This chocolate coffee mascarpone tart features a shortbread-like sweet tart dough (pâte sucrée), a rich layer of silky chocolate mascarpone, and a piped topping of just-sweet-enough coffee mascarpone. Dusted with a layer of cocoa powder, it hits all the key flavors of a tiramisu without the eggs or Marsala wine.
This espresso mascarpone chocolate tart was the happy third outcome of a late summer mascarpone cheese impulse buy. I brought home a 5 pound (2.2 kilo) tub of mascarpone on a whim from the restaurant supply store. I couldn't pass up the price!
The self induced pressure of using up that much soon-to-expire dairy led me to create a handful of desserts with mascarpone. These included lemon mascarpone ice cream with currant swirl and honey blackberry mascarpone ice cream.
I also have recipes for blackberry poppy seed cake with a mascarpone frosting, and easy grilled peaches with mascarpone. (Told you I love this stuff.)
This is one of my favorite recipes to date. The combination of coffee and chocolate is such a classic pairing, and with good reason. They simply work so well together.
The contrasting textures help make eating this tart a truly pleasurable sensory experience. There’s the buttery crumb of the pâte sucrée, the dense creamy chocolate layer, the airy whipped coffee mascarpone, and the powdery layer of cocoa on top.
Can't get enough of the chocolate coffee mascarpone flavor combination? Add these chocolate coffee mascarpone sandwich cookies to your baking list also!
I bake so often that I usually end up sharing the majority with friends, family, and neighbors. However, after I finished photographing this tart, I carefully wrapped it up and hid it in the back of the fridge. There was no way I was giving it up.
For an entire week, I’d sneak a slice when no one was looking. Not from any shame in eating it – because I had none – but simply so that I wouldn’t have to share. The girls discovered it once, but I shooed them away due to the coffee content. There probably wasn't enough to affect them, but it was a convenient excuse.
So fair warning to you. This impressive chocolate coffee mascarpone tart is wonderful for a festive dinner with friends and family. But you'll be bereft when it’s gone.
I used up the last of the vat of mascarpone cheese making this recipe. I’m already thinking I need to buy another.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead - I wouldn't label this an "easy" recipe due to the amount of steps involved, but it's certainly doable! If you'd like to break the recipe up over several days, you can:
- Make the pâte sucrée dough ahead of time. Roll it out, place it in the tart pan, wrap well, and freeze it unbaked. This could be done several weeks in advance. No need to let it defrost before baking.
- Blind-bake the tart shell a day in advance. Let it cool, then (while still in the tart pan) wrap tightly in plastic wrap to maintain freshness. Be careful. It's sturdy, but still breakable.
- Fill the baked tart shell with the chocolate mascarpone the day prior to serving. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
It's best to add the mascarpone coffee cream and cocoa powder the day you'll be making the dessert. This will maximize freshness. It will also prevent the topping from being damaged by an accidental smoosh from plastic wrap or tin foil.
Espresso powder - I use instant espresso powder to flavor the coffee mascarpone filling. It's far more concentrated than instant coffee. You can read more about instant espresso powder and its uses here. It's my go-to when baking with coffee.
Want to try a chocolate tart crust instead? Feel free to substitute the chocolate tart dough from this Sour Cherry Chocolate Tart recipe.
PÂTE SUCRÉE
See my easy pâte sucrée recipe for step by step photos and detailed instructions for making this sweet tart dough. No pie weights required!
Equipment
For my tart recipes, I use this nonstick carbon steel tart pan with a removable base.
To pipe the coffee mascarpone filling, use a 16 inch pastry bag fitted with a large round metal piping tip. Here I used a Wilton 1A tip.
Try these other tarts!
Love this recipe? Please leave a comment and star rating. ★★★★★ Your feedback, suggestions, and adaptations are very helpful to other bakers!
