This fruit tart is a stunning centerpiece for any gathering, holiday, or afternoon tea. The tangy yet sweet lime curd and mascarpone filling is absolutely phenomenal and pairs wonderfully with your favorite in-season fruit and berry toppings.
The curd and the crust can be made a few days in advance so it's quick and simple to put together when you're ready to serve.
Why this Recipe Works
This crust is a classic pâte sucrée, which is a sweet dough typically used for tarts. It results in a tender pastry that pairs well with cream fillings. The pâte sucrée part of this recipe is by the famous Pierre Hermé, one of the world's best pastry chefs.
Mascarpone is slightly sweet which balances out the acidity of the lime. Citrus curd has a wonderful tartness, and whisking it with smooth mascarpone helps balance out the flavors and creates a creamy and balanced filling for this tart.
You can make the dough and the curd a few days in advance to help make things easier for preparation on the day you want to serve this dessert.
You can choose your own adventure with the fruit toppings based on what is in season! I have made this tart with everything from berries in the summer to kiwi in the winter.
Ingredients & Substitutions
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Note: Do not substitute any of the tart crust ingredients.
Sugar - You can use granulated, cane, or turbinado sugar in the curd.
Limes - You can use lemon or another citrus to make the curd for this recipe, but my preference is lime for this fruit tart.
Mascarpone cheese - you can use creme fraiche if you cannot find mascarpone.
How to Make this Recipe
I almost always make the lime curd up to 3 days in advance. However, mix in the mascarpone cream the day of. It keeps fresher for longer in the refrigerator if you keep them separate until the day you plan to serve.
Also, the tart crust dough can be made up to 2 days in advance. I like to make the crust dough in advance and refrigerate it overnight in the baking tin. Then, I bake it off the morning of and fill it just before serving.
Tart crust dough
In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. With the motor still running, add 1 ½ tablespoon of egg, the vanilla extract, and then slowly add the flours.
Mix until the whole mixture is combined. Drop the pastry into the tart shell and press it into a 14" x 4.5" rectangular or a 9" circular tart pan and evenly press it into the bottom and sides of the pan.
Refrigerate the pastry in the tart pan for a minimum of 1 hour and up to overnight.
Lime curd
Whisk the eggs, ½ cup sugar, and the lime juice in a saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk it constantly until it becomes thick enough to coat a spoon, which should take about 8-10 minutes.
Transfer the curd mix to a blender and blend on a very low speed, slowly adding small chunks of the 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter a little at a time.
Next, transfer the curd to a bowl, cover it, and chill for 2 hours at a minimum.
You can use my full guide to making citrus curd for more detailed instructions.
Putting it all together
Preheat your oven to 350F. Bake your chilled tart shell (either blind bake or poke fork holes in it) for 8-10 minutes until it is golden brown.
Next, whisk the mascarpone cream into the chilled lime curd until fully combined.
Pour the filling into the cooked tart shell, and chill for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Top with your favorite fruit and serve.
Take this recipe to the next level by adding a fruit glaze. Simply heat some apple jelly or apricot jam and brush it over the fruit tart with a pastry brush. Pop the glazed tart in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
FAQs
Garnish the tart with whatever is in season. For example, berries, passion fruit, figs, pomegranate, kiwi, persimmon, and even cactus pears.
You can one on Amazon ($25), Williams Sonoma ($10).
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Lime Curd & Mascarpone Fruit Tart
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust
- 8 tablespoon unsalted butter room temperature
- 3.5 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 egg beaten
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup almond flour
Filling
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup sugar turbinado, cane, or granulated
- ½ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 4 oz. mascarpone cheese room temperature
- fresh fruit for garnish optional
- apple jelly or apricot jam to glaze the fruit, optional
Instructions
- Crust: In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. With the motor still running, add 1 ½ tablespoon of egg, the vanilla extract, and then slowly add the flours.Mix until the whole mixture is combined. Drop the pastry into the tart shell and press it into a 14" x 4.5" rectangular or a 9" circular tart pan and evenly press it into the bottom and sides of the pan.Refrigerate the pastry in the tart pan for a minimum of 1 hour and up to overnight.
- Curd: Whisk the eggs, ½ cup sugar, and the lime juice in a saucepan over medium heat.Whisk it constantly until it becomes thick enough to coat a spoon, which should take about 8-10 minutes.Transfer the curd mix to a blender and blend on a very low speed, slowly adding small chunks of the 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter a little at a time.Next, transfer the curd to a bowl, cover it, and chill for 2 hours at a minimum.
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Bake your chilled tart shell (either blind bake or poke fork holes in it) for 8-10 minutes until it is golden brown.
- Next, whisk the mascarpone cream into the chilled lime curd until fully combined.
- Pour the filling into the cooked tart shell, and chill for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Top with your favorite fruit and serve.
- Take this recipe to the next level by adding a fruit glaze. Simply heat some apple jelly or apricot jam and brush it over the fruit tart with a pastry brush. Pop the glazed tart in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in my 2018 Thanksgiving ebook, then on the blog in March of 2019. It was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions, FAQs, and tips in September of 2022.
Laurie Baker
I am a fruit tart lover, Would it taste better if honey was added?
Candice
Hi Laurie, if your fruit isn't super-sweet-ripe yet or if you want to add a bit more sweetness, I recommend glazing the fruit with apple jelly.