Strawberry Mascarpone Cheesecake

My no-bake mascarpone cheesecake sent me down a rabbit hole of making desserts with this soft and rich filling. And after making strawberry filled vanilla cupcakes, I wondered what can I make with mascarpone and strawberries. This strawberry mascarpone cream pie is the result, another one of my mascarpone recipes that's decadent but an easy-to-make treat. The saltiness of its pretzel crust pairs perfectly with the mascarpone mousse filling and sweet roasted strawberries.

Ingredients for this Strawberry Mascarpone Dessert

The full list of ingredients is in the recipe card below. Here are some highlights:

• Mascarpone - This Italian cream cheese is high-fat, with a smooth, creamy texture. It's somewhat similar to American cream cheese but noticeably softer and less tangy. Paired alongside fruit, mascarpone with strawberries is a great combo. In terms of finding it, I have used both the Trader Joe's brand of mascarpone as well as what Belgioioso makes, which I see in many grocery stores.
• Heavy whipping cream - Some no-bake cheesecakes rely on gelatin to thicken the filling and help it set up. Instead, this mascarpone strawberry dessert uses whipped cream. When beaten so that medium stiff peaks form, this ingredient adds volume and airiness to the filling. It also makes the strawberry mascarpone pie more firm as it chills in the refrigerator.
• Pretzel crumbs - The crumbs create the crust of this pie. When combined with melted butter, they form a sturdy base to hold the filling. For an alternative, you could also use my Biscoff pie crust.
• Lemon juice - Adding lemon juice is optional, but it brightens the flavor and adds a slight tanginess.

How to Roast Strawberries

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Toss fresh strawberries, lemon juice, granulated sugar, and salt in a bowl before spreading berries out onto a metal pan to bake for about 20 minutes, flipping berries halfway through. Bake time varies depending on the baking vessel and how it conducts heat - metal will be faster than glass, for instance.

Once strawberries have a syrupy consistency, remove from oven and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Let cool in refrigerator. I like to roast the strawberries one day and assemble the cheesecake on the following.

Steps for Making the Crust

Pop the bowl of your stand mixer into your refrigerator for 15 or so minutes so it can chill as you work on the crust. Or fill the bowl with ice as you prep your ingredients. Empty out and wipe down to dry the bowl before adding the filling ingredients.

As your bowl chills, bring out your food processor. Depending on its size, you may need to make this part of the recipe in two batches.

Add your pretzels, sugar, and melted butter to your food processor. Grind pretzels into a fine, crumb-like texture, which will resemble wet sand. If it feels dry, add more melted butter.

Line your springform pan with a 9-inch round of parchment paper before using the base of a round glass to evenly press the moist crumb mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan.

While most springform pans are non-stick, the parchment paper is a nice added caution and will make it even easier to remove your crust before serving this cheesecake.

Also, pressing the crumbs down into the pan with a glass that has a rounded bottom helps spread the crumbs more evenly.

Place pretzel pie crust in the freezer or refrigerator to firm up as you make the filling.

Combining Roasted Strawberries with Mascarpone Whipped Cream

Puree cold roasted strawberries in a food processor.

Retrieve your chilled bowl from the refrigerator or empty out the ice in it and wipe it dry.

Using a chilled mixing bowl, beat cold mascarpone cheese, cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on a slow speed initially for 1 minute. Then once everything is incorporated, increase to medium-high speed for 2 minutes.

Your goal is to have firmed up the overall consistency of your filling. By this point, its peaks should be medium-stiff or firm. Either will mix fine with the strawberries

Pause mixer to add lemon juice to bowl and beat on medium-high speed (4 on my mixer) for another 30 seconds.

Using a spatula, gently fold the strawberry puree into the mixture, reserving a few spoonfuls to add to the top of the cheesecake.

Evenly spread the strawberry and mascarpone filling into the prepared crust. Add your reserved spoonfuls of roasted strawberries to the top, marbling with a knife. Smooth over with a spatula.

Cover the cheesecake and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or until set. The stiffer your initial peaks are from beating the mascarpone, powdered sugar, and heavy cream, the quicker your filling will set.

Once the cheesecake has set, remove it from the refrigerator and gently slide it from the springform pan onto a serving dish if you plan to use one. If desired, garnish the cheesecake with fresh strawberries, whipped cream, or additional pretzel crumbs.

FAQ and Troubleshooting this Strawberry Dessert

Tips for a Successful Strawberry Mascarpone Cheesecake

• Use a springform pan: This kind of pan allows you to easily remove the cheesecake from the pan without disturbing the crust or filling. Its tall sides also hold all of the filling. If you use a pie crust that's not as deep, your filling may spill over the sides.
• Choose a sturdy crust: The crust is a tasty component in this recipe, and it's sturdy enough to hold up the filling. I use a pretzel pie crust, but you could make a graham cracker crust. Also, ground Oreo cookies make a great base for cheesecakes as well and could be subbed into this recipe if you want chocolate. Use melted butter to hold your crust of choice together. If you're using a sweet cookie like Oreos, you can nix the sugar.
• Chill time: I recommend giving this cheesecake at least 6 hours of chilling in the refrigerator so that it sets up properly.
• Dress it up: Once cheesecake has set, add whatever toppings you'd like! Fresh fruit was my garnish of choice, but a little whipped whipped cream or chocolate shavings would be nice alternatives, too.
• Cheesecake storage: This dessert will keep well in the refrigerator for about 5 days. Put it in a covered container so it doesn't absorb the smell of other foods in your refrigerator. I don't recommend freezing, as it changes the texture (but will still be edible, just different in texture).

More Dessert Ideas

Looking for more decadent desserts? Try this old fashioned carrot cake recipe with pineapple or my smaller Lotus Biscoff cake. Both are simple and delicious.

Or if you're still looking for mascarpone desserts, try my Oreo pie with coffee and mascarpone or these mascarpone cookies with pumpkin.

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