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Coffee Mascarpone Tart
INGREDIENTS
PÂTE SUCRÉE
- 1 9.5 inch (24 cm) pâte sucrée, blind baked (follow link for recipe)
CHOCOLATE MASCARPONE FILLING
- 6 oz (1 cup, 170g) dark chocolate, finely chopped (I use a 72% cacao bar)
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup (2.6 oz) heavy cream
- ¾ cup (168g, 6 oz) mascarpone cheese, chilled, from refrigerator
COFFEE MASCARPONE TOPPING
- 1 cup (8 oz) heavy cream
- 2 ½ teaspoons espresso powder
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (224g, 8 oz) mascarpone cheese, chilled, from refrigerator
- ¼ - ⅓ cup (25-33g) cocoa powder, to dust on top
INSTRUCTIONS
PÂTE SUCRÉE
- Prepare pâte sucrée recipe for a 9.5 inch tart pan. Use longer baking time to fully blind bake the sweet tart dough.1 9.5 inch (24 cm) pâte sucrée
CHOCOLATE MASCARPONE FILLING
- Combine chocolate, sugar, vanilla and salt in a medium mixing bowl.6 oz (1 cup, 170g) dark chocolate, ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Heat heavy cream in microwave safe container in 30 second intervals until steaming.⅓ cup (2.6 oz) heavy cream
- Pour cream over chocolate mixture and slowly whisk until all ingredients are blended and no lumps of chocolate remain.
- Add chilled mascarpone and whisk until completely combined.¾ cup (168g, 6 oz) mascarpone cheese
- Pour into cooled tart shell, smooth with an offset spatula if needed, and place in refrigerator to set.
COFFEE MASCARPONE TOPPING
- Place heavy cream, espresso powder and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on low speed until espresso powder is fully dissolved.1 cup (8 oz) heavy cream, 2 ½ teaspoons espresso powder, ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- Add chilled mascarpone to mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed just until firm peaks form and coffee mascarpone mixture holds its shape.1 cup (224g, 8 oz) mascarpone cheese
- Transfer mascarpone mixture to a 16 inch piping bag fitted with a large round tip (I use a Wilton 1A tip).
- Remove tart from fridge and use a toothpick to gently mark guidelines about every inch along the chocolate filling.
- Using lines as reference, pipe rows of quarter-sized circles of coffee mascarpone. Hold the bag vertical as you pipe. Continue until chocolate filling is completely covered with coffee mascarpone.
- Place cocoa powder into a fine sieve or sifter. Gently tap the sieve while moving it over the tart to dust the top with cocoa. Adjust cocoa amount to your liking. I put a generous amount on top, completely covering the coffee mascarpone filling, and thought it made a good contrast to the sweeter elements.¼ - ⅓ cup (25-33g) cocoa powder
EQUIPMENT
- round tart pan 9.5 inch (24 cm)
NOTES
50 grams (¼ cup) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
120 grams (1 cup) all purpose flour
1 large egg, separated
Katie says
hello! I'm going to attempt to make this tomorrow, but I was wondering if I didn't want the top being to be covered in espresso, would it be possible to incorporate the espresso powder into the filling instead? I am envisioning a design similar to yours but with little white snowmen...
Kathleen Culver says
Hi Katie,
I'm sorry I missed this!
To clarify, the top is sprinkled with cocoa powder, not espresso powder.
You could definitely incorporate the espresso powder into the bottom layer of chocolate mascarpone if you're looking to make the top piping a brighter white.
You'd then omit the sprinkled cocoa powder.
If you're going for a snowy look, you could add a bit of powdered sugar, although very lightly as it will add additional sweetness that's not really needed.
Hope it turned out great!
Kathleen
Mimi says
Great recipe my family deemed it the favourite dessert
Toni McCormick says
I have an 8 inch & 11 inch tart pan--which is preferable?
Kathleen Culver says
Hi Toni,
My tart pan is a 9.5 inch pan, so it's right in between those two!
I'd recommend using the 8 inch since your filling might be much too thin otherwise, and you might not have enough dough to fully cover the larger pan.
If you can't access a 9.5 inch pan, you may have to leave a bit of the filling out to ensure it doesn't get too full.
