I love this holiday! Red, white and blue everywhere… the 4th of July spirit is so infectious. What’s more, two of our country’s favorite berries come together, lending a hand to make the desserts shared across our nation festive and fun. And for this Independence Day, do I have just the treat for you!

Ripe, red strawberries and juicy blueberries are the “stars” in this show. But with the gingery crust and sweet mascarpone filling, the berries have met their match. This do-ahead tart will have you doing back flips!

Think a tart is out of your wheelhouse? Nope, think again. With a 2-ingredient press in crust, and a no-bake filling that just gets whipped up in your mixer, this one couldn’t be easier. The berry “star” takes just a few minutes and makes it all look like a million bucks!

This tart is so amazing as is, but in a pinch you can always swap raspberries for the strawberries, or graham crackers for the gingersnap cookies. If you can’t find mascarpone cheese (hint: it’s a sweet Italian style cream cheese usually found in the cheese area next to the ricotta), you can always sub in regular cream cheese.

I also suggest keeping this recipe handy throughout the year, as you can top it with any fruit that’s in season. I love it with sliced peaches or nectarines, and especially with Florida-fresh mangoes! Yum!

Happy 4th! I wish you a fun-filled and safe holiday!

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Star-Studded Berry Tart

Prep Time20 mins

Chill Time2 hrs

Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 9 ounces gingersnaps
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese at room temperature
• 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 pound strawberries (roughlsliced
• 1 ½ pints blueberries

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325. Finely grind the gingersnaps in a food processor. Add butter and pulse to combine. Press into a 10” tart pan with a removable bottom and place in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.
• Combine the mascarpone and cream cheese in a stand mixer. Beat until softened and combined.. Add the yogurt or sour cream, sugar, zest and vanilla. Beat until creamy, scraping down the sides to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated. Spread into the cooled crust and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Use a skewer or sharp knife to score a star pattern in the filling. This will make it easier to place the strawberries. Slice the strawberries and arrange in the star pattern on the tart. Fill in the space with the blueberries. Serve, or refrigerate for up to 8 hours. (Tart will keep for a day or longer, but the crust will soften.

Tips & Tricks

• Special Equipment - 10 inch tart pan with removable bottom