Refrigerate or Not? Help requested

[Kim Shook]

I am making this tart for a dinner party: Fig Apple-Mascarpone Tart.  I will be making it the day before due to having to be out of town the afternoon of the dinner (crazy scheduling).  It has a layer of mascarpone spread over a shortbread crust.  On top of the mascarpone is a layer of sliced apples.  It is baked until the apples are tender.  My question is: do I need to refrigerate this after cooling due to the mascarpone layer?  Thank you!!

[jmacnaughtan]

I generally would, but I don't think it's essential.  If you keep in well covered in a cool room, it should be fine.

 

But in terms of quality, it might be better to prepare all the components beforehand, refrigerate, and then bake at the last minute.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

@Kim Shook,

 

I wanted someone with more professional experience to chime in first before I added my two cents. My family of six used to not refrigerate cakes or pies, but with a hungry, growing family with four kids, it was rare for a cake or pie to last 36 hours or so. Now I refrigerate them.

 

I also think @jmacnaughtan's advice is good for the best result. That would mean peeling and slicing the apples during dinner prep, though, as they'd turn brown otherwise. I have often set a timer and baked a dessert while everyone ate dinner though.

 

I think your guests are lucky based on the description of the dessert. It sounds delicious.

[jmacnaughtan]

17 minutes ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

@Kim Shook,

 

I wanted someone with more professional experience to chime in first before I added my two cents. My family of six used to not refrigerate cakes or pies, but with a hungry, growing family with four kids, it was rare for a cake or pie to last 36 hours or so. Now I refrigerate them.

 

I also think @jmacnaughtan's advice is good for the best result. That would mean peeling and slicing the apples during dinner prep, though, as they'd turn brown otherwise. I have often set a timer and baked a dessert while everyone ate dinner though.

 

I think your guests are lucky based on the description of the dessert. It sounds delicious.

 

It does sound delicious.  However, you can avoid browning by dipping the slices in diluted lemon juice.  They should last a day or so like that.  But I suppose, if you're baking them anyway, they're going to turn brown no matter what.

[Kim Shook]

Thank you so much.  I should be able to count on a couple of hours at home before my guests arrive, but you never know.  I'm taking my mom for a dentist appt. about an hour away.  With traffic and never knowing how long we have to wait and how long the appt will be, I'm leery of leaving it until I get home.  I think I will refrigerate and take it out when I get home so it has time to come to room temp.  

[JeanneCake]

Yes, I would refrigerate this tart (speaking as a pastry chef).  I also think you can get away with baking the mascarpone filling and the tart shell; then refrigerating that.  bake the apples separately (at the same time as the filling/shell is baking would be my choice) then refrigerate both of them.  Put the (baked) apples (with any accumulated juices) on just before serving, glaze it, and et voila!  No worries!

[MelissaH]

How long does the tart need to bake? And how much should it be cooled before you serve it? You may be able to get away with preparing all the components ahead of time, possibly even rolling out the dough for the crust and fitting it into the pan, and then putting it all together and baking it as soon as you get home. As long as it doesn't need to cool completely before you cut into it, nobody's going to mind if you set a timer and bring it to the table, and when it goes off, get up to rescue the tart from the oven.

 

Alternately, take @JeanneCake's suggestion, which sounds like a perfect solution to me.