You may also need to increase the baking time by a few minutes.
Keep an eye on the crust and cover it with foil or a pie crust protector if it starts to get dark before it's done!
Thanks,
Kathleen
Giel says
Slightly confusing, but: you say to add the espresso powder both to the bowl and keep it aside to mix with water in step 1 of the coffee mascarpone topping.
Kathleen Culver says
Hi Giel,
Thank you for catching that!
It's best to mix with water so that the espresso granules fully dissolve first.
I've edited the recipe to make it more clear.
Much appreciated,
Kathleen
Leslie Jackson says
The only tart pan I have right now is a 5x14" rectangle. Can I use this size and reduce the filling and bake time slightly?
Kathleen Culver says
Hi Leslie,
I'm sorry for my delay in responding!
This recipe as written is for a 9 inch tart pan, which is 64 inches in area.
Your tart pan is 70 inches in area, so you should be able to use the recipe as written without any issues.
I wouldn't change the bake time or filling.
Please let me know if you give it a try.
Thanks,
Kathleen
Sydney says
Made this for my birthday and it was delicious! I had trouble rolling out the crust part, it was either sticking to the counter or coming off on my rolling pin so I used the smooshing into the tart pan after letting it sit in the refrigerator for a bit to firm up. The only issue was that it was pretty thin on the bottom so I lost some crust when cutting into it. But I am wondering how long it should be good for in the fridge?
Thanks for a delicious recipe 🙂
Kathleen Culver says
Hi Sydney,
Belated happy birthday wishes!
It should last a good 4-5 days in the fridge (although it never lasts that long at our house...)
If you're OK with the leftovers being a bit less presentable, just cover it with some plastic wrap to keep the mascarpone from drying out too much.
Do you use parchment paper?
My favorite way to roll out dough is between two sheets of parchment.
No sticking at all as it doesn't touch the counter OR rolling pin directly.
Just roll to your desired thickness, pop in the fridge for a bit to cool, then peel back both parchment layers to loosen them before flipping it into the tart pan.
Thanks for baking this tart!
Kathleen
Ali McIntosh says
I've made this a few times and it's always tasty! People are impressed by the appearance from the piping, but it's so simple to do- I've even made it during a lockdown with a 3yr old and 6 month old, because it's easy to break it up into steps during naps. I'm considering trying it as small tarts (like butter tart sized) to make it easier for group settings where you might not have access to a knife/plates.
Kathleen Culver says
Ali,
Thank you so much for your comments!
I'm so glad that you've enjoyed making this recipe - I love it too.
With two young kids of my own, I know and appreciate the need to do things in smaller steps!
I'd like to try it as smaller tarts as well - if you do, please let me know how they turn out.
Kathleen
andrea says
Hello, I just tried to make the topping and it looked fluffy and amazing until I added the espresso powder mix. It instantly curdled then broke. Any suggestions of what I might be doing wrong. The taste is fantastic!
Kathleen Culver says
Hi Andrea,
I'm sorry that happened! It's so frustrating when recipes don't go as planned.
Mascarpone is prone to overmixing - was it already well whipped when you added the espresso powder mix?
I generally add the espresso powder liquid before I've started beating it at all.
Sometimes you can salvage it by gently hand whisking in a little cream.
If you're up for trying it again, please let me know if you keep encountering difficulties - I'm happy to troubleshoot or review the recipe with you.
Thanks so much,
Kathleen
Chelsie says
Help! I forgot to put the vanilla in the chocolate layer and it's already set. Could I add it to the piped coffee layer (doing that tomorrow)? Or should I just leave it be?
Kathleen Culver says
Hi Chelsie,
I hope I'm still in time to respond!
Don't worry about trying to incorporate the vanilla anywhere else - it will be just fine without it.
Hope you enjoy the tart! It's one of my favorites.
Kathleen
Nanette says
how long in advance can the coffee mascopne filling be mad in advance. for example if i wanted to make it in the morning and eat it at night, is that fine?
