Mini Strawberry Mascarpone Tarts

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   Special equipment: 3-inch round cookie cutter

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   Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

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   In a small bowl add 1/2 cup of sugar and the salt.

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   Stir to combine and pour about half of it evenly onto a work surface.

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   With your hands, press the dough into the sugar and roll out into a flat disk, about 1/2-inch thick.

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   Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 of the sugar evenly over the top of the dough and press it a few times to adhere.

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   With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a thickness of about 1/8-inch, turning and flipping as you roll to incorporate the sugar into the dough and to keep it from sticking to the surface.

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   With a 3-inch round cutter, cut out 12 dough rounds and arrange them on the lined baking sheet.

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   Transfer to the oven and bake until crisp and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

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    Remove from the oven and cool the crisp rounds completely on the pan.

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    Meanwhile, pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat.

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    Simmer until thick and syrupy, about 4 minutes; it should still swirl in the pan.

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    If too thick, simply add about a teaspoon of balsamic, stir, and remove from the heat.

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    Put the strawberries in a small bowl and sprinkle them with 1 tablespoon of sugar.

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    Let them stand until juicy, 5 to 10 minutes.

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    To assemble the tarts, spread about 2 teaspoons mascarpone on each crisp dough round with a spoon or small offset spatula.

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    Using a spoon to drain any excess liquid, put about 1 tablespoon of diced strawberries on the top of each tart.

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    Drizzle a little balsamic syrup over the tarts and serve immediately.

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    Cook's Note: The sugared dough scraps can be tossed with cinnamon and baked in the 400 degree F oven until browned and crisp as a treat for the little ones.

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    Leftover strawberries or balsamic syrup are delicious over ice cream!

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.