Mascarpone and Prune Tartlets

Elegant tartlets featuring a sweet pastry shell filled with creamy mascarpone custard and Armagnac-soaked prunes. These sophisticated desserts combine the rich tanginess of mascarpone with the sweet, complex flavor of brandied prunes.

6 servings

3 hr 50 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•10 whole pitted prunes (2 oz; sometimes called dried plums)
•¼ cup Armagnac
•1 recipe Sweet pastry dough for a single-crust pie
•1 cup mascarpone (from an 8 3/4-oz container)
•3 large large egg yolks
•½ cup sugar
•1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
•½ teaspoon vanilla
•¼ teaspoon salt
•1 set a 5-inch round cookie cutter; 6 (4- by 3/4-inch) fluted round tartlet pans; pie weights or raw rice

Cooking Instructions

1.
Bring prunes and Armagnac just to a simmer in a 1-quart saucepan, then let stand, covered, 1 hour.
60 min
2.
Roll out dough into a 15-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, lifting up dough occasionally and flouring surface as necessary to keep dough from sticking. Cut out 6 rounds with 5-inch cutter. Fit each round into a tartlet pan and trim edge. Chill tartlet shells 30 minutes.
30 min
3.
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
10 min
4.
Drain prunes, reserving Armagnac in pan, and cut into roughly 1/4-inch pieces, then return to Armagnac. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
10 min
5.
Lightly prick bottoms of tartlet shells all over with a fork, then line with foil and fill with pie weights. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until sides are set and edges are pale golden, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and bake shells until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove from oven and increase heat to 400°F.
35 min
6.
Meanwhile, stir together mascarpone, yolks, sugar, zest, vanilla, and salt.
5 min
7.
Spoon 1/4 cup mascarpone mixture into each warm tartlet shell, then divide prunes evenly among tartlets. Bake tartlets until custard is pale golden and slightly puffed, about 25 minutes. Transfer tartlets to a rack and cool 10 minutes, then remove from pans (if tartlets stick to pans, gently pry side of tartlets loose with tip of a paring knife) and cool completely, about 45 minutes.
80 min

Ingredients

•10 whole pitted prunes (2 oz; sometimes called dried plums)

•¼ cup Armagnac

•1 recipe Sweet pastry dough for a single-crust pie

•1 cup mascarpone (from an 8 3/4-oz container)

•3 large large egg yolks

•½ cup sugar

•1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest

•½ teaspoon vanilla

•¼ teaspoon salt

•1 set a 5-inch round cookie cutter; 6 (4- by 3/4-inch) fluted round tartlet pans; pie weights or raw rice

Cooking Instructions

Bring prunes and Armagnac just to a simmer in a 1-quart saucepan, then let stand, covered, 1 hour.

60 min

Roll out dough into a 15-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, lifting up dough occasionally and flouring surface as necessary to keep dough from sticking. Cut out 6 rounds with 5-inch cutter. Fit each round into a tartlet pan and trim edge. Chill tartlet shells 30 minutes.

30 min

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.

10 min

Drain prunes, reserving Armagnac in pan, and cut into roughly 1/4-inch pieces, then return to Armagnac. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

10 min

Lightly prick bottoms of tartlet shells all over with a fork, then line with foil and fill with pie weights. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until sides are set and edges are pale golden, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and bake shells until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove from oven and increase heat to 400°F.

35 min

Meanwhile, stir together mascarpone, yolks, sugar, zest, vanilla, and salt.

5 min

Spoon 1/4 cup mascarpone mixture into each warm tartlet shell, then divide prunes evenly among tartlets. Bake tartlets until custard is pale golden and slightly puffed, about 25 minutes. Transfer tartlets to a rack and cool 10 minutes, then remove from pans (if tartlets stick to pans, gently pry side of tartlets loose with tip of a paring knife) and cool completely, about 45 minutes.

80 min