Lightened with yogurt, mascarpone becomes the filling joining a cookie-like crust and spiced winter fruit topping. Make the fruit mixture several hours or a day ahead to allow its flavor to develop.

For the Pastry:
Heat the oven to 350°F. In the bowl of a mixer, beat together the butter, sugars, lemon zest, and salt until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and baking powder; beat until well combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the flour, beating until a dough forms. Wrap and refrigerate dough 1 hour or freeze for up to 2 months.

Place the dough on a well-floured clean surface, and roll out to a scant 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out three 5-inch circles, and place them in 4-inch tart or mini pie pans. Repeat with the remaining dough to make six tarts.

Fill the tarts with pastry weights, and place on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven, removing the pie weights after 12 minutes. Continue baking until lightly golden, about 8 minutes more. Transfer the tarts in their pans to a wire rack, and let cool completely.

For the Fruit Compote
Combine the wine, sugar, anise, cloves, and cinnamon in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add the dried fruits. Reduce the heat to low, and cook until the fruit is tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the fruit, reserving the liquid and setting the fruit
aside. Return the liquid to the saucepan and heat to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until the mixture is thickened to a syrup and reduced to 1 cup—about 12 minutes. Discard the spices in fruit mixture.

Blend the mascarpone and yogurt in a medium bowl.

To assemble the tarts: Place about 1/4 cup of the mascarpone mixture in each pastry shell. Top with the fruit mixture, and drizzle with the compote syrup.

Written by Jacqueline Plant
Photography by Michael Harlan Turkell
Styling by Monica Byrne