Those who know me are aware that in the kitchen, I am a promoter of changes that help grow, understand, and improve! I love and appreciate everything that brings novelty, only to discover that there are never limits, except those we create for ourselves when we turn up our noses at combinations we are not used to! I am exactly the opposite; I embrace the new with enthusiasm, unless that particular novelty has not completely convinced me or has raised any doubts! The recipe I propose today is certainly a lighter version of the classic shortcrust pastry, but no less intriguing for that! Honestly, due to this inclination of mine, over the years, I have tried different alternative recipes, all worthy of being tried at least once, but this one is truly special! Indeed, in the dough, yogurt replaces half the portion of butter, resulting in a lower fat content, as well as being more delicate and surprisingly pliable. Also, it does not require resting time and all you need is a bowl with a whisk to make it, without dirtying anything else! The filling is also very simple and quick! For the base, I chose a strawberry and vanilla jam, trusting a truly unique quality product from a Sicilian company that gifted it to me, and for which I thank them. The top layer is a soft mascarpone and yogurt cream, without eggs, which will provide a truly remarkable note of freshness! And for those with a sweet tooth, a dark chocolate topping that will blend with the sweet taste of strawberries in a sublime embrace that will conquer you from the first bite! A special way to say I love you to those you cherish the most! It will therefore be perfect to propose for Mother’s or Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, or simply as a treat to prepare for the whole family, a healthy and delicious snack for your children, or a dessert for your guests. Prepare it and let me know if you liked it!

Difficulty: Medium
Cost: Medium
Preparation time: 25 Minutes
Portions: 12
Cooking methods: Electric Oven
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients for the shortcrust pastry:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (+ as needed)
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup butter
1 pinch salt
1 cup strawberry jam
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/3 cup plain yogurt
as needed chocolate topping
3 strawberries
as needed powdered sugar

Tools

1 Bowl
1 Spoon
1 Rolling pin
1 Tart pan

Preparation:

Start by preparing the base dough for your shortcrust pastry, following the steps of the recipe until you get a smooth and elastic dough (fig. 1).
Cut off a little more than 2/3 of the dough and set aside the remaining portion that will be used to decorate the tart. Then roll out the larger piece of dough on a sheet of parchment paper with the help of a well-floured rolling pin (fig. 2).
Create a disc about less than 1/4 inch thick and transfer it to a well-buttered and floured tart pan with the help of the rolling pin (fig. 3).
Cut off the excess dough and even out the edges (fig. 4).
Prick the bottom with the tines of a fork and spread half of the cherry jam with the help of a spoon (fig. 5).
With the remaining dough, you can create decorations to add to the edges, like this braid (fig. 6).
This way, you will have hidden the small imperfections from cutting the edges and improved the aesthetics (fig. 7).
Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the filling by working the mascarpone with sifted powdered sugar and yogurt in a bowl (fig. 8).
You should achieve a creamy and homogeneous consistency (fig. 9).
If you like, you can make additional decorations with the leftover dough to bake separately at 350°F for 13 minutes (fig. 10).
Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool completely. Once it’s cool, add the remaining jam, then spread your mascarpone cream, leveling it well and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
You can garnish by washing and drying the strawberries well, then cutting them into heart shapes and glazing to taste with chocolate topping.
Let the tart chill in the refrigerator for about an hour before serving. And voila… your yogurt tart with strawberry jam and delicate mascarpone cream is ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from FeFe’s Kitchen!