Nectarine and Mascarpone Tart (Gluten-Free)

Celebrate fresh nectarines in this nectarine and mascarpone tart: a perfect blend of creamy, fruity, and fresh with a gluten-free crust!

Looking for Dessert Inspiration

I wanted to make dessert for a couple of friends and was looking for inspiration. As they say, “ask and ye shall receive” – the day before said gathering, one of my coworkers posted a picture of her peach and mascarpone gingersnap tart. I tracked down the recipe on Bon Appetit: Nectarine and Mascarpone Tart in Gingersnap Crust (I suppose nectarines and peaches can be interchangeable here). This was perfect because I was hoping to be inspired by in-season stone fruits.

When is Stone Fruit Season?

Stone fruit is generally in season from May until September here in California. Be sure to check your local area because fruit availability and seasonality does depend on your location.

Stone fruits include nectarines, peaches, cherries, apricots, plums, and more! In these summer months, I try to use these fruits as much as possible in my fruity desserts so I can take advantage of their flavor. In American grocery stores, you can often still find these fruits out-of-season…but I prefer to eat them when they are their best selves, in the season nature intended them to be eaten!

Developing the Gluten-Free Crust for this Nectarine and Mascarpone Tart

The recipe I was inspired by used a crust made of crushed gingersnaps. I’ve not seen gluten-free gingersnap cookies in stores at this time of year, and I wanted to avoid making gluten-free gingersnaps from scratch for this recipe. Instead, I used gluten-free crackers and rolled oats to make up the body of this crunchy crust. To achieve some of the ‘spiced’ flavor that gingersnaps have, I instead used aromatic ground spices like allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon that evoke that same autumnal cozy flavor.

More Nectarine and Mascarpone Tart Flavor Affinities

I recently learned via The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg that mascarpone cheese has a flavor affinity with peaches or nectarines. It’s not a pairing I encounter often even though they are a match made in heaven!

Other affinities include honey and allspice, which I brought through in this crust as well.

As I mentioned, I made this for some friends so I wanted to be more EXTRA. I paired with a honey allspice ice cream (coming soon!) to bring out those flavors. You can also pair this tart with plain vanilla ice cream or make a fresh whipped cream if dairy is your jam.

🍳Recommended Equipment

• food processor
• 9 inch pie/tart tin
• cutting board and knife
• bowl and spatula
• small pot