This creamy, sweet and tangy lemon mascarpone tart is one of the easiest desserts you will make! It consists of sweet tart shell filled with smooth and creamy mascarpone cheese, lemon curd and passion fruit, and chopped pistachios on top.
Delicious and vibrant no- bake dessert, bursting with tropical flavours, perfect to serve at any spring or summer gathering. Made with only 6 ingredients, and ready in 10 minutes!
Absolutely delicious! The lemon and passion fruit go together perfectly in this not too sweet dessert...★★★★★
- Ana
With warmer days on the horizon, this recipe will be just ideal to enjoy during spring and summer. Light texture and bright appearance make this lemon mascarpone tart a perfect dessert or treat for any family or friends gatherings, BBQ's, or garden parties!
Just like my Raspberry Mascarpone Tart recipe, this tart is made using shop-bought sweet pastry shell, saving you heaps of time or the need to turn the oven on. If you would like to make your own tart shell, then check out my recipe for Classic Lemon Meringue Pie.
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Ingredients
Here's the only 6 ingredients you need to make this lemon mascarpone tart:
- Sweet pastry shell - Medium (24 cm / 9-inch) pastry case for the base of our tart. For time saving and for ease, use ready-made shop bought sweet tart case. They are available from the baking isle at most supermarkets.
- Mascarpone - Use full fat mascarpone cheese. It's worth mentioning that it should be cold, and not at room temperature.
- Double cream (heavy cream) - To stabilise the mascarpone filling, and to give it richer and creamier texture. The cream should also be cold.
- Lemon curd - For that delicious, sweet and tangy lemon flavour.
- Passion fruit - To add more tropical flavour and lovely crunch from the seeds.
- Pistachios - Unsalted, raw pistachio nuts work really well here, as they add more crunch and a lovely pop of colour.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- You can use homemade or shop-bought lemon curd. If you want to make your own, check out my Homemade Lemon Curd recipe.
- Swap the lemon curd for stem ginger preserve or a little of finely chopped stem ginger and clear honey and stir it through mascarpone.
- Add some cooled, melted white chocolate to the mascarpone, before folding double cream and lemon curd for a chocolate version of this tart. You could also pour the cooled melted chocolate into the bottom of the pastry case before topping it with the filling.
- Double cream (heavy cream) can be substituted for full fat Greek yogurt. The texture will not be as stable as with cream, but it will still taste delicious.
- Swap pistachios for chopped, toasted hazelnuts, or any of your favourite nuts.
- Leftover lemon curd? Why not use it to make this Lemon Curd Cake?
Instructions
Combine cold mascarpone with cream, lemon curd and passion fruit.
Transfer the mixture into the sweet pastry shell and spread in an even layer.
Top the tart with the remaining lemon curd and passion fruit juice.
Scatter chopped pistachios on top of the tart. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes to chill.
Serving suggestion: Dust your finished tart with some icing sugar and add some fresh, finely grated lemon zest.
Storage
Do not let your lemon tart sit at room temperature for more than couple of hours, as mascarpone and heavy cream are both very perishable.
Store any leftovers of this lemon mascarpone tart in the fridge for up to 2 days. I recommend storing it in an airtight container to prevent it from absorbing any fridge smells and drying out.
This tart is not suitable for freezing.
Top Tips
- If you notice any liquid around your mascarpone cheese, drain it before using mascarpone in this recipe.
- Use cold mascarpone and cold cream. Only take it out of the fridge once you have everything else ready and prepared.
- Due to the high fat content in mascarpone cheese, it is easy to overbeat it and cause it to curdle slightly, so bear that in mind. Stir it gently, using hand- held whisk or spoon, then carefully beat in the remaining ingredients until just combined.
- Do not let finished tart to sit at room temperature for long time. Store it in the fridge instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically, yes. However, the texture and the flavour will be very different. Cream cheese is firmer, more tangy and sharp in taste. Mascarpone has looser, lighter and more velvety texture. The fat content in mascarpone cheese is also higher than that in the cream cheese, that's why it has richer and creamier taste.
If you are using ready made shop-bought pastry shell, this shouldn't happen (as the case is already pre-baked). If your homemade tart shell has a soggy bottom, it's more likely due to under baked pastry. Make sure to blind bake pastry shell for the time specified in the recipe.
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📖 Recipe
Lemon Mascarpone Tart
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- spatula
- whisk
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet pastry shell (24 cm)
- 250 g mascarpone cheese cold
- 50 ml double cream (heavy cream) cold
- 6 tablespoon lemon curd homemade or shop-bought
- 2 small passion fruit seeds and juice separated
- 30 g unsalted pistachios chopped
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mascarpone, double cream and 4 tablespoons of lemon curd until soft and spreadable. Add seeds and juice of one of the passion fruit and fold until combined.1 medium sweet pastry shell (24 cm), 250 g mascarpone cheese, 50 ml double cream (heavy cream), 6 tablespoon lemon curd
- Spoon the mascarpone mixture into the sweet pastry shell, top with remaining lemon curd, passion fruit juice and seeds and chopped pistachios. Place the tart in the fridge for 20 minutes to chill, remove, slice and enjoy!2 small passion fruit, 30 g unsalted pistachios
Please note that all my recipes are developed and tested in metric grams. I recommend that you use digital scales for a more accurate results. I have provided a conversion to US customary in the recipe but please note that I haven’t tested using this method.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in March 2021. It has been updated with new photos, revised recipe and tips in January 2024.
Joanna says
Your tart shell is the best sweet shortcrust one I've ever made. Thank you (and the tart itself is magnificent)!
Ana says
Absolutely delicious! The lemon and passion fruit go together perfectly in this not too sweet dessert. While store bought lemon curd works well, next time I'm going to make my own lemon curd to really get the lemon to pop. Thank you for the recipe!
Anna says
Ana, I'm so happy to read this positive review! Thanks so much for taking time to write it, and I'm super pleased that you enjoyed this recipe!