With the Memorial Day long weekend and summer barbecuing season just around the corner, I knew it was time to come up with a quick and easy dessert that won’t leave you chained to the stove while your guests are frolicking in the backyard and drinking your watermelon mojitos. “Quick and easy” are not the only redeeming characteristics of this puff pastry dessert. It also highlights the fresh flavors of lemon and berries. And they’re so darn pretty that your friends will think you slaved for hours…and then they’ll pour you a double mojito to reward your long and enduring effort. Not too shabby.
Simply cut six circles out of a puff pastry sheet and pop them in the oven. About 10 minutes later, the pastry circles will be light and flaky, with a golden brown sheen. Spoon some mascarpone cheese, lemon curd and milk into a bowl and whip them together until you have a light and creamy mixture to spread over the flaky circles. Top with some fresh berries, and these pretty desserts are ready to serve.
The recipe:
The rest:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface lightly roll out puff pastry. Using a 3 3/4-inch round biscuit cutter, or the rim of a glass or bowl, cut out 6 circles from the puff pastry. Lay the circles on the prepared baking sheet.
Lightly brush the tops of the puff pastry with egg.
Bake until puffed and light golden brown, about 10 minutes. As soon as the puff pastry is removed from the oven, lightly press it down with the back of a spatula so that the surface of each round is flat.
Lift the puff pastry pieces from the baking sheets and let cool on wire racks.
Lemon Mascarpone:
Into a medium bowl, combine the mascarpone cheese, lemon curd and milk.
Using a hand mixer, beat until the ingredients are combined and the mixture is smooth.
Assembly:
Spread a heaping tablespoon of the lemon mascarpone on each puff pastry round. Divide the berries evenly between the rounds.
Garnish with some lemon zest. Serve.
Other recipes for Memorial weekend:
Cookin’ Canuck’s Blueberry Swirl Ice Cream Pie with Hazelnut Crust
Cookin’ Canuck’s Blackberry & Strawberry Crisp with Gingersnap Crumble
Evil Shenanigans’ Dark Chocolate Chip Pavlova with Strawberry Whipped Cream
She Wears Many Hats’ Strawberry Tart
Two Peas and Their Pod’s Mini Fruit Pizzas
From the kitchen of Cookin Canuck. www.cookincanuck.com
Ingredients
- 4 oz. mascarpone cheese, room temperature
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1/4 cup lemon curd (homemade or from a jar)
- 1 sheet purchased puff pastry, defrosted
- 1 egg, whisked
- 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
- 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
- Lemon zest, for garnish
Instructions
- Into a medium bowl, combine the mascarpone cheese, lemon curd and milk.
- Using a hand mixer, beat until the ingredients are combined and the mixture is smooth.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface lightly roll out puff pastry. Using a 3 3/4-inch round biscuit cutter, or the rim of a glass or bowl, cut out 6 circles from the puff pastry. Lay the circles on the prepared baking sheet.
- Lightly brush the tops of the puff pastry with egg.
- Bake until puffed and light golden brown, about 10 minutes. As soon as the puff pastry is removed from the oven, lightly press it down with the back of a spatula so that the surface of each round is flat.
- Lift the puff pastry pieces from the baking sheets and let cool on wire racks.
- Spread a heaping tablespoon of the lemon mascarpone on each puff pastry round.
- Divide the berries evenly between the rounds.
- Garnish with some lemon zest. Serve.
{ 49 comments… read them below or add one }
I have some lemon curd that I wasn’t sure how I wanted to use it. Thank you for the inspiration! These look light and perfect for summer!!
Thank you, Kelley! I love the versatility of lemon curd. It’s great for last-minute desserts.
These sound so tasty! Love these!
Thanks, Katrina! My family adored these.
These look amazing, Dara. I know they are! Perfect for Memorial Day!
Thanks, Robyn. I think I’m going to make another batch of these on Memorial Day.
Oh how I love lemon curd…and fresh berries! Mmm……
Thanks, Denise. Lemon curd and berries really are a match made in heaven.
You are so kind! You must have known I had another jar of lemon curd sitting in the fridge and didn’t want me to stand at the door and eat it with a spoon.
I love these little desserts!
Ha! Lemon curd does have that kind of addictive power, doesn’t it?
I just posted a similar dessert, we are on the same page:) Yay for summer berries!
I know! I linked to your adorable fruit pizzas in my post. When I saw your post go up on Monday, I realized that we were both feeling inspired by springtime flavors.
These are beautiful! I just posted a little puff pastry dessert too — so fun!
Thanks, Ali. Puff pastry is so easy to work with and versatile. It’s great for last-minute desserts.
so yum! I great flavor alternative to the typical “fruit pizzas”..love it!
Thanks, Emilie. These got rave reviews from my whole family.
These are so beautiful Dara! I can picture eating them up with the family this summer/now
Yum!
Thanks, Jenny. I have a feeling I’ll be making these all summer long.
My daughter said it when she was little and would offer this up today even thought she is grown. Yummers. I would say…what is there not to love; sound divine Dara!
Thanks, Barb! This is definitely a dessert for all ages.
These are gorgeous, Dara! I love using puff pastry for simple desserts. These are so festive!
Thanks, Cassie. Puff pastry really does make the process so quick and easy.
Puff pastry is so perfect for a quick dessert. Love the lemon curd-Mascarpone!
Thanks, Laura. Yes, I was tempted to eat the lemon mascarpone by the spoonful.
Such a pretty dessert and how wonderful that it’s simple, too! Looks great.
Thanks, Jennifer. When there is so much cooking happening on Memorial Day, I want a dessert that doesn’t take much time to put together.
So simple and pretty! Definitely perfect for the summer bbq season
Thanks, Rachel. I agree!
Love how quick and easy this delicious recipe is.
Thanks, Barbara! I think we should sit down and enjoy these together this summer.
these are too easy and so beautiful! love that combo
Thanks, Heather. You just can’t beat lemon and berries in concert.
I wish to E Mail recipes to myself but you do not have an E Mail option. I will un subscribe if this is not corected.
Now this is awesome timing! I just made some fresh lemon curd… will give this a try… can’t wait!
What a pretty and airy dessert! Hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!
These look wonderful Dara! Have a great weekend!
Looks terrific! Seems so easy to make too!
These little tarts are so adorable, Dara! Love them for a spring or summer party. In fact, I have a couple coming up where these would be just perfect to bring!
I love how light they look! I always see mascarpone at the store and always think I should get some, but I don’t know why. Now I know! Combining it with lemon curd sounds wonderful. I hope you have a nice Memorial Day.
Those are just gorgeous! And while I would love to eat the lemon mascarpone all by itself, I can think of about a million other ways to use it.
I love recipes that are so easy, but super impressive. These are gorgeous!
These are beautiful for our red, white and blue holidays. Definitely a more elegant look than many of the artificially red, white and blue desserts out there
Can I make these the night before? Thanks
Perfect for my next party!
I love this recipe – so simple and scrumptious for a summer holiday!
So pretty, Dara. And a nice, easy dessert to put together, that’s my style!
I’m sharing this on my blog’s Daily Foodporn with proper backlink. Keep up your good work.
Beautiful! And what a perfect summer dessert – simple yet elegant as well.
I love the lemon/mascarpone combo tangy and smooth, I really likes these! So glad i found ur blog!