No-Bake Strawberries and Cream with Mascarpone and a Pistachio Crumble

This is a no-bake, easy strawberries and cream recipe filled with light, soft mascarpone cream and topped off with sugared pistachios. 

Whew, it’s hot. So hot that I think summer is mocking us, giving us a tease of relief one moment and then spoiling it with rain the next. It’s laughing at how many downpours it can catch us in. Seriously—I think I’ve been caught in the rain more often in the last two weeks than in my entire life. Next time you see me, I’ll be wearing a raincoat when it is sunny out.

So I have vowed to cope by not baking and adding more warmth to the air. The oven is just not fit for summer weather, but what do you do when you have an insatiable sweet tooth?

Well my friends, this no-bake strawberries and cream is my solution. And you may be wondering why I would even bother improving on something as good and simple as strawberries and cream.

Well, it is like asking someone, would you rather have brownies or brownies with ice cream? So the pistachio crumble in this strawberries and cream recipe is the ice cream on top. It elevates an already good dessert to an out-of-this-world kind of amazing. Once you taste the sweet strawberries with their juices and the light, soft mascarpone cream balanced by the nuttiness of the sugared pistachios, there’s no going back.

Mascarpone is a rich and soft Italian cheese and can be processed smooth or buttery. It is lighter in taste, has less volume than cream cheese and is commonly used in Italian desserts like tiramisu. It elevates fruit without overwhelming, which makes it a perfect pairing with the strawberries and pistachios.

Not only is this dessert as good as it sounds, it is just as easy to make and requires only three major steps: whipping the cream, blending together the pistachio crumble ingredients and assembling.


It will take you 10 minutes at most and can be altered according to your own tastes. Add more cream if you like a smoother whipped cream or more sugar if you like your strawberries sweeter. Once assembled, serve and eat immediately. The strawberries will turn the cream in a soupy mess if you wait too long.

There’s no need to tell me twice. Seconds, anyone?

5 from 5 votes

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No-Bake Strawberries and Cream with Mascarpone and a Pistachio Crumble

This is a no-bake, easy strawberries and cream recipe filled with light, soft mascarpone cream and topped off with sugared pistachios. 

Course Dessert

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

Mascarpone Cream

• 8 oz. of mascarpone cream
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup confectioners sugar

Strawberries

• 1 lb strawberries hulled and sliced
• 1/2 tsp. sugar optional

Pistachio Crumble

• 1/3 cup raw pistachios
• 3 tsp. light brown sugar
• 1 T. melted butter

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the heavy cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla extract until peaks form, starting on low and slowly increasing the speed to high. Add in the mascarpone and incorporate in until well blended. Set aside.
2. In a food processor, pulse together the pistachios and brown sugar. Transfer to a small bowl and mix in the melted butter. Store the pistachio crumble in the fridge until you are ready to assemble.
3. To assemble, start by layering 1/4 of the strawberries in a small wine or parfait glass. Then sprinkle some of the pistachio crumble and add 1/2 of the cream. Top with some more strawberries and pistachio crumble. Repeat for another serving.
4. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

You can make the mascarpone cream and the pistachio crumble a day in advance. Just assemble before serving. Also, feel free to adjust the proportions of the strawberries, cream and pistachio crumble to your preferences.