Lemon Mascarpone Tart is a simple and delicious recipe with an authentic pasta frolla pie crust and creamy no-bake lemon mascarpone filling! This is the perfect dessert for the warmer months and is so simple to make! 

Authentic Lemon Mascarpone Tart is a favorite sweet treat to serve during the summer. It’s easy to put together and is full of bright citrus flavors with a deliciously creamy finish. 

If you love no-bake Italian desserts, be sure to try this No-Bake Cannoli Cheesecake or my No-Bake Lemon Mascarpone Cheesecake. For another delicious tart recipe, try this Blueberry Lemon Mascarpone Tart with an olive oil crust or the classic Italian Crostata recipe. 

You’ll Love Lemon Mascarpone Tart!

This recipe for lemon mascarpone tart is a true recipe perfected that’s made with just a few ingredients and can be made days in advance. You’ll love how simple and subtly sweet this dessert is with it’s creamy tart finish. 

If you’ve never had it before, mascarpone is soft spreadable cheese that originated in Italy. It is richer and sweeter than cream cheese and has a more velvety texture. It’s the perfect addition to this lemon tart recipe! 

The crust for this tart is a classic Italian pasta frolla shortcrust pastry made with flour, sugar, eggs, and butter. You can prepare the sweet pastry crust days in advance and refrigerate until ready to use. 

You’ll love how simple and refreshing this tart is with it’s slightly sweet flavor and creamy texture. Plus, this is a great dessert to make ahead of time and serve chilled or at room temperature. 

This tart is made with just a few simple ingredients and doesn’t use any heavy cream, raw egg yolk, or lemon curd. It’s truly so simple to make! 

So, if you are looking for a creamy and delicious tart for the warmer months, be sure to give this Italian Lemon Mascarpone Tart recipe a try. You’re going to love it! 

Ingredients

• Mascarpone cheese: you can find mascarpone in the refrigerator section of any grocery store next to the ricotta and cream cheeses. In a pinch, you could substitute half of the mascarpone for full fat cream cheese. 
• Powdered sugar: icing sugar is used in the filling to keep the mixture smooth and creamy. 
• Lemon: you will need both lemon zest and lemon juice for this recipe. One large lemon should be enough, but you can always add more depending on preferences. 
• Vanilla: use a splash of vanilla extract to add flavor to the filling. You could also use lemon extract if you want extra lemon flavor. 
• Flour: all purpose flour works great for the crust. 
• Sugar: use regular granulated sugar for the shortcrust pastry. 
• Kosher salt: a bit of kosher salt will help balance the sweetness of the lemon mascarpone tart crust. 
• Baking powder: make sure you are using baking powder and not baking soda. 
• Egg: use cold large eggs for the tart crust. 
• Butter: use cold cubed unsalted butter or salted butter. 

How to Make a Lemon Mascarpone Tart

This Lemon Mascarpone Tart comes together fast and is a great Italian dessert to make ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to serve. You can make the tart crust up to three days in advance – just cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. 

You can make this tart in a classic tart pan with removable bottom or use a standard-sized pie plate. You could even make this in a 9×9 inch baking pan and serve in squares. 

Step 1: make the shortcrust pastry

In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, combine the all purpose flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Place on the lid and pulse to combine the mixture. 

To the flour mixture, add in the eggs and butter. Place on the lid and pulse until the mixture is well combined and smooth. The dough should be able to hold its shape when pressed together. 

Step 2: chill the dough

Pour the pasta frolla dough onto a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten into a disk shape and cover with plastic wrap ensuring that it is airtight. 

Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. You can also make the dough ahead and refrigerate for up to three days in advance. 

Step 3: roll out tart dough and bake

When ready to make, preheat the oven and lightly spray a 9-inch tart pan with nonstick cooking spray. 

Place the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll into a 12-inch circular shape. Place the dough into the tart pan. Remove excess dough and discard or save for another time. 

Alternatively, you can use your hands to press the dough into and up the sides of the pan. 

Bake in preheated oven on center rack for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool on wire rack completely. If the dough has puffed, use the bottom of a glass to press it into the pan. 

Step 4: make the lemon mascarpone filling

In a large bowl, add in the room temperature mascarpone cheese. Use an electric mixer on high speed or use a whisk to whip the mascarpone until light and fluffy.

Then, add in the powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix on low speed until well combined and creamy. 

Pour the filling into the cooled tart shell. Use an offset spatula to smooth the creamy mascarpone mixture over the top of the tart. 

Refrigerate until the tart is set. Then, garnish with lemon wedges or lemon peel and slice into wedges and serve. 

Recipe Tips

• This Italian Lemon Mascarpone Tart is classically made using a shortcrust pastry. You can always substitute store-bought pie crust or use a graham cracker crust instead. 
• If you don’t have a food processor, you can make the crust using a pastry cutter. 
• The crust can be made and refrigerated up to three days in advance. 
• If you don’t have a tart pan, you can use a pie plate instead. 
• For a less rich filling, you can substitute half of the mascarpone for cream cheese. 
• Garnish the lemon mascarpone tart with lemon slices, or you could even spread on lemon curd. Serve with fresh berries and whipped cream if desired. 

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