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Sweet 'n' Creamy Caramelized Figs With Ricotta Mousse

YumSugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:15:07 -0700

I am falling for figs and can't resist trying just about every recipe! After enjoying the figs in a blanket, it was time for something sweet rather than savory. Something like caramelized figs with ricotta mousse.

The simple, light, orange-infused ricotta mousse can be made ahead of time, and caramelizing the figs only takes about 15 minutes. When adding the balsamic vinegar to the syrup - be careful! - I suggest having the pan's lid handy to avoid any splatter.

Once the mousse is topped with warm balsamic caramel and sweet figs, it's the perfect dessert to finish a Fall dinner. If you are short on time and can't make the smooth creamy ricotta mousse, the caramelized figs would be equally tasty served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. To get started caramelizing your own figs, keep reading.

Surprise Mom With Strawberry Mascarpone Tart

partysugar — Sat, 09 May 2009 08:00:27 -0700

Last Summer I was seduced by Gourmet's strawberry pie, and this year the magazine enticed me with a strawberry mascarpone tart with port glaze. This scrumptious dessert is surprisingly easy to put together - especially if you make the dough (like I did) in a food processor. Although I ended up purchasing a new pan, the delightful combination of crisp buttery crust, smooth creamy filling, plump juicy berries, and thick rich sauce was worth it. The completed tart is light and only slightly sweet, making it the perfect finish to a Mother's Day celebration. If you're traveling, make each element of the tart at home and assemble upon arrival at your destination. To look at the divine recipe, read more.

Strawberry Mascarpone Tart With Port Glaze
From Gourmet

Ingredients

For tart shell:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons cold water
For filling:
1 1/2 pounds strawberries (about 1 1/2 quarts), trimmed and halved lengthwise
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup ruby Port
1 pound mascarpone (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
A 10-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom; pie weights or dried beans

Directions

Make tart shell: blend together flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps.
Beat together yolk, vanilla, lemon juice, and water with a fork, then drizzle over flour mixture and stir with fork (or pulse) until mixture comes together.
Gently knead with floured hands on a lightly floured surface until a dough forms, then gently knead 4 or 5 times. Press into a 5-inch disk.
Place in center of tart pan and cover with plastic wrap. Using your fingers and bottom of a flat-bottomed measuring cup, spread and push dough to evenly cover bottom and side of pan. Prick bottom of tart shell all over with a fork and freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle. Line tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until side is set and edge is pale golden, about 20 minutes.
Carefully remove foil and weights and continue to bake until shell is deep golden all over, about 20 minutes more. Cool in pan, about 45 minutes.
Make filling while tart shell cools: stir together strawberries and granulated sugar in a bowl and let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
Strain in a sieve set over a small saucepan, reserving berries. Add Port to liquid in saucepan and boil until reduced to about 1/4 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, whisk together mascarpone, confectioners sugar, lemon juice, zest, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until stiff.
Assemble tart: spread mascarpone mixture evenly in cooled tart shell, then top with strawberries. Drizzle Port glaze all over tart.

Serves 8-10.

Make ahead: Tart shell can be baked 1 day ahead and kept at room temperature.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Penne With Butternut Squash

partysugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 06:45:17 -0700

Fall produce week continues, and today's featured ingredient is the beloved butternut squash. Although it has a thick skin, squash flesh roasts in a high-heat oven in less than 20 minutes.

Tossed with pasta, sage, and a creamy mascarpone sauce, this dish is decadent and delicious. If you are a vegetarian, simply omit the ham.

Look at this luxurious recipe when you read more.

Penne With Butternut Squash
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons dried sage
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup half-and-half
3 scallions including green tops, chopped
3/4 pound penne
1/4 pound sliced smoked ham, such as Black Forest, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Heat the oven to 450°.
Put the squash on a large baking sheet and toss with the oil, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, the pepper, and sage. Spread the squash out in a single layer. Roast, turning occasionally, until tender and starting to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
In a small bowl, stir together the mascarpone, half-and-half, scallions, and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt.
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the penne until just done, about 13 minutes.
Reserve 1 cup of the pasta-cooking water and drain. Return the pasta to the hot pan.
Stir in the squash, mascarpone sauce, and ham. If the sauce seems too thick, add some of the reserved pasta-cooking water. Serve topped with the Parmesan.

Serves 4.

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Come Party With Me: Tailgate - Menu

partysugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:00:01 -0700

Instead of serving dessert separate at my tailgate, I plan to serve it with the rest of the menu. Guests can enjoy a bite of sweetness with their savory nibbles. The dip theme will continue with this delectable white chocolate mascarpone dip. Served with fresh fruit, it's decadent, but not heavy. To get this lovely recipe - that also makes a great after-school snack for little ones, read more.

Fresh Fruit With Mascarpone and White Chocolate Dip
From Bon Appetit

Ingredients

6 ounces white chocolate
1 cup whipping cream
1 8-ounce marscapone cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fresh fruit, like strawberries, cheeries, peaches, and nectarines

Directions

Melt 6 ounces chopped white chocolate with 1/2 cup whipping cream in a medium metal bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Remove the bowl from water and let the chocolate cool to room temperature.
In another medium bowl, whisk 1/2 cup whipping cream, one 8-ounce container mascarpone cheese, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until blended and smooth. Fold melted chocolate into mascarpone.
Serve the dip with fresh fruit; strawberries and cherries are terrific with it, but peach and nectarine slices would also be fun.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups dip.

