upsidedown berry crostada

i made this recipe last night when we had some friends over for dessert, and it was a hit! the reviews i read mentioned the dessert being somewhat tart/not sweet enough and that it also needed additional cornstarch, so i made a couple of adjustments and everyone thought it was very, very tasty! the dessert calls for a whipped topping of mascarpone cheese, honey, and heavy cream. i had never used mascarpone cheese, so i thought i would give it a try. it was very good, but honestly i think that plain vanilla ice cream or regular whipped cream would be just as good if you don't want to bother with the topping or spend the extra money (a one cup tub is about twice the price of regular cream cheese). regardless of which you choose, you'll be glad you gave this a try! it's yet another easy dessert, and the berries are delicious.

upsidedown berry crostada
by Giada De Laurentiis

*my changes are noted*

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar, plus 2 tablespoons (*i used 2 Tbsp. in the crust & 3/4 cup in the berry mixture & thought it was perfect)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (*i used 8-1 stick of butter)
3 tablespoons ice water
5 cups frozen mixed berries, thawed (about 30 ounces)
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch (*i used 3 Tbsp. because many reviews said it needed extra)
2/3 cup mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons honey

D I R E C T I O N S :

To make the crust, combine the flour, sugar, lemon zest, and salt in a food processor and pulse to blend. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until moist clumps form. Gather the dough into a ball then flatten into a disk.

Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Stir together the berries, lemon juice, sugar and cornstarch in a 10-inch diameter round baking dish. Roll out the crust to a 14-inch diameter circle. Place the crust over the berries in the baking dish. Fold the crust over itself until it fits just inside the baking dish. Cut a 2-inch slit in the center of the dough. Bake until the crust is golden and the berries are bubbly, about 40 minutes*.

(* you might want to put a pan on the shelf below the one you bake the crostada on, because mine overflowed a little onto the bottom of the oven)

Meanwhile, whip together the mascarpone, heavy cream, and honey. Cover and reserve in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
(*regular whipped cream or plain vanilla ice cream would be a great alternative for this mixture)

To serve, scoop out the crostada into serving dishes and top with the whipped mascarpone (*or ice cream).