No‑bake tart: A summer delight without turning on the oven

The tart is one of the favourite summer desserts. A crispy pastry, delicious cream, and seasonal fruits—it's truly hard to resist. However, when the heat is unbearable, I don't turn on the oven even for five minutes. On such days, I prepare an alternative tart that doesn't need to be baked. It's just as delicious.

A classic French tart requires a lot of work. Kneading and chilling the crispy pastry is just the first step. Then, there's baking, preparing the cream, and decorating with fruits, which is a pleasure. Can it be done faster?

If you are using a classic recipe, it's better not to change anything. Crispy pastry without chilling might not turn out well. Half an hour is the absolute minimum, and it's best if the dough stays in the refrigerator much longer. However, that can be planned. During heatwaves, turning on the oven is a nightmare; it heats the house, the temperature rises even more, and that's not what we want.

However, even the most extensive heatwaves don't have to be an obstacle to preparing this delicious dessert. You just need to prepare the base differently. Ideal for this are biscuits, digestive-type wholemeal cookies, or chocolate Oreos. Simply crush them finely in a blender or put them in a bag and smash them with a rolling pin. Mix this cookie dust with melted butter. Then, line the tart form with it. The next step is to prepare a simple cream and decorate it with fruits. My guests were delighted with such a dessert straight from the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

Base:

• 300 grammes of cookies, such as Oreos or Digestives
• 60 grammes of butter

Cream:

• 250 grammes of mascarpone
• 330 millilitres of heavy cream (30%)
• 100 grammes of white chocolate
• 1 packet of vanilla sugar
• 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar, optional
• 100 to 150 grammes of the same cookies used for the base

Decoration:

• Favourite fruits, ideally blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or currants
• The same cookies used for the base

Preparation method:

1. Crush the cookies in a food processor or smash them with a rolling pin. Combine them with melted butter. Press the cookie mixture into the bottom and sides of the tart form.
2. The mixture should adhere well; press it using the bottom of a glass. Chill the tart form in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
3. In the meantime, melt the white chocolate and finely chop the cookies.
4. Beat mascarpone, heavy cream, vanilla sugar, and powdered sugar until stiff. Add slightly cooled, melted white chocolate, and mix. If powdered sugar is added, this is the moment. Also, add the crushed cookies.
5. Spread the cream over the cooled base evenly.
6. Top with your favourite fruits and sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Refrigerate the tart and serve chilled.