With Martha Bakes, discover Martha Stewart’s tips and techniques to create delectable baked goods. Be sure to check your local listings to see when the program will be airing in your area.

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Known for its decadent, flaky layers, puff pastry is a chef’s secret weapon for anything from last minute hors d’oeuvres to impressive looking desserts. On today’s show, Martha shares three recipes including an irresistible raspberry mascarpone tart, saucisson en croûte that’s perfect for any hors d’oeuvres tray, and a tasty apple jalousie tart. Recipes so delicious you’ll want to make them again and again.

This Week’s Recipe

Raspberry Mascarpone Tart

Make Martha Stewart's Raspberry Mascarpone Tart from the Perfect Puff Pastry episode of Martha Bakes.

Ingredients

1/3 cup sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 cup heavy cream
1 sheet puff pastry, preferably all-butter, thawed if frozen
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
3 to 4 pints fresh raspberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a sugared work surface, roll out pastry to a 16 1/2-by-12 1/2-inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Using a pizza wheel or a sharp knife, cut 1 1/4-inch strips from each side of dough. Brush a 1-inch border of egg wash around perimeter of dough and top with strips, overlapping corners and trimming ends to fit. Lightly press strips to adhere. Transfer to a parchment-lined unrimmed baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
Using a paring knife, score strips with a pattern of diagonal lines. Using a docking tool or the tines of a fork, prick holes all over center of dough, creating steam vents. Score bottom crust along interior edges of strips. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
Invert a wire rack over tart shell and transfer to oven. Bake until puffy and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes. Remove rack and continue baking until deeply golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together mascarpone, vanilla seeds, lemon zest, and 1/3 cup sugar on medium speed until combined and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add cream and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Spread filling evenly into tart shell. Top with raspberries and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

Yield: Makes one 14-by-10-inch tart