While I rarely toot my horn about my own dessert creations, I have to admit: This one is pretty fantastic.
I’ve enjoyed eating pomegranates my entire life. Shamefully, however, I don’t know how to skillfully extract the seeds from the fruit; the little ruby jewels were always handed to me in a bowl as a child, ready to eat. Alas, it looks like a lot of trouble.
Luckily, much to my delight, I recently discovered pomegranate jam: It’s wonderful and tartly sweet. I made macaron filling with the jam a while back and remembered that I still had half the bottle left over. So into the tart it went. 
The crust was quite the happy accident. In December, I made a tart with a coconut-macadamia nut crust and froze the leftover dough. I definitely need to start labeling more diligently, because when I pulled this dough from the freezer, I was almost certain it was regular tart dough. Either way, the hint of coconut and the nutty texture went perfectly with the rest of the components.
For the filling, I decided to keep it simple by whipping mascarpone with lemon curd and adding a ¼ teaspoon of ginger for a slight kick, although I’m not sure you can ultimately taste it. I grated lemon zest over the top and splurged on some fresh pomegranate seeds for photography (as well as snacking) purposes. The tart went over very well with my friends – although my finicky seed-averse boyfriend insisted on flicking off the pomegranate seeds. Though we completely disagreed on that, this tart was undoubtedly a hit, and oh-so easy to put together for any special occasion.
Pomegranate-Lemon-Mascarpone Tart with Coconut-Macadamia Nut Crust
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 tart 1x
Description
An elegant 11-inch tart with a coconut-macadamia nut crust, filled with lemon mascarpone cream and a layer of pomegranate jelly.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) finely ground coconut
- 1 cup (240 ml) roasted salted macadamia nuts, ground
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 1/4 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp water
- 1 tsp coconut extract (optional)
- 8 oz (225 g) mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) lemon curd
- 1/4 tsp ginger, grated
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) pomegranate jam
- Fresh pomegranate seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- First make the crust: Blend the first 5 ingredients in a food processor until fine. Next, add the butter and pulse lightly to combine.
- Add the egg yolk and 1 tsp of water (and coconut extract, if desired) and pulse until moist clumps form. If the dough is too dry, add more water, 1/2 tsp at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Turn the dough out of the food processor onto a clean, floured work surface. Gather into a ball and then flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
- Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper until it is larger than an 11-inch tart pan. Invert the crust into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim the edges, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Cover the pan with foil and fill with baking beads (or dry beans) and bake for 5 minutes.
- Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and remove the tart from the oven. Remove foil and weights.
- Prick the crust all over with a fork (5 or 6 times) and put back in the oven.
- Bake until the crust is golden, about 15 to 18 minutes, and let cool completely before filling.
- Next make the filling: Beat together the mascarpone, lemon curd and ginger until smooth. Set aside.
- Smear the jam/jelly inside the cooled tart. Spread the mascarpone filling on top of the jelly, smoothing it out with a spatula.
- Grate the zest of 1 lemon over the top and/or sprinkle with fresh pomegranate seeds. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- For a stronger coconut flavor, add coconut extract to the crust.
- The tart can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds just before serving for the best presentation.
- If you don’t have pomegranate jam, you can substitute with another tart fruit jam.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 25
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 40
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the crust dough in advance and freeze it?
Yes — the article reveals this recipe was partly born from frozen leftover crust dough the author made in December. She notes you can freeze the dough; just label it carefully so you know what it is when you pull it out.
Why is pomegranate jam used instead of fresh pomegranate seeds in the filling?
The article explains that the author discovered pomegranate jam as a convenient, tartly sweet alternative — she had used it in macarons and had half a bottle left over. The jam forms the bottom layer inside the cooled tart shell, with the mascarpone filling spread on top.
What is the purpose of the ginger in the mascarpone filling?
The recipe adds 1/4 tsp of grated ginger to the 8 oz mascarpone blended with 1/2 cup lemon curd for a slight kick. The author candidly notes she is not sure you can ultimately taste it, but includes it for subtle warmth.
In what order are the tart components assembled?
After the crust is fully baked and cooled: spread the 1/2 cup pomegranate jam on the bottom, then layer the mascarpone-lemon filling on top and smooth with a spatula, then grate lemon zest over the top, and add fresh pomegranate seeds just before serving.
