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    Susan Brings Dessert » Recipes » Cake Recipes

    Strawberry Mascarpone Cheesecake

    Published: Jun 15, 2023 · Modified: Apr 22, 2024 by Susan Gravatt · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    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.

    strawberry mascarpone cheesecake sitting on the base of a springform pan on a cake stand, surrounded by strawberries

    Ingredients for this Strawberry Mascarpone Dessert

    shot of ingredients for 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.

    Tips for Roasting Fresh Sliced Strawberries

    Strawberries cut into smaller pieces will cook and roast more quickly in the oven. Cut them into tinier bits to speed up this process a bit.

    You can also roast strawberries in a glass or ceramic baking dish. However, metal conducts heat faster and will get the job done more quickly of roasting strawberries.

    How to Roast Strawberries

    lemon juice, sugar, and strawberries on a cutting board

    Preheat oven to 375°F.

    up-close image of strawberries for roasting
    up-close image of strawberries in bowl with sugar on them
    up-close image of strawberries that have been tossed with sugar and lemon juice

    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.

    roasted strawberries for strawberry filled cupcakes

    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.

    roasted strawberries in a bowl for for strawberry filled cupcakes

    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.

    overhead image of a mixing bowl, chilled with ice, as a whisk attachment sits within it

    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.

    pretzel pie crust ingredients

    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.

    overhead image of a springform pan, lined with parchment paper
    pretzel pie crust in a 9" springform 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.

    Tip for Working with Mascarpone

    Mascarpone has a tendency to split when mixed with other ingredients that are different temperature. If your mascarpone is very cold and heavy cream is room temperature, or vice versa, your mixture could split. Carefully follow the steps of the recipe whenever determining the temperature you should use for combining ingredients with mascarpone.

    As a result, I worked with cold mascarpone and cold heavy cream in this recipe, ensuring they'd combine.

    Combining Roasted Strawberries with Mascarpone Whipped Cream

    Puree cold roasted strawberries in a food processor.

    roasted strawberries in a bowl for for strawberry filled cupcakes
    pureed 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.

    bowl of ingredients for mascarpone cheesecake recipe, including powdered sugar, heavy cream, and mascarpone, unmixed
    medium stiff peaks of mascarpone, heavy cream, and powdered sugar

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

    folding ingredients

    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.

    spreading mascarpone into pretzel crust
    spreading roasted strawberries and mascarpone into pretzel crust
    marbled roasted strawberries in pie crust
    overhead image of strawberry mascarpone cheesecake

    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.

    springform pan covered with plastic wrap

    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.

    mascarpone strawberry cheesecake, sitting on a brown cake stand with sliced strawberries decorating the top
    mascarpone strawberry pie, sitting on a brown cake stand with cake server underneath one of three slices

    FAQ and Troubleshooting this Strawberry Dessert

    What's the difference between crème fraîche and mascarpone?

    Crème fraîche and mascarpone are both dairy products. The former has a slightly sour flavor. Mascarpone, on the other hand, is a type of Italian cream cheese with a rich, creamy flavor that lacks the tanginess of crème fraîche.

    In terms of texture, crème fraîche is thinner and more liquid-like than mascarpone. Because of their distinct textures and flavors, they have different applications.

    Can I put a no-bake cheesecake in the freezer to make it set faster?

    I wouldn't recommend putting this no-bake cheesecake in the freezer to speed up the setting process. Mascarpone can develop an unusual texture when frozen. It's still edible but may not maintain that smooth and creamy mouthfeel taste.

    How does a no-bake cheesecake set?

    While some no-bake cheesecakes rely on gelatin for setting up, this recipe uses whipped cream. It adds volume and airiness to the filling, and helps it firm up as it chills in the refrigerator.

    Also the mascarpone itself naturally thickens as it chills in the refrigerator.

    Why does my mascarpone frosting split?

    Mascarpone has a tendency to split when mixed with other ingredients that are different temperature. If your mascarpone is very cold and heavy cream is warm, or vice versa, your frosting could split. Carefully follow the steps of the recipe whenever determining the temperature you should use for combining ingredients with mascarpone.

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    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).
    mascarpone strawberry cheesecake, sitting on a brown cake stand with cake server underneath one of three slices

    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.

    Print

    Strawberry Mascarpone Pie

    strawberry mascarpone cheesecake sitting on the base of a springform pan on a cake stand, surrounded by strawberries
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    Enjoy this strawberry mascarpone cream pie, full of flavor from fresh roasted strawberries. This light dessert sits in a pretzel pie crust.

    • Author: Susan
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 20 minutes
    • Total Time: 6 hours, 30 minutes
    • Yield: 1 9-inch cheesecake 1x
    • Category: Dessert
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Scale

    Crust

    • 180 grams of salted pretzels or pretzel sticks 
    • 6 T (85 grams) unsalted butter, melted
    • 2 T granulated sugar

    Strawberry Mascarpone Filling

    • 16 oz (450 grams) mascarpone cheese, cold
    • 1 ½ cups (360 grams) heavy cream, cold
    • 1 cup (125 grams) powdered sugar
    • 4 tsp fresh lemon juice
    • 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

    Roasted Strawberry Filling

    • 16 oz strawberries (ends up being about 1.5 cups of pureed strawberries)
    • 3 T granulated sugar
    • 1 T lemon juice, bottled or fresh
    • Pinch of salt

    Instructions

    Roasted Strawberries

    1. Preheat oven to 375˚F.
    2. Toss berries, lemon juice, sugar, and salt in a bowl before spreading them out into an aluminum or metal pan to bake for about 20 minutes, flipping berries halfway through.  
    3. Once they have a syrupy consistency, remove from oven and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Let cool in refrigerator.  

    Crust 

    1. Add your pretzels, sugar, and melted butter to your food processor. Grind pretzels into a fine, crumb-like texture, which will resemble wet sand.
    2. Line your springform pan with a 9-inch round of parchment paper before using the base of a round glass to evenly press the crumb mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan.
    3. Place in the freezer or refrigerator to firm up as you make the filling. 

    Mascarpone Filling

    1. Puree cold roasted strawberries in a food processor.
    2. 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
    3. Pause mixer to add lemon juice to bowl and beat on medium-high speed (4 on my mixer) for another 30 seconds. The peaks of your filling should be medium-firm to stiff at this point - either will work.
    4. Using a spatula, gently fold the strawberry puree into the mixture, reserving a few spoonfuls to add to the top of the cheesecake.
    5. Evenly spread the cheesecake filling into the prepared crust. Add your reserved spoonfuls of roasted strawberries to the top, marbling with a knife. Smooth over with a spatula.
    6. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 6 hours, or until set.
    7. Once the cheesecake has set, remove it from the refrigerator and gently slide it from the springform pan onto serving dish. If desired, garnish the cheesecake with fresh strawberries, whipped cream, or additional pretzel crumbs.

    Notes

    • While most springform pans are non-stick, the parchment paper is a nice added caution here.
    • Please note that the nutritional values are approximate and may vary based on the specific brands and ingredients used. They're based on this dessert providing 12 servings. 

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 slice
    • Calories: 350
    • Fat: 25g
    • Carbohydrates: 20g
    • Fiber: 1g
    • Protein: 3.5g

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag @susanbringsdessert — would love to see your creations!

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    About Susan Gravatt

    Susan is a recipe developer and food photographer. She specializes in sharing original dessert recipes and unique buttercream cake designs and tutorials. Her goal is to help readers feel kitchen-confident when they're baking desserts and decorating cakes at home.

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