{Recipe} Mascarpone, Mango & Hazelnut Tart

It is now coming into the warmer months and hooray, we are welcoming all our summer fruits.  Nothing screams summer to me more than days at the beach followed by sticky hands and arms after sucking all the goodness out of a box of mangoes!

An impromptu family BBQ last weekend had me at the shops that morning and wondering what I could make for something sweet.   Mangoes were in my trolley and as I walked down the dairy aisle, mascarpone soon joined the mangoes.   Seeing these two now best buddies sitting side by side in my trolley, I knew what I wanted to make for dessert.   A few more ingredients and homeward bound we were.

My grand plan for dessert was for an open tart of stacked rectangles of puff pastry that was layered with a mascarpone cream and then slathered in juliennes of fresh mangoes and if you know me, you know I love texture, some chopped freshly roasted hazelnuts also.

Lots of ooohs and aaahs when I bought out dessert and I was pretty impressed with myself.  So I took a couple of happy snaps and onto the cutting.   Needless to say - this dessert ate MUCH better than it was plated!   Trying to cut through the puff pastry as well as the fresh mascarpone was not a pretty plating experience for the guests, however this was not their concern, as soon enough their faces were dipped firmly into the tart!

The next day, there was a smidgeon left over {gasp!}    I left this last vestige of the dessert for my hubby (such a caring wife) for an after dinner treat.  Being the nice hubby he is, he allowed me to take a piece off the corner ;P!   I was happy to note that the next day, the tart was even a little better (if possible) than the day before and MUCH easier to serve.  

So this had me thinking then.   Did I really want to have to go through the plating scenario again if I had a dinner party?    The mission was set, time to get the mini tart pan out.

HUGE success!   If I had a choice between the two, I would pick the mini one probably.   Only because that I love everything in mini and also that in my mind the minis have less calories!

ummm yep, that was the taste testing bite!

Surprise, surprise, I decided to go one step further!!!    Maybe it is the Italian family heritage or maybe it is the part in me that really loves a bit of savoury with my sweet, but some aged balsamic syrup was the perfect finishing note to these tarts.   You may not be like me, and not want that slight bitter tang, but believe me it is goooood!

So on that note, maybe I should leave you with this recipe!

Mascarpone, Mango & Hazelnut Tart/s

2 sheets of puff pastry cut into half (to make 2 rectangles)

OR

Shortcrust pastry mini tart cases (use your own pastry recipe or buy some good quality pre made ones)

500 gms tub of mascarpone cheese

1 cup icing sugar (sifted)

300mls thickened cream

1 fresh mango, cut into juliennes

1/2 cup freshly roasted hazelnuts, lightly chopped

Aged balsamic glaze (if desired)

**These quantities suit the puff pastry open tart option.   You may want to quarter the size of the filling ingredients when making the mini tarts.   But the mascarpone mix can be made and then stored in the fridge for 3 days.  To use again, just quickly rewhip and use as a topping for a cake, filling for cannoli etc etc.

Puff pastry option

Place the puff pastry rectangles on baking paper in an oven at 160oC for 10-15 minutes.   After 10 minutes take out of the oven and very carefully using an oven mitt, press the rising puff pastry back down and then put back into the oven for another 5 minutes or until slightly golden.

To make the mascarpone mix, in your mix master whip the mascarpone until fluffy and slowly add your icing sugar until incorporated and then whip until nice and fluffy.   In a separate dish, whip your thickened cream until it has soft peaks and then gently mix the cream into the mascarpone mix.

Let the pastry cool completely and assemble your layers of mascarpone, mango and hazelnuts.

Lightly drizzle over your balsamic glaze as desired - remember a little goes a long way.

Refrigerate until serving.

Mini- Tart Option

Make the mascarpone mix as above.   Assemble your short crust pastry shells on your serving dish and then pipe (or spoon) a generous dollop of the mascarpone into each shell.   Top with then juliennes of mango and sprinkle with the crushed hazelnuts.

Drizzle over your balsamic glaze and refrigerate until serving.

It is hard to say how many tarts this way make as each tart case is made differently - but the mix should be enough for 2 dozen mini tarts.

I hope you enjoy this recipe.   Such an easy option for a dessert tasting plate at your next entertaining event.

xx