Lemon Mascarpone Tart

This tart is made with lemon and mascarpone for a deliciously creamy, citrus-y sweet treat which is the perfect end to any dinner.  It has shallow sides, a crumbly, sweet, cookie-like crust, and creamy lemon filling! 

This tart requires 2 simple steps.

Make the tart crust. This recipe is great for any tart you’re making. It’s crumbly and sweet with a firm cookie-like texture. 

Simply drop the vanilla wafers in a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Next pour the melted butter in and pule until the crumbs are moist. 

Press the crumbs into a greased pie pan with a removable bottom. Press firmly into the bottom and up the sides. Bake the crust until lightly browned and set, 10 to 12 minutes. 

Or To make things easy, you can use a store-bought tart shell, and then you’ll only need to make the lemon filling. 

Make lemon filling. In a clean food processor, blend ricotta, ,mascarpone cheese, eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla and lemon zest and juice until smooth. Pour into the hot tart crust; using a spatula smooth out. Bake until filling is set and browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Just before serving, sprinkle top of tart with crumbled vanilla wafers. 

Ingredients

• 72 vanilla wafers (from a 12-ounce box)
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 4 ounces mascarpone cheese or cream cheese, softened
• 2 large eggs 
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½  teaspoon vanilla extract 
• Crumbled Vanilla Wafers for topping (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven 375 degrees. In a food processor, pulse vanilla wafers until finely ground (to yield 2 cups). Add butter and pulse until crumbs are evenly moistened.

Transfer crumb mixture to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press firmly into the bottom and up the sides. Place pan on a baking sheet; bake crust until lightly browned and set, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven.

In a clean food processor, blend ricotta, mascarpone cheese, eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice until smooth. Pour into a hot crust in the pan; bake until filling is set and browned in spots, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Just before serving, sprinkle top of tart with crumbled vanilla wafers , if desired.

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Salted Caramel Cheesecake

This Salted Caramel Cheesecake is the best you’ll ever have! It’s smooth, creamy and delicious!

Sweet, salty, buttery caramel should be the main flavor, inside and the top. 

I love cheesecake cake so much, it is such a great versatile for so many different toppings. This salted caramel cheesecake taste delicious with baked apples especially for Thanksgiving.

I made a simple crust with gingersnaps but feel free to use the traditional graham crackers. After the crust has baked, I poured some of the caramel into the bottom of the crust and spread it into an even layer.

When it comes to the cheesecake filling, we’re going to use the caramel sauce again. Combined with the usual cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla and eggs, you get a wonderful silky-smooth cheesecake filling.

Bake the cheesecake in a water bath and then cool until firm. Once it’s cooled, add more caramel sauce to the top and place in the refrigerator for a few hours to firm.

GINGERSNAP COOKIE CRUST

• 2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

SALTED CARAMEL CHEESECAKE

• 32 oz. cream cheese, room temp
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs, room temp
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1/2 cup sour cream, room temp
• 1/2 cup of the salted caramel sauce, cooled to room temp (see recipe)

INSTRUCTIONS 

SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

Pour the caramel into a heat proof container and place it in the fridge while you make the cheesecake. (see recipe for Salted Caramel sauce)

GINGERSNAP COOKIE CRUST

Preheat your oven to 350F and thoroughly butter or grease your springform pan.

In a bowl, combine the crushed cookies, sugar, and melted butter. Mix until the crumbs are evenly moistened then tightly press it into your springform pan.

Bake for 8-10 minutes then leave it out to cool while you make the filling.

SALTED CARAMEL CHEESECAKE

Reduce the oven temperature to 325F and place a large roast pan on the bottom rack.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix the room temperature cream cheese on medium speed JUST until smooth – no more than a minute. 

Take the bowl off the stand and use a rubber spatula to knock out any air that the whisk might have added.

Switch to the paddle attachment and place the bowl back on the stand. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and flour. Then mix it into your cream cheese on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the bowl, especially on the bottom.

At this point, you’ll want to start a pot of boiling water on the stove top.

In that same small bowl, lightly beat your room temperature eggs and vanilla and slowly mix it into the batter on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the bowl again then mix it for a couple more seconds.

Lastly, mix together the sour cream and 1/2 cup of the caramel in a small bowl then fold it into your batter using a rubber spatula.

Pour ¼ cup of the caramel sauce over the cooler pie crust. 

Pour the batter over the cooled crust and drop the pan against the counter a couple times to let out any air bubbles.

Place the springform pan into the roast pan. 

Once your water is boiling, CAREFULLY pour it into your roast pan. Fill the roast pan with enough warm water to go about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. The water should not go above the top edge of the aluminum foil on the springform pan.

Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. It’s done when the edges have puffed up and the center gives a tight giggle when you shake the pan.

Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Then, pour the caramel sauce over the cheesecake before refrigerating. If the caramel is too thick to pour, place it in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute to thin it out. 

Place the cheesecake in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours to set. I recommend serving it slightly chilled so that the caramel stays in tact.

If you want to serve with the apple topping, just pour the apple topping over the top of the cheesecake before serving.