Mascarpone Semifreddo With Cherry Port Sauce Recipes

MASCARPONE SEMIFREDDO WITH CHERRY-PORT SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the cherry-port sauce: Bring port and granulated sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Boil until reduced by one third, about 5 minutes. Stir in cherries. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, until plump, about 10 minutes. Refrigerate until thick, about 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the semifreddo: Whisk mascarpone, cream, confectioners' sugar, and a pinch of salt until medium-stiff peaks form. Fold in chocolate. Spread mixture into a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan; cover with plastic wrap. Freeze until edges beginto harden and semifreddo is very cold, at least 50 minutes. Scoop into 4 serving dishes. Spoon cherry-port sauce over tops. Serve with chocolate wafer cookies.

CREPES WITH MASCARPONE AND CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine the mascarpone, chocolate chips, 1/2 cup sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. Set aside. If making more than 2 hours ahead reserve in the refrigerator but let come to room temperature before serving. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the cherries, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, lemon zest and juice and a splash of water. Cook until the cherries have let off their juice and the flavor has concentrated, about 10 to 12 minutes. When done the cherries should be very sweet and the juice should be syrupy.
• To assemble:
• Schmear some of the mascarpone/chocolate mixture, about 1/4-inch thick, onto the lower half of a crepe. Fold the top half over the bottom to create a perfect half circle and press to secure. Fold the crepe in half again, to create a loose triangle. Repeat this process with remaining 7 crepes. To serve, arrange 2 triangles on each serving plate and spoon the stewed cherries over the tops.
• Batter: In a mixing bowl, add the flour and salt and make a well in the center. Add the eggs, milk, club soda and 3 tablespoons of melted butter into the center of the well and whisk together until just combined. The mixture should be like VERY loose pancake batter. If the mixture is a little thick, whisk in a little more milk. Let the batter sit for at least 30 minutes before using.
• Crepes:
• Melt about a 1/2 teaspoon of butter in a small nonstick saute pan. The butter should coat the bottom of the pan, if there is a lot of excess, wipe it out with a paper towel. Keep the paper towel handy in case you need it again (you will).
• Put the pan over medium heat. Fill a 2-ounce ladle, almost to the top, with batter and pour it into the preheated pan, tipping and rolling the pan, as you ladle the batter, to evenly cover the bottom. This will take a little practice, even when you are an experienced crepe maker the first couple always get wasted. Accept it and move on.
• When the edges of the crepe begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and the bottom begins to brown a little, turn the crepe over and cook it for about 1 minute on the other side. Remove the crepe from the pan to a plate and let cool. Stack the crepes as they are cooked between parchment paper squares. Repeat this process, until all the batter is used, wiping the pan with your paper towel or melting a little more butter to the pan, as needed.

MASCARPONE CHEESE SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Whip the egg whites into soft peaks with a pinch of salt.
• In another bowl whisk the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla for a few minutes, then add the mascarpone cheese.
• When the cheese and egg yolks are fully mixed together, add one table spoon of the egg whites and stir this in with a metal spoon.
• Add the cheese mixture to the egg whites and stir in carefully, trying not to knock out the air from the beaten egg whites.
• Then pour the mixture into a nice, freezer proof bowl and put into the freezer for 3 to 4 hours. The mixture shouldn't be too hard, so don't leave it in the freezer for longer than this - good excuse to eat it asap really! :).

PASTA WITH A CHERRY TOMATO AND MASCARPONE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet, over a medium heat.
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the cherry tomatoes, onion and salt. Stir frequently. This mixture will need to cook for about 25 minutes until the sauce has developed.
• When the tomatoes soften and the skins start to burst, press on them to release the juices inside. Once the majority of the skins have burst, it does not need stirring more than once every 5 minutes.
• Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package, so it will be ready in time for the sauce.
• After about 25 minutes, the tomatoes should all have split and the juices should have created a sauce. Stir in the mascarpone cheese until melted and blended in.
• If desired, use a blender or hand-blender to puree the sauce, otherwise it can be left chunky.
• Add the parmesan cheese and basil leaves to the sauce, stir and serve on top of the pasta or mixed together with the pasta.

DOUBLE CHERRY SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Set aside a handful (about 50g) of the pitted cherries. Place the remainder in a large pan set over a medium heat with the cream and 50g icing sugar. Bring up to the boil, then gently simmer for 5 mins until the cherries start to soften. Carefully whizz in a blender, then pass through a sieve.
• Pour a little of the hot cherry cream over the egg yolks, whisk well, then pour back into the pan. Cook for about 5 mins more or until the mixture has thickened a little and will coat the back of a wooden spoon. Pour through a sieve into a bowl, cover the surface with cling film, then leave to cool completely.
• Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then whisk in the remaining 50g sugar, 1 tbsp at a time. Keep whisking until the mixture is stiff and resembles shaving foam. Stir a third of the mixture into the cooled cream, mix until it is well incorporated, then gently fold through the remaining mixture in 2 goes.
• Line a 900g loaf tin with cling film. Pour the mixture into the tin, then cover with cling film and place in the freezer for about 3 hrs until just starting to freeze. Stir the whole cherries into the semi-frozen mixture, then return to the freezer for at least 8 hrs or preferably overnight. Serve cut into slices with some berries, or sandwiched between wafers.