Try this Raspberry Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Crust recipe from one of my best buddies, Kyra Bussanich of Kyra’s Bake Shop!
This delicious gluten-free tart features a toasted pistachio crust, a creamy mascarpone layer, and gorgeous glazed raspberries. It's the perfect treat! Not only is it delicious, but it's also pretty enough to impress guests.
This tart recipe may seem like it has a couple of extra steps, but trust me, Kyra does everything for a reason. Glazing the berries adds a gorgeous sheen and a little added flavor. Making Italian Meringue as the first step of the filling makes for a smooth, delicious mascarpone center.
Kyra is the only entirely Gluten-Free Winner of the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. She's also the only person who has won 4 times! Get her cookbook, Sweet Cravings, here. It's my favorite gluten-free dessert cookbook. (I'm not just saying that because she's my friend. Swear!)
About Mascarpone:
Mascarpone (pronounced mahs-car-POH-nay), is an Italian cream cheese. It's much smoother, softer and slightly sweeter than American cream cheese, because it has a higher butterfat content. Mascarpone is a critical ingredient in Tiramisu, which might be where you've heard of it. You can find it in tubs in the cheese sections of large or premium grocery stores or at cheese shops.
If you ever have to substitute for mascarpone, add 3 parts American cream cheese and 1 part heavy whipping cream to a blender and process until smooth.
Fun fact: did you know that imported pistachios used to be dyed red to cover up all the imperfections? It's true! Now, almost all the pistachios available in the U.S. are grown in California.
If you like this Raspberry Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Crust recipe, check out our friend Alison's Luscious Lemon Tart! This Dark Chocolate Tart with Walnut Crust + Fresh Berries should be on your list of recipes to try too.
PS: you could use pie plate for this recipe if you don't have a tart pan. However, once you have a tart pan, I bet you'll find lots of uses for it. Here's a link to one I like.
Raspberry Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Crust
Equipment
- tart pan or pie plate
Ingredients
For the Pistachio Pie Crust:
- ¾ cup ground pistachios (from about 1 ¼ cups whole pistachios)
- ½ cup millet flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¼ cup melted butter
For the Mascarpone filling:
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 egg whites
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 8 ounces mascarpone
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup heavy cream
For the raspberry top:
- 18 oz fresh raspberries
For the raspberry glaze:
- 3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
To make the pistachio crust
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray an 8-inch fluted tart pan with gluten-free pan spray and line with a parchment paper circle. I really like the tart pans with removable bottoms, as they are easy to release from the pan. Set the pan aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the ground pistachios, millet flour, sugar and melted butter. Then, press into the bottom of the prepared tart pan.
- Bake until the crust is firm to the touch and begins to turn golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Let cool completely before adding the mascarpone filling.
For the Mascarpone filling
- In a small pot, heat together the ½ cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of water. Brush down the sides of the pot with a clean, wet pastry brush to wipe down the sugar crystals from the sides of the pot.
- Put the egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment and whip to medium-firm peaks while the sugar is cooking. DO NOT OVERWHIP!
- Cook the sugar to 248˚ Fahrenheit. Then, slowly pour into the whipping eggs on medium speed. Once all the sugar is in the pot, turn the egg whites up to high speed. Whip until shiny and glossy and the mixing bowl is no longer warm to the touch, about 7 minutes. *(You just made Italian Meringue! Strong work!)
- Add in the mascarpone, vanilla, and salt and mix on medium speed to combine.
- Stop the mixer, and gently scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure the mascarpone is incorporated in the egg white mixture.
- Pour in the cream and turn the mixer on medium speed and whip until well-combined and light and fluffy.
For the raspberry glaze
- In a small microwave-safe container, heat the raspberry jam with the water for 30 seconds, just to warm the jam, and stir together until smooth.
Putting it all together
- Spread the mascarpone filling over the cooled pistachio crust.
- Place the raspberries in 3 concentric rings around the outer edge of the tart. (I like to put a few berries at the center of the tart as well.)
- Using a pastry brush, glaze each raspberry on the tart with the jam. This will protect the berries from getting wilty, and will also add shine and look pretty.
- If you don’t have enough berries, sprinkle some chopped toasted pistachios on top of the crust for garnish.
- Refrigerate until ready to eat.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Photos: Meg van der Kruik
Raspberry Tart with Mascarpone Filling and Pistachio Crust Recipe: Kyra Bussanich, get her gluten-free baking cookbook here
Frequently Asked Questions about this Raspberry Tart recipe:
Yes! You can use the crust recipe from my Flourless Chocolate Tart, and then follow the filling and topping instructions for the rest of the tart.
Yes. You could use cream cheese or dairy-free cream cheese to replace mascarpone cheese, although you may have to stir it with a bit of cream, since cream cheese is firmer than mascarpone. For this tart filling, just make sure cream cheese is at room temperature before making the filling, and you can use cream cheese to replace the mascarpone.
We wouldn't recommend frozen berries for a tart where the filling isn't baked. If you can't find fresh raspberries, use strawberries or blackberries here. You could also top this tart with fresh sliced stone fruit or citrus.
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