The citrus obsession continues -or- Grapefruit cocktail with mascarpone cheese and toasted almonds
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Oh Citrus! I just can't seem to contain my excitement as the citrus season returns. I hope you like citrus as much as I do because the citrus train isn't going to leave the A Shared Mile station until this spring. The corniness, however, is a year round event. Sorry.
This dessert is yet another from Peter Berley's Fresh Food Fast. Along with citrus this book is another staple in my life. And so, I share another recipe. This time, it's a dessert featuring grapefruit that is delicious but not overwhelmingly rich or sweet. Doesn't get much better than that.
The only problem I have with this dessert is that I don't have stemless wine glasses to serve it in. Honestly, I find it sort of strange and weird to eat out of wine glasses. I don't know why.
Grapefruit Cocktail with Mascarpone and Toasted Almonds
serves 4
adapted from Fresh Food Fast
This and the other dessert I have posted from this book both called for Demerara brown sugar which are raw and light brown sugar crystals. For this recipe especially I think it is well worth the effort if you can find it in your hometown or online.
5 large grapefruits
2/3 cup honey
1 vanilla bean, cut in half and pulp scraped from the middle
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup brown sugar (preferably Demerara)
Cut four of the grapefruits in half along their "equator" (you know, the way you cut it if you are going to eat it with a spoon) and remove the segments with a small paring knife. Work over a bowl to collect the juices as you cut. Divide the grapefruit segments evenly among four wine glasses (preferably stemless if you are like me) with a slotted spoon.
Squeeze the juice from the membranes and skin of the segmented grapefruits until you have two cups. If you don't reach two cups then use the fifth grapefruit to get the two cups of juice you will need.
Combine the grapefruit juice, honey, vanilla pod and pulp