Raspberry Cheesecake Tart

Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-23
Tarts are so pretty and elegant and I love how easy they are to make. I wanted to create a tart with a simple shortbread cookie type crust and have a no bake filling. The less oven time, the better. Right now my baby is at an age where he needs a lot of attention, so I don’t have time for fancy layer cakes or other fussy desserts during the week. During the weekends, my husband can take charge of baby watching, but during the week, I’m on my own. Since we have company on weeknights too, this is the perfect solution. I made the tart during my baby’s nap times and it was all ready to go for our guests that evening.
I combined three of my favorite sweet flavors – cheesecake, berries and a simple cookie that isn’t too sweet.
To make sure it wasn’t runny, I used unflavored gelatin for the cheesecake filling. This tart has a sandy shortbread crust, with a creamy mascarpone cheesecake filling, topped off with fresh, juicy raspberries. You can even make this into small, individual tarts which would be really cute. With a nice cup of tea, this tart is the perfect way to relax with your family or guests.


Ingredients:

Tart Crust:

1 stick (8 Tablespoons) butter (1/2 cup), softened to room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cheesecake Filling:
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 Tablespoon water
1/3 cup heavy cream
4 oz cream cheese, softened
4 oz mascarpone cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 pints raspberries
Instructions:
Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-44In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the egg and vanilla. Mix to combine.
Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-43Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix just until combined.
Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-42Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap it in parchment paper and chill in the refrigerate for about 30 minutes. You can even make this a day in advance.
Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-41Take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about an 11 inch circle.
Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-40
Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-39Place the dough over a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Lift the edge of the dough and ease it into the corners of the pan. Make sure there is dough in all the corners of the pan. Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-37
Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-38Trim off the excess dough off the top of the tart pan. (I usually roll out the excess dough and bake a few little cookies that taste really great.)
Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-32Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Freeze the dough in the tart pan for about 30 minutes.
Bake the tart shell in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, just until it is lightly golden brown around the edges.
Take the tart shell out of the oven and chill completely.
Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-30Meanwhile, make the filling.
Pour the 1 Tablespoon of water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the water and let it stand for about 5 minutes.
Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-31In a chilled bowl with a chilled whisk attachment, mix the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Set aside in a small bowl.
Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-36Using the same bowl and standing mixer, mix the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. (You can also use a hand held mixer.)
Add the mascarpone cheese, vanilla and salt. (You can also add some lemon zest for extra flavor.)
You can use 8 oz of cream cheese only, if you don’t want to use mascarpone cheese. Mix until smooth.
Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-35Gently fold in the whipped cream into the cheesecake mixture.
Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-33Place the gelatin mixture in the microwave for about 30 seconds or heat in a small saucepan on very low heat, just until the gelatin dissolves. Do NOT boil. Set aside to cool just for a minute.
Add the gelatin into the cheesecake mixture and mix to combine.
Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-29Pour the cheesecake mixture into the cooled tart shell. Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-28Refrigerate until the cheesecake layer is set, about 1 hour. Garnish with fresh raspberries. Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-26You can also use any other berries, nuts or chocolate shavings. 
To remove the tart out of the pan, place your hand under the pan, holding up only the removable bottom not the sides. Push the tart straight up and the tart ring will fall away and slide down your arm. Use a long thin knife or spatula to gently remove the tart from the bottom of the pan and transfer it to a serving plate.
Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-25
Raspberry Cheesecake Tart-1-24
Raspberry Cheesecake Tart
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 1 (9 inch) tart
Ingredients
Tart Shell:
  • 1 stick (8 Tablespoons) butter (1/2 cup), softened to room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups all purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
Cheesecake Filling:
  • 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
  • 1 Tablespoon water
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 4 oz mascarpone cheese, softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 2 pints raspberries
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add the egg and vanilla. Mix to combine.
  3. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix just until combined.
  4. Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap it in parchment paper and chill in the refrigerate for about 30 minutes. You can even make this a day in advance.
  5. Take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about an 11 inch circle.
  6. Place the dough over a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Lift the edge of the dough and ease it into the corners of the pan. Make sure there is dough in all the corners of the pan. Trim off the excess dough off the top of the tart pan. (I usually roll out the excess dough and bake a few little cookies that taste really great.)
  7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  8. Freeze the dough in the tart pan for about 30 minutes.
  9. Bake the tart shell in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, just until it is lightly golden brown around the edges.
  10. Take the tart shell out of the oven and chill completely.
  11. Meanwhile, make the filling. Pour the 1 Tablespoon of water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the water and let it stand for about 5 minutes.
  12. In a chilled bowl with a chilled whisk attachment, mix the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Set aside in a small bowl.
  13. Using the same bowl and standing mixer, mix the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. (You can also use a hand held mixer.)
  14. Add the mascarpone cheese, vanilla and salt. (You can also add some lemon zest for extra flavor.) Mix until smooth.
  15. Gently fold in the whipped cream into the cheesecake mixture.
  16. Place the gelatin mixture in the microwave for about 30 seconds or heat in a small saucepan on very low heat, just until the gelatin dissolves. Do NOT boil. Set aside to cool just for a minute.
  17. Add the gelatin into the cheesecake mixture and mix to combine.
  18. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the cooled tart shell. Refrigerate until the cheesecake layer is set, about 1 hour. Garnish with fresh raspberries. You can also use any other berries, nuts or chocolate shavings.
  19. To remove the tart out of the pan, place your hand under the pan, holding only the removable bottom not the sides. Push the tart straight up and the tart ring will fall away and slide down your arm. Use a long thin knife or spatula to gently remove the tart from the bottom of the pan and transfer it to a serving plate.
Notes
You can use 8 oz of cream cheese only, if you don’t want to use mascarpone cheese.

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