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Sunday Dinner: Mascarpone-Stuffed Roast Chicken with Spring Herb Salad

partysugar — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 05:39:11 -0700

There is nothing quite as comforting as roast chicken. A great way to flavor the chicken is to stuff butter underneath the skin. While the chicken roasts, the butter melts, infusing the chicken with moist goodness. This recipe features a variation that uses mascarpone cheese instead of butter. The mascarpone is mixed with herbs to create a highly seasoned, super scrumptious roast chicken. The chicken is served atop a bed of Spring greens making it a seasonal meal, perfect for a Sunday night dinner. To take a look at the recipe - it pairs perfectly with a buttery Chardonnay - read more.

Mascarpone-Stuffed Roast Chicken with Spring Herb Salad
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

1 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus 1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 tablespoon minced thyme
1 tablespoon minced tarragon
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Two 3 1/2-pound chickens
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons hazelnut oil
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon snipped chives
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 cups mâche or mesclun
1/2 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup celery leaves
1/4 cup chervil leaves or flat-leaf parsley leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°.
In a small bowl, mix the mascarpone with the minced parsley, thyme, tarragon, lemon zest and garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Starting at the neck of one of the chickens, gently loosen the chicken skin, working your hands toward the drumsticks; be sure to leave the skin nearest the cavity opening attached. Spread half of the mascarpone filling under the skin, working it toward the drumsticks. Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Repeat with the other chicken.
Put the chickens in a large roasting pan and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes.
Lower the oven temperature to 350° and bake the chickens for 45 minutes longer, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thigh registers 170°. Let stand for 20 minutes, then carve the chickens and transfer to a large platter.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, stir the hazelnut oil with the orange juice, chives and shallot and season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, toss the mâche, basil, celery leaves, chervil and the remaining 1/2 cup of parsley leaves with half of the vinaigrette.
Mound the herb salad over the warm chicken and serve right away, passing the extra vinaigrette on the side.

Serves 6.

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Yummy Link: Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies

partysugar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:15:51 -0800

I couldn't let chocolate month end without tantalizing your taste buds with one more mouthwatering chocolate recipe. Chocolate mascarpone brownies, need I say more? -The Recipe Girl

Yummy Link: Chocolate Marscarpone Cheese Pie

partysugar — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 14:13:31 -0800

After discovering a tub of Philadelphia's new ready-to-eat Chocolate Cheesecake Filling, Susan used it to create a delicious and delightful Valentine's Day dessert. - Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy

Easy No Bake Cake

partysugar — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:57:31 -0700

An icebox cake is a cake made by freezing instead of baking. The chilled mixture of layered ingredients harden to form a solidified dessert. An icebox cake also ends up saving you from heating the house with the stove and it makes an excellent finish to a meal. The elegant Italian flavors of espresso and mascarpone are highlighted in this creamy and satisfying cake. If you are drooling over the picture and must make this recipe, read more

Espresso & Mascarpone Icebox Cake
From Gourmet magazine

3 cups chilled heavy cream
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup mascarpone cheese (about 9 oz) at room temperature
1 (9-oz) box chocolate wafers such as Nabisco Famous
1 tablespoon instant-espresso powder*
Special equipment: a 9 1/2- to 10-inch springform pan (about 26 cm)

Beat 2 cups cream with 6 tablespoons sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until it just holds soft peaks, 2 to 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low, then add mascarpone and mix until combined.
Spread 1 1/4 cups mascarpone mixture evenly in bottom of springform pan and cover with 14 wafers, slightly overlapping if necessary. Spread with another 1 1/4 cups mascarpone mixture, followed by 14 more wafers arranged in the same manner.
Spread remaining mascarpone mixture on top. Smooth top with a metal offset spatula, then cover pan with foil and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
Transfer from freezer to refrigerator and chill, covered, until a sharp knife inserted into center cuts through softened wafers easily, about 8 hours.
Pulse remaining chocolate wafers in a food processor until finely ground.
Beat remaining cup cream with espresso powder and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar using electric mixer at medium speed until it just holds stiff peaks, about 3 minutes.
Remove foil and side of pan and frost cake all over with espresso cream. Sprinkle edge of top lightly with wafer crumbs. Serve cold.

Serves 12.

Notes: Cake, without espresso cream, can be chilled up to 2 days. Cake can be frosted with espresso cream 4 hours ahead and chilled, loosely covered with foil.

*Available at most supermarkets and The Baker's Catalogue (800-827-6836). Or you could do what I do and ask your local Starbucks for a tablespoon of espresso powder when picking up your morning coffee.

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Yummy Link: Lemon Mascarpone Charlottes

YumSugar — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 02:08:19 -0700

Don't these lemon mascarpone charlottes look absolutely elegant? I'm bookmarking this one for my next tea party! - Tartelette

Savory Sights: Berry Clafoutis with Scented Mascarpone

YumSugar — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 09:48:11 -0800

You guys are making me hungry. Seriously, I can't even do my job without my stomach letting out a few growls each time.

Today it was reader crispet1 who knocked me over the edge. She posted this beauty, a Raspberry and Blueberry Clafoutis with Quenelle of Orange Scented Mascarpone, in the Savory Sights group.

Clafoutis is such a great dessert, not only is it fun to say, but the way the fruit melds with the batter (which is similar to pancake batter) just makes me start drooling.

Post your great food (or party!) photos to the Savory Sights group and we just might post it here!