Vanilla Bean Mascarpone Tart

The epitome of a dessert that looks & sounds fancy but really doesn't take that much effort, time or fancy ingredients to make. 

Sweet Pastry Crust

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup (1 stick) room temperature butter

2. 1/4 cup white sugar

3. 1 egg

4. 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

5. 1/4 tsp salt

Method:

1. Sift flour & salt together. Set aside.

2. Cream butter & sugar.

3. Add egg & beat until fully combined.

4. Beat sifted dry ingredients into butter mixture in 2 batches.

5. Press dough into an 8 or 9 inch tart pan (I prefer the non-stick ones with the removable bottoms. No need to butter the pan as the dough contains enough butter to comfortably be removed)

6. Poke holes in the crust before baking in order to prevent it from puffing up while baking.

7. Bake at 400 degrees F for 5 minutes. 

Vanilla Bean Mascarpone Filling 

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup mascarpone

2. 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

3. 1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

4. 2 to 3 tbsp white sugar (I usually do 2 1/2 tbsp)

Method:
1. Add all ingredients to chilled bowl and beat on high until filling is whipped & fluffy. Be careful not to over-whip as this can turn the mixture into butter.


Assembly
1. Brush the base of the cooled pastry tart with any jam of choice. Although the filling isn't liquidy, still do this to ensure that the holes made with the forks are filled.
2. Add whipped filling to cooled pastry tart.
3. Top however you like. My favourite way to serve this is with sliced strawberries & a sprinkle of powdered sugar (as seen in picture)


Vanilla bean paste: https://www.amazon.com/Nielsen-Massey-Madagascar-Bourbon-Vanilla/dp/B003L259AU/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1478618936&sr=1-1&keywords=vanilla+bean+paste