In our opinion, tarts are under appreciated – especially in savory applications. Maybe it is because tart shells usually have no flavor. Or because it’s difficult to figure out what to put in a tart that is not fruit or chocolate. Well, how about a delicious savory tart with a mix of amazing mushrooms. We like to enjoy this Mushroom Shallot and Mascarpone Cream Tartlets recipe as an appetizer or meal, or even for breakfast! Even better, we paired these delicious tartlets with Cakebread Cellars Suscol Springs Cabernet Sauvignon for a truly magical pairing!
What kinds mushrooms go in this tartlet?
We’re not talking about basic white button mushrooms here, nope! We used a combination of alba clamshell, hen of the wood, and king oyster mushrooms that will make you drool before you even taste them. These mushrooms have a mind-blowing flavor that is deep, rich, and substantial, and a few key additions in the cooking process bring out their greatness.
Usually, you can find mixed "wild" mushrooms in containers at the grocery store. Although these are usually far from wild, they will likely contain the variety of mushrooms that you can use in this recipe. We encourage you to seek out farmers markets or specialty grocers that sell different varieties of mushrooms like the ones we used in this recipe if you can.
Of course, this recipe will still be delicious if you use cremini mushrooms. If you don't have other options, you can certainly use those.
Toasted Walnut, Parmesan and Thyme Tart Shells
The tart shells themselves are not just an ordinary tart shell and the combination of ingredients make them very fulfilling. Most notably, toasted walnuts, Parmesan, and thyme mixed in the dough elevate the tarts to new heights.
Why use mascarpone?
Using a little mascarpone cream between the tart crust and the mushrooms brings the whole dish together – I mean cream and mushrooms just love each other! The best part about this might be its flexibility. They can be eaten hot, warm, or at room temperature with equally delicious results!
Wine Pairing for the Mushroom Shallot and Mascarpone Cream Tartlets
Mushrooms and wine are a magical combination. Pairing them may require a little tinkering to bring the best out of both, and there are so many options and variations.
Well, in this Mushroom Shallot and Mascarpone Tartlets recipe, we think the Cakebread Cellars Suscol Springs Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon pairing is a home run! The wine is beautiful, layered, and complex. Trying it before eating anything is always a good thing to do. Once you try the wine again with the food, you’ll see why combining wine and food is so important.
So why does this work so well? Obviously, there are a lot of things going on in any one food dish, and the same can be said for rich, sophisticated red wines, like this one.
Please note: This post was sponsored by Cakebread Cellars. All opinions are our own.
To basically describe what is going on in the tarts, we could say these tartlets have rich flavors, are slightly earthy with herbs, and have some creaminess and texture. They are generally light and with low acidity, sweetness, and not spicy. The tartlets are balanced on their own, so bringing in the harmony of the wine makes both better (which should be the case with any wine and food pairing). The wine brings fruit characteristics without being sweet, fresh acidity, and some structure from tannins that all complement the mushroom tart so well.
There is so much to say about the complementary nature of food and wine, but suffice to say, the mushroom tartlets with this Cakebread Cellars Suscol Springs Cabernet Sauvignon is a lights-out winner!
Tips for tasting this wine
We also recommend trying the Cakebread Cellars Suscol Springs Cabernet Sauvignon upon opening the bottle, then again after decanting for about an hour, and finally with the Mushroom Shallot and Mascarpone Cream Tartlets to experience how the wine changes in these three situations. A wine like this deserves to be appreciated in all its complexity, so take your time and truly dive deep into the aromas and tasting notes of this wine.
Follow the link HERE to find a store near you that carries the Cakebread Cellars Suscol Springs Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon!
Enjoy!
We hope you enjoy this delicious recipe for Mushroom Shallot and Mascarpone Cream Tartlets! If you give the recipe a try, leave us a comment below or tag us on Instagram @cooking_with_wine!
Find more recipes like this below:
- Pork and Shiitake Mushroom Ragù
- Parmesan Risotto and Mushroom Ragù Phyllo Cup Bites
- Truffle Mushroom White Pizza
- Peppercorn Crusted Steak with Brandy Cream Sauce
- Coq au Vin – Chicken in Red Wine
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Mushroom Shallot and Mascarpone Cheese Tartlets
Course: Appetizers, Main, BrunchCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes25
minutes40
minutesThe tart pans we use for this are 4” at the base and 4.5” at the top and ½” deep. The recipe makes 4 tartlets.
