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Recipe: Lemon-Mascarpone Icebox Tarts

These icebox tarts are bursting with the flavors of the season: a buttery crust, lemony filling, and seasonal fruits like berries, peaches, or plums, garnished with fresh herbs.
plano-profile-recipes-lemon-icebox-tarts
Plano-profile-recipes-lemon-icebox-tarts

These icebox tarts are bursting with the flavors of the season: a buttery crust, lemony filling, and seasonal fruits like berries, peaches, or plums, garnished with fresh herbs. Because they must be made several hours ahead and chilled, you’ll be cool as a cucumber when it’s time to serve.

Ingredients

  • 2⅔ cups butter cookie crumbs (about 1½ pkgs. butter cookies, like Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Cookies)
  • ⅓ cup butter, melted
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • ½ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 (8-oz.) container mascarpone cheese
  • Toppings: fresh berries, sliced peaches or plums, and fresh mint or thyme sprigs

Recipe

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together first 4 ingredients. Firmly press crumb mixture on bottom and up sides of 6 (3¾-inch) round tart pans with removable bottoms (about 6 tablespoons per pan). Place tart pans on a baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheet on a wire rack completely (about 30 minutes).
  2. Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and next 3 ingredients until well blended. Whisk in mascarpone just until blended. Spoon mixture into prepared tart shells.
  3. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until almost set. (The centers will not be firm but will set up as they chill.) Cool completely on baking sheet on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 4 hours. Arrange fruit decoratively over tarts and garnish with herbs just before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Source: Southern Living, June 2012