regular cream cheese. However, it doesn’t have the same tang and isn’t quite as thick, making it better for whipping.
Lemon juice and zest both provide the citrus flavour to compliment the berries and cream. Start by using half the amount of lemon juice and add more to taste.
Heavy cream when whipped with mascarpone gives the filling the perfect texture. Make sure you check the ingredients and look for a brand, such as Organic Valley, that doesn’t add preservatives and other unnecessary ingredients. (Their ultra-pasteurised does contain gellan gum, but the regular only contains cream.)
Raw honey is the chosen sweetener for this tart because it is unrefined and pairs wonderfully with berries. If possible, use local honey from a trusted farmer since some conventional, store-brand honeys may be adulterated with cheaper syrups. Plus it’s always just a good idea to support local producers!
Strawberries are the final, key component to this tart. Look for organic berries if possible because regular ones are heavily sprayed with pesticides. If strawberries aren’t in season when you want to make this tart, try blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries instead.
How to Make Strawberry Lemon Mascarpone Tart
Graham Cracker Crust
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate with butter. If your graham crackers are whole, place them in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl and add the melted butter. Use a fork to incorporate the butter into the graham crackers. Then put the graham cracker mixture in the pie plate and use your hands to press down the crumbs into a flat, even layer–about a ¼ inch thick.
Bake the crust for 10-15 minutes. When it is golden brown, remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Filling
Meanwhile, place the mascarpone cheese and whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks begin to form. If you don’t have a stand mixer, use an electric hand mixer instead.
Add the honey, lemon zest, and half of the lemon juice. Continue to whip until the mixture reaches a light, fluffy consistency. Add more lemon juice to taste.
When the crust is completely cool, spread the mascarpone filling on top and use an offset spatula to smooth it out. Cover the top of the tart with freshly sliced strawberries. If desired, line the edges with fresh lemon slices for garnish. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Variations
If you follow a gluten free diet, use gluten free graham crackers instead of regular.
You are not limited to just strawberries when making this tart. Blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries would all be delicious options. Use whichever variety is in season and locally available.
I hope you enjoy this Strawberry Lemon Mascarpone Tart! be sure to leave a rating below and let me know what you think in the comments. Happy baking!
Other Recipes to Try
- Lemon Berry Mascarpone Pie
- Black Raspberry Gallette
- Fresh Strawberry Pie and Whipped Cream
- Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
Strawberry Lemon Mascarpone Tart with Graham Cracker Crust
Ingredients
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 3 Tbsp Irish butter
- 4 oz mascarpone cheese
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- ⅓ cup Organic Valley heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp raw honey
- 2 cups organic strawberries sliced
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate with butter. If your graham crackers are whole, place them in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
- Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl and add the melted butter. Use a fork to incorporate the butter into the graham crackers.
- Then put the graham cracker mixture in the pie plate and use your hands to press down the crumbs into a flat, even layer–about a ¼ inch thick.
- Bake the crust for 10-15 minutes. When it is golden brown, remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Filling
- Meanwhile, place the mascarpone cheese and whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks begin to form. If you don’t have a stand mixer, use an electric hand mixer instead.
- Add the honey, lemon zest, and half of the lemon juice. Continue to whip until the mixture reaches a light, fluffy consistency. Add more lemon juice to taste.
- When the crust is completely cool, spread the mascarpone filling on top and use an offset spatula to smooth it out.
- Cover the top of the tart with freshly sliced strawberries. If desired, line the edges with fresh lemon slices for garnish. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.