Ingredients
- For the crusts
1 ⅜ cups 1 ⅜ (170g) all purpose flour
4 tablespoon 4 (56g) cold unsalted butter
¼ c ¼ walnuts – toasted and coarsely ground
¼ c ¼ grated Parmesan
1 egg yolk
30 g 30 water
2 teaspoon 2 fresh thyme, chopped fine
- For the filling
2 tablespoon 2 butter, divided
2 large shallots
16 oz 16 mixed wild mushrooms
2 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon 2 thyme, chopped fine
¼ cup dry red wine – preferably Cabernet Sauvignon
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon heavy cream, divided
1 teaspoon 1 red wine vinegar
¼ cup mascarpone
Directions
- Make the crust
- In a food processor, or by hand with a bench scraper, cut the cold butter into the flour and process. Add the ground walnuts and process for just a minute.
- Next, add the Parmesan, egg yolk, water, and thyme and process quickly to combine. Flatten the dough into a 1” disc, wrap with plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C)
- Remove and divide into 4 pieces. Spray your tart pans with a baking spray (e.g. Baker's Joy) or lightly coat them with shortening or butter. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface and gently press them into the tart pans. You are looking for just under ¼” thickness on the tart shell.
- Once formed into your tart pans, dock the dough with a fork (poke several holes in the bottom of the tart dough). The tart pan is shallow enough that docking the sides is not necessary.
- Then cover each tart shell gently with plastic wrap and put pie weights or dried beans on top of the plastic to weigh the dough down. Due to the shallow nature of these tarts, metal pie weights work the best, but we use blackeye peas (over and over) for this and it works fine.
- Put your tart shells on a sheet tray and “blind bake” your shells for 15 minutes. Remove the shells from the oven and carefully remove the pie weights/beans from each shell. Return the shells to the oven for 10 more minutes. Since oven temperatures/calibrations vary, keep an eye on your shells. They are done when they are golden brown. These shells can be removed from their tart pans when they have cooled and set aside until the filling is ready.
- Prepare the filling
- Clean your mushrooms and cut into pieces slightly larger than you would want in the final dish. Depending on your mushroom types, they may be in a variety of sizes, which is fine. Chop your shallot – this chop can be a small dice, not very fine.
- Heat a large skillet on medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the butter. Once the butter melts, add the shallots, and cook until translucent and soft. Add the other tablespoon of butter, turn the heat to medium-high or high, and add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon of the salt, pepper, and thyme. Stirring often and flipping allow the mushrooms to absorb the butter and release their juices. The mushrooms will then cook in the buttery mushroom juice and then, as the liquid evaporates, start to brown.
- Once almost all the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms have browned slightly, reduce the heat to medium and add the wine. Cook until the wine is almost gone and remove from the heat. Allow the mixture to cook for a few minutes, then return to a medium-heat and add ¼ cup of cream and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir often and cook until the mushrooms and cream have melded – about 3-4 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook for about 30 seconds. Once done, turn the heat to low while you complete the next step.
- In a separate bowl, mix the mascarpone, 1 tablespoon of cream and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt.
- Assemble the tarts
- Spread a thin layer of the mascarpone mixture on the bottom and sides of each tart. With the mushroom mixture, fill the tarts on top of the mascarpone mixture, then sprinkle each one with the finely chopped parsley. If the tart shells are made ahead, they can be warmed in a 250° oven for 3-4 minutes and then filled with everything before topping with the parsley. These can also be enjoyed at room temperature.
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Francine says
I've been searching for a mushroom tart, and this looks delicious. BUT - is the use of plastic in Step 6 correct? What kind of plastic can be put in the oven?
Angela and Mark says
Hi Francine! Thanks for your comment! Yes, in Step 6 the use of plastic wrap is correct. At this temp, the plastic wrap in the oven is not an issue - make sure you are using food-grade plastic wrap like Stretch-Tite. But if you would prefer a different method, you can use parchment paper or foil instead. Let us know how these turn out for you! 🙂