Easy Fruit Tart with Mascarpone
Creamy mascarpone cheese and some simple store shortcuts make this easy fruit tart creamy and rich without a lot of work. Top with your choice of fresh berries or swirl in some jam and it’s worth enjoying!
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You can make people ooh and ahh over a dessert. It’s fun to do. They’ll hover over it and tell you how pretty it is and how hard it must have been to make.
And you can smile and tell them or not. I usually just say thank you and let them think I’m a master tart maker.
You do that too. It’ll make you feel powerful.
This recipe varies a bit from my traditional recipes because there’s more help from the store than usual, so pay attention to my caveats. I’ll use some store (factory made) ingredients from time to time but with caution.
You can easily make these components from scratch if you would prefer.
The perfect easy fruit tart crust
I cheated. In this recipe I used a simple refrigerated pie crust as the base but you could absolutely make one from scratch. I’d recommend this one. Pie crusts aren’t half bad from the store so if you want to go that route, your tart will still be wonderful.
The best creamy filling
To make your filling really creamy and rich we’re adding a blend of mascarpone cheese to vanilla pudding with a touch of sugar. That’s basically it. It’s a miracle in a tart pan.
I choose a synthetic color free vanilla instant pudding. Jell-o has a line of color free ones that I use and enjoy on very rare occasions. If you want to make your own pudding check out this recipe.
You can find mascarpone in a tub sometimes near the cream cheese or more often in the cheese department of your grocery store. For best results, bring it out and let it warm a bit before blending it with your pudding.
How long with this tart last in the fridge?
This tart can easily be made 2 or 3 days ahead and would last up to 5 days in the fridge total.
What berries should I use?
Any berries you like. I used a blend of strawberries, blackberries and blueberries topped with a bit of lemon zest (which is delicious!) but any seasonal fruit would work. You could even use pineapple or mandarin oranges!
Other amazing berry desserts to try
Easy Fruit Tart with Mascarpone
Ingredients
- 1 refrigerated pie crust
- 1 3.4 ounce instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 cups cold milk
- 4 ounces mascarpone cheese
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- berries of your choice optional
- lemon zest optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400. Press the pie crust into the tart pan, making sure it's tucked well in to all the corners and against the edge of the pan.
- Lay a large sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper over the surface of the piece crust and fill the center with dried beans, rice or pie weights.
- Bake until the edges of the pie crust are just golden–about 18-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and lift out the foil with the dried beans/rice/weights inside and set aside. Be careful they're hot! Set the crust aside and allow it to cool slightly while you make the filling.
- In a medium bowl, add the pudding mix, milk, mascarpone, and powdered sugar. Beat with a hand mixer or with a spoon until the pudding is starting to set and all the ingredients are incorporated. About 5 minutes. Pour the filling (as much as will fit) into the crust within about 1/4" of the top of the crust.
- Cover the pudding by laying a piece of plastic wrap directly on the pudding to keep it from forming a skin.Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Once the tart is chilled, add the berries by piling them on one side of the tart. Sprinkle with the lemon zest, slice and serve.
About the Author
Rachel Ballard, RN, BSN brings more than 20 years of professional nursing expertise to Feast and Farm. With a love for nutrient dense foods that support wellness, she works to distill complex health information and current trends into recipes that fuel the best version of yourself. Read more about Rachel here.