The Cocoa Tart with Mascarpone and Ricotta Cream is an explosion of flavors: the delicious and soft cocoa pastry wraps the velvety and delicate cream, slightly spiced with cinnamon. A true triumph of flavors…after the first taste, you won’t want to stop. A scenic yet simple and elegant dessert, perfect for a birthday party and to impress your dinner guests.
But the Cocoa Tart with Mascarpone and Ricotta Cream is a dessert you can also enjoy at the end of a meal accompanied by a cup of hot coffee. Tarts are the sweets I love to make, and my family loves them too. The fillings can vary like the delicate and fresh Fruit Tart with Pastry Cream or the super delicious Crispy Tart with Creamy Nutella that is always a hit, or simply filled with good fruit jam.
In this case, I also baked the tart in an air fryer, my faithful ally in the kitchen.
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Affordable
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: For a 9.5-inch pan
- Cooking methods: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
Ingredients to prepare the Cocoa Tart with Mascarpone and Ricotta Cream
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup butter (keep it at room temperature for 20 minutes)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese (keep it at room temperature for 30 minutes)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup sugar
- ground cinnamon (the tip of a teaspoon)
Tools
Tools to prepare the cocoa pastry
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 2 Parchment Paper sheets
- 1 Tart Pan 24 cm
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Fork
Steps
How to prepare the Mascarpone and Ricotta Cream Tart
Pour all the ingredients, except the butter, for the pastry into a bowl and work them with your hands.
Add the butter cut into small pieces and quickly work the dough to prevent it from getting too warm until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough. Wrap it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes
Remember to keep the mascarpone at room temperature for 30 minutes and drain the ricotta in a sieve to remove excess liquid
Put the mascarpone, ricotta, and sugar into a bowl and mix with a fork until you get a cream
Add the egg yolks and cinnamon (optional) and mix again until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. Keep it in the fridge until you need it to fill the pastry
After resting, take 3/4 of the pastry and roll it out to a thickness of 3/8 inch between two sheets of lightly floured parchment paper with the help of a rolling pin
Transfer the pastry into the pan, previously buttered and floured, and remove the parchment paper. Roll the rolling pin over the edges to remove excess dough. Use the prongs of a fork to lightly prick the bottom of the pastry. I placed two crossed strips of parchment paper in the pan to help remove it from the mold.
Pour the cream and level it with the help of a spatula or the back of a spoon. Decorate with the reserved pastry into 3/8 inch strips or, if you prefer, cut it with cookie cutters
Place the pan in the air fryer and bake with the bake program at 320°F for 35 minutes. Take it out and let it cool completely before removing it from the mold
You can decorate it with chocolate curls or powdered sugar
You can keep the tart covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for 2/3 days. Before eating, let it sit at room temperature for 10/15 minutes
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I add chocolate chips to the cream?
Yes, you can add 50/60 g of chocolate chips or add dark chocolate shavings