Kathleen Culver says
Hi Nanette,
Yes, making it that morning is absolutely fine. The reason for making it the same day is simply because once it's piped, it's hard to keep airtight in the fridge and can begin to dry out a bit if made too far in advance (such as a day or two). If you have a cake carrier or other airtight container that would fit the tart pan, you could probably make it the day before. I do like to dust the cocoa powder shortly before serving for the same reason.
Kathleen
Netty says
can i make this days before and store it in the fridge?
Kathleen Culver says
Hello,
There are helpful notes on making this in advance in the recipe post.
You can definitely make the tart shell and chocolate ganache layer in advance. I would recommend storing them well wrapped in the freezer.
I don't recommend making the coffee mascarpone cream in advance as it will begin to dry out if left exposed. It's hard to wrap without damaging the piping.
Kathleen
netty says
thank you so much
Alessandra McIntosh says
Third time making this tart and I'm so excited to eat it- my friends had to cancel their wedding reception due to covid, so they're going ahead with their micro ceremony then coming over here to hang out with mcdonalds, and I felt we needed something a bit special to celebrate with. The shell is cooling right now, but I've had no issues with this recipe in the past- everyone raves about it!
The Floured Table says
What a wonderful story, Alessandra - I LOVE this!
Thanks so much for sharing.
I hope that you all have a wonderful time celebrating together, and how lovely of you to help make their day even more special.
Give my best to them!
Kathleen
Puneet says
This tart was amazing! I made it a few times and I am obsessed! Everyone that tried it also raved! Thank you so much for a fantastic recipe!
I have a question about the shell.. mine always breaks when i’m rolling it out! I follow the recipe to a T, i refrigerate as well so it stays cold but I feel that it gets too soft. I end up having to mold pieces of the pastry into the shell.. it works, but I’m just wondering if i’m missing something.
The Floured Table says
Hi Puneet,
Thanks so much for your kind words! I'm so glad that you enjoyed the tart.
Pate sucree dough can be pretty fragile. I often roll mine out on a piece of parchment paper so that I can handle it minimally.
Even if it cracks, you should be able to puzzle it together in the tart pan. Many pate sucree recipes use a "press in" method where the dough is simply dumped into the tart pan and pressed into form. As long as you don't leave gaps, it should be fine when baked, plus the filling will hide any areas that aren't smooth.
I will retest the recipe again myself soon to make sure I'm not missing anything.
Thanks so much for your feedback.
Kathleen
Puneet says
Thanks for the response Kathleen! I plan on making it this weekend and will try between parchment paper!
Ann.k says
Hi...just in the middle of making this dough and I completely messed up already. I used an entire egg and not just the yolk. I've had to add more flour to make it somewhat hard because it's wayy too soft. Have I completely destroyed the dough? It's resting in the fridge now. Can I use a full egg for the dough or thats not how it should be and I should throw it out?
Thank you!
The Floured Table says
Hi Anu,
That's OK! Pate sucree dough can be made with a whole egg or just the yolk. Since this recipe only uses the egg yolk, you're right that you might need to add a bit more flour to balance out the ratio. I'm not sure how much you added, so I can't really say how it will turn out. I'd give it a try and see how it bakes up. Since you won't add the remaining ingredients until after the tart shell is baked, you won't risk the whole recipe.
Kathleen
Ann.k says
Well...it didn't turn out. The shell just completely cracked and broke...think it was too soft and then it shrunk second time around in oven cracking it up even more to the point that I couldn't even put anything in it. Soooo....I shall try this again..lol and I'll let u know how it turns out. Thanks!
Ann.k says
Welll....it turned out great!! I am sooooo impressed at how it looks and tastes. I think it's the best thing I've made so far! Thank you thank you thank you!!! 😊
The Floured Table says
Thanks so much, Anu! I'm glad you kept at it. Handling the dough minimally helps to keep the gluten from forming, which can lead to a shrunken crust. Making sure the tart shell is very well chilled before baking, and that your oven is fully preheated, are other good steps to help ensure success. I'm really happy you enjoyed it!
