Poached Berries With Rose Swirls Recipes

ROSé-POACHED PEACHES WITH WHIPPED MASCARPONE

Steps:

• Halve the vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp paring knife. Set one half aside and put the other half in a large pot. Add the rosé, 3/4 cup of the honey, peppercorns, fennel seeds and 1 cup water. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest of the oranges and lemons and add the zest to the pot. Squeeze in the juice of 1 orange. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the honey. Reduce the temperature to low and add the peaches (the liquid should be still and there should be no simmering bubbles). Cook, flipping the peaches halfway through, until they are softened and the skins start to pull away, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the mascarpone in a large bowl and whisk until loosened. Scrape in the seeds from the remaining vanilla bean half and add the scraped vanilla bean pod to the poaching liquid. To the mascarpone, add the remaining 1/4 cup honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the heavy cream and whisk until medium stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Add the pistachios, light brown sugar and cayenne pepper to a small skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved, syrupy and evenly coats the pistachios, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a parchment-lined plate and let cool completely, about 5 minutes (the coating will be sticky but will harden as the nuts cool).
• Divide the whipped mascarpone among 8 serving bowls. Use a slotted spoon to remove the peaches and add one half to each bowl. Evenly sprinkle the pistachios over the top.

PERFECT POACHED FRUIT

Steps:

• Place the vin santo, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla bean, and zests in a large, shallow saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact, and scoop out the seeds from the bottom with an apple corer or melon baller. Lay half the pears on their sides in the poaching liquid and simmer for 20 minutes, carefully turning the pears once with a spoon. Remove with a slotted spoon. Poach the remaining pears in the same liquid. Snip off the hard stems from the figs with scissors. Add the figs, apricots, prunes, and the first batch of poached pears and simmer 5 to 10 more minutes, until the pears and the dried fruit are all tender.
• Chill the pears, dried fruit, zests, and poaching liquid. Remove the cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla bean before serving if you like.

POACHED APRICOTS WITH ROSEWATER

Steps:

• Put the sugar into a medium pan with 150ml water. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then add the apricots and simmer for 15 mins until soft. Take off the heat, splash in the rosewater and leave to cool. Spoon into glasses to serve, topped with a few dollops of the yogurt and a scattering of nuts.

POACHED PLUMS

Steps:

• To prepare the plums: wash and cut them into quarters, then remove the stones.
• Tip the sugar into a pan with 225ml water, the cinnamon and vanilla. Gently heat until the sugar dissolves.
• Slide the fruit into the syrup. Bring the pan to the boil, then let it simmer for 5-10 mins - depending on the ripeness - until the plums are soft. Leave to cool slightly and serve as they are with something creamy.