Description
No matter if you want it as a comfort dessert or one for a special occasion, you won’t be disappointed!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups (about 150g) graham cracker crumbs
- 1/3 cup (75g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
For the Filling:
- 1 1/2 cups (360g) mascarpone cheese, softened
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For the Topping (Optional):
- Fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Alternative Ingredients:
- Graham crackers (crust) – chocolate cookies, vanilla wafers, digestive biscuits, gluten-free cookies
- Crust – consider also a nut-based crust using finely ground nuts like almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, or combine them all using melted butter with some sugar
- Flavor extracts – almond extracts, orange extracts, rum extract
- Lemon zest – orange zest, lime zest
- Liqueur – amaretto, grand marnier, or coffee liquor (Kahlua) for an extra layer of flavor
- Mascarpone cheese – greek yogurt or cream cheese for a lighter and creamier texture
- Dairy-free (vegan) – coconut cream
- Granulated sugar – honey or maple syrup for a natural sweetener
Instructions
- Prep the Crust:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar and mix it until the crumbs are evenly coated.
- Once fully coated, press the crumb mix into the bottom of a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan (or cake pan) with parchment paper underneath and make sure it’s packed tightly and evenly on the sides of the pan.
- Bake the crust in the preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes – or until it’s set and lightly golden.
- Remove the baked crust from the oven and let it cool at room temperature while you prepare the filling next.
- Prep the Filling:
- In another large mixing bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese until it’s smooth and creamy.
- Take a separate medium bowl and whip the heavy cream until it reaches stiff peaks.
- Tip: This can take a few minutes, so use an electric mixer or food processor if you have it.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone cheese until well combined – this means you slowly mix it in insteading of adding everything at once.
- Now, add the granulated sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the cheese mixture. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved, and the filling is smooth and well incorporated.
- Tip: Use fresh lemon zest to get that fresh lemon flavor!
- Assemble the Torta:
- Step 10: Pour the mascarpone filling over the cooled graham cracker crust in the springform pan and smooth the top with a spatula or wooden spoon – refrigerate the Mascarpone Torta for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow it to set and the flavors to meld before adding any toppings on top of the cake (berries are the best in my opinion).
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