April says
This tart was absolutely amazing! Don't be intimidated by the piping - I confess that I skipped that step and just slathered on the mascarpone whipped cream (less impressive presentation but tasted just as delicious!) We have an espresso maker so I used a cooled espresso shot instead of the powder, and it worked out great. I'll definitely be making this again - thanks for the fantastic recipe!
The Floured Table says
Hi April,
Thanks so much for trying the tart, and taking the time to share your input! I think it's great to adjust it to meet your needs. We don't always feel like intricate piping!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Kathleen
Alia Rose says
Kathleen! Made this for Valentine's day. Oh my goodness. It was amazing! Probably the best dessert I've made / have eaten.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
The Floured Table says
Alia,
Thank you SO much for making my chocolate coffee mascarpone tart, and for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment.
I'm thrilled that you enjoyed it - I really love it too.
I'm glad it had a special place at your Valentine's Day table.
Kathleen
Karin says
What can I use instead of expresso powder?
The Floured Table says
Hi Karin,
If you want to try this and don't have espresso powder on hand, you could try instant coffee granules. It won't be as concentrated but will still give you good coffee flavor.
Thanks!
Kathleen
Madeleine says
Hi there! Is there any chance this recipe would work for an 11 inch pan?
The Floured Table says
Hi Madeleine,
The ingredients listed are for a 9 inch pan. I'm afraid increasing the pan size to 11 inches without adjusting recipe would not work out - you're changing the area from 254 square inches (9" pan) to 380 square inches (11" pan). You'd need to convert the recipe by multiplying all the ingredients by 1.5 in order for it to be similar.
Kathleen
Tasha says
Turned out excellent! My husband and I couldn’t stop eating it! Made a second one to bring in to work for my coworkers to enjoy 🙂
The Floured Table says
Tasha,
Thanks for sharing your comments, and for baking my recipe!
The chocolate coffee mascarpone tart is one of my favorites - I hid it in the back of the fridge to keep most of it to myself!
Best,
Kathleen
Emily Kelly says
Hi Kathleen! I am going to make this tart for Thanksgiving. How far in advance do you think I could make it? Would it be okay to make it the day before? Thanks!
The Floured Table says
Hi Emily!
You can make the dough for the tart shell now and just freeze it unbaked. It will hold for weeks well wrapped in the freezer. I'd bake it the day before and fill with the ganache filling (then keep refrigerated). My preference is to add the coffee mascarpone layer and cocoa powder the day of eating as it's really best kept uncovered after piping so that the top doesn't get squished. You risk having that layer dry out somewhat and absorb odors in the fridge if you make it in advance and keep it uncovered...The piping and cocoa dusting are the fastest steps, so maybe you could do them Thanksgiving morning? Thanks so much for using my recipe!
Kathleen
Aubrey says
hi Kathleen,
For the mascarpone, do you leave it out to get it to room temperature or just use it cold? thank you!
Kathleen Culver says
Hi Aubrey,
It's actually best to add the mascarpone when it is cold from the fridge.
It is much less likely to curdle and split this way.
I'll be sure to update the recipe to show that!
Thanks so much,
Kathleen
Leah says
Nice flavor and components. However, I had to add more flour to the crust-( and should have added even more), and modified the ganache to adding hot cream to chocolate, leaving it for five minutes, then whisking it until smooth and then whisked into rest of ingredients. Was my first time using mascarpone- it was nice to expand my repertoire. Thanks for posting this recipe- it challenged and expanded my baking chops.
The Floured Table says
Hi Leah,
Thanks so much for the feedback! I wonder why you needed more flour - I've made the crust many times with those proportions. Did you use an entire egg rather than just the yolk? It is definitely a softer dough that needs refrigeration prior to shaping. I'm so happy you gave it a try. Thank you!
Kathleen
pricillya says
a true hit! will definitely be making this again!
The Floured Table says
Thanks so much, Pricillya!
I'm so glad that you enjoyed it - it's one of my favorites.
Kathleen