No-Bake Lemon Mascarpone Pie
Tart and creamy lemon and mascarpone mousse in a crunchy graham cracker crust. This no-bake pie is so easy, it’s a perfect summer go-to recipe!
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Holy goodness, it has been hot as death outside! I don’t know why California is prone to weather extremes. We had an unfairly cold June, then July hit with over 100 degree days all weekend, all tumbling back into a cooler, rather mild Fourth of July week.
It’s like weather whiplash.
So, since California summers mean I never know whether my oven will be the death of me, I like to have some no-bake desserts up my sleeve. And this one does not disappoint. It’s simple, it’s creamy it’s light. And it’s so, so summery.
Why this recipe works
Everything about this recipe is simple. The crust can be baked if you like, but I usually go with a no-bake crust. It’s still crunchy and flavorful. And it pairs perfectly with the filling. The filling is simple as well. Lemon curd mixed with mascarpone with whipped cream folded in. Done! And while it may seem deceptively easy, it’s delicious. Light, airy, creamy, yet super flavorful and perfect for warm weather.
Key ingredients
Graham crackers. I prefer using plain so that I can control the amount of sugar and cinnamon in the crust.
Sugar. Just a little bit for the crust.
Butter. You’ll melt this, so cold or room temperature is fine.
Lemon curd. I’ve used homemade and store bought, and both work great.
Lemon zest. Just a bit gives this pie a little extra lemon flavor.
Mascarpone. Let it come to room temperature for a bit, so it mixes easily with the lemon curd and is smooth.
Heavy whipping cream. Also known as double cream. Be sure it’s very cold before whipping.
Powdered sugar. This is optional, but I think it adds just the right amount of sweetness to the filling. Plus, if you choose to top the pie with whipped cream, you’ll want a little sugar in it.
How to make no-bake lemon mascarpone pie
1. Make lemon curd and let chill. You can also use store bought, but if you want to use homemade (it’s SO good!) be sure to make it in advance so it is cooled completely.
Make the crust
2. Grind graham crackers and sugar until fine. I always forget the sugar and always regret it—you want it ground as finely as the grahams, so combine everything in your food process or or blender.
3. Melt butter. Melt it over low heat and stir constantly to avoid over heating it.
4. Stir into graham crumbs by hand. You can stir them by hand or just pour the butter into the food processor and pulse it a few times.
5. Press into a tart pan and chill. Use a flat bottomed cup or measuring cup to gently spread it evenly and press firmly into the pan. I like to freeze my crust while I make the filling so it’s firmly set, but as long as it has at least 20 minutes in the fridge it should be fine.
Make the filling
6. Stir lemon curd and mascarpone. Stir just until mixed. Over mixing mascarpone will make it turn grainy.
7. Beat cream and powdered sugar. Beat until stiff peaks just begin to form (it will start to turn matte in appearance). I made a little extra, so that I had some to spread on top.
8. Fold whipped cream into lemon mixture. Fold it gently, 1/3 at a time, so that it remains smooth.
9. Pour into crust. Spread evenly.
10. Chill. It needs to chill at least an hour, but you can also make it a day in advance and let it chill until serving. Top with more whipped cream, if desired.
Enjoy!
Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe
Can I use any crust?
Yes! I chose a simple, no-bake graham cracker crust, but you can use any kind you like. A classic pie or tart crust would work, including this lemon pie crust I have. Or you can use something like shortbread or a shortcrust (pate sucre).
What if my mascarpone turned grainy?
This means you either stirred it too much or it was too cold when you mixed it with the lemon curd. You can just make do (it’ll taste the same), or you can try heating it very gently over a double boiler (set a heatproof mixing bowl over a saucepan with 2 inches simmering water turned down to low heat). Stir gently until smooth. Let it cool completely before folding in the whipped cream.
Is store bought lemon curd okay?
Yep! I’ve used that before when I don’t have time (or lemons) to make my own. As long as it’s a good, thick lemon curd, it should be perfectly fine. You may need to add a little extra to get a vibrant lemon taste, so taste the mascarpone before folding in the whipped cream. It should taste VERY lemony, since the whipped cream dilutes the flavor quite a bit.
Can I make this in advance?
Yes! It will keep in the fridge 2-3 days. However, I do suggest baking the crust if you plan to make it ahead, as a no-bake crust can turn soggy in the fridge for that long. Just make the crust like normal then bake at 350F/175C for 10 minutes, until it starts to darken ever just so slightly. You may also want to hold off topping it with whipped cream until serving, as that can deflate over time.
Keep refrigerated
The cream and mascarpone need to be refrigerated, so be sure you have a way to keep it cool. It can stay out for about half an hour or so, but shouldn’t be left out for long periods of time, as this can cause the filling to both deflate and spoil.
My tools
Here are my must-have tools I use for making this pie. Affiliate links provided.
No-Bake Lemon Mascarpone Pie
- prep time: 20-25 minutes
- chill time: 1 hour
- total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
servings: 8-12
Ingredients:
- one graham cracker crust
- 8 ounces (226g) mascarpone cream, room temperature
- 1 cup (about 360g or 12 ounces) lemon curd (see note if using store bought)
- 1 tablespoon (6g) lemon zest
- ¾ cup (180g) heavy whipping cream, cold (plus more for topping)
- ¼ cup (32g) powdered sugar
Instructions:
- First, make your lemon curd (if using homemade) and let cool in the fridge. .
- Make the graham cracker crust. I suggest forming it in a removable bottom tart pan, but any kind of pie or tart pan will work. Either bake it and let cool (especially if making the pie ahead of time) or freeze a no-bake crust while you prepare the filling.
- Prepare the filling. Stir the lemon curd, lemon zest, and mascarpone together until smooth. Don’t over mix, as it will become grainy.
- In a separate bowl, combine the whipping cream and powdered sugar. Beat on medium speed until frothy. Increase speed slowly to high and beat until stiff peaks begin to form and it just begins to turn matte in appearance.
- Gently fold ⅓ of the whipped cream into the mascarpone until smooth. Repeat, folding ⅓ of the whipped cream in at a time.
- Spread the filling into the cold pie crust. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving to let the filling set. Top with additional sweetened whipped cream, if desired.
Enjoy!
Keep refrigerated until serving.
Note: If using store bought lemon curd, you’ll use about one jar. Be sure to find one that is fairly thick--one that you could scoop out with a spoon and hold upside down and it wouldn’t fall off right away. If it’s too thin, the frosting will be thin and the filling will be too loose for the cake to stay together.