Raspberry Mascarpone Tart is a piece of Heaven with every bite

Recently, I noticed a number of Foodies out there have posted various fruit tarts from strawberries to apples and pears. Thanks to all of them, it has inspired me to try my hand at one and I believe it to be a winner. Because of your inspiration, I certainly can't take full credit, but have none the less added my special touches to this one. I served this to my guests for Sunday brunch and it was like seeing a bunch sweetoholics swarming over it never being able to get enough of it. I must admit, later in the evening I could still smell the scent of the perfumed aroma of the raspberry compote. I can't say enough about the incredible flavors that screamed out of every bite. As a footnote, it was relatively easy to prepare.

The topping:

2 pints of fresh raspberries (2 small boxes)
2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier
2 tablespoons of Grenadine syrup
3 tablespoons of sugar
1/2 cup of raspberry preserves
1 packet of gelantine powder (diluted in 1/3 cup hot water)

The filling:

1 package of cream cheese (8 oz.) at room temperature
1/2 container of Mascarpone (4 oz.) at room temperature
1 whole egg room temperature
1/3 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of Grand Marnier

The crust:

1 puff pastry sheet
2 tablespoons of flour

You can make your own puff pastry, but please, do you really want to complicate this dessert? Have we forgotten what this blog is all about, simplicity?? Just take the pastry sheet out of the freezer and set it at room temperature and let it thaw for about an hour or so.

When thawed, unfold it and lay it over a cutting board that has been sprinkled with the 2 tablespoons of flour. Preheat your oven to 400 (200c). Get yourself a tart pan that has the romovable bottom, you know the kind I'm talking about? You want one about 9 to 10 inches in diameter. Since there is plently of butter in the puff pastry, you really don't need to butter your pan. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the puff pastry so that it is large enough to cover the bottom and sides of the tart pan. Don't roll it too thin or you won't have a nice bottom crust. Lay the pastry dough over the tart pan and push along the sides with  your thumb so that it molds itself nicely to the sides. If you have extra pastry dough that goes over the sides, simply fold it back into the sides making sure that it sticks well in the fold. With a fork, poke holes on the bottom and sides so that pastry doesn't puff up.

When ready to bake, use baking paper to cover the bottom and sides and then fill the pan with dried beans (like kidney beans or white beans). This will also help prevent pastry from puffing up and will keep its shape. Be sure to use baking paper and not foil. Foil, for some reason, keeps the bottom from baking well. It's best to use parchment paper or that special plastic paper that's oven safe. Anyway, I digress. Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes. When finished, remove from oven and lift out the beans and paper and allow to cool. It will continue to bake while it is still hot.

While pastry is cooling, start preparing your topping. In a medium sauce pan, add the raspberries, sugar, and Grand Marnier. Heat and bring to a very slow bubbling over medium to medium low heat, stirring frequently. Once liquid has been produced by the raspberries, add the preserves and the Grenadine and continue to cook for about 5 or 6 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl through a strainer so that you separate the liquid from the solids. The liquid will produce a wonderful syrup that you will coat your serving plates with. Set the solids back in the pan and set aside.

Now you can prepare the filling. In a large bowl, add the cream cheese, Mascarpone, egg, vanilla, and Grand Marnier, and stir with a wooden spoon until well blended and creamy. It may take a few minutes but you want to do this by hand. Once smooth, add the sugar and mix well for a couple more minutes.

Now it's time to bake again. Once the crust has cooled and the base has hardened a bit, add the filling of cream cheese and  Mascarpone  to the crust shell making sure it covers the base evenly. Since there could be leakage at the seams of the pan bottom, cover the bottom and sides of the tart pan with foil. This next step is very important. ONCE THIS GOES IN THE OVEN, THE OVEN DOOR MUST STAY SHUT AND NEVER BE OPENED UNTIL BAKING IS COMPLETE. Bake at 400 for 12 minutes and then shut the oven off and leave the tart in the oven for another 40 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR DURING THIS TIME.

When baking is done, remove and set the tart aside to cool for about an hour. When cooled, add the gelatin (diluted in hot water) to the raspberry solids you have in the pan and stir well for about a minute. Let set for 5 minutes and then pour over the top of the filling making sure the entire surface is well coated. Transfer tart to the fridge and allow to continue to cool for another hour.

To serve, coat each plate with the raspberry syrup (about 2 tablespoons per plate) and place a nice wedge on top. Finish with a nice spoonful of well whipped heavy cream. You will have a dessert that is guaranteed to wow your guests. You won't believe the incredible flavor your taste buds will experience. I seriously recommend you make this at home. It was out of this world and I have all of you that have posted various tarts to thank for inspiring me to try my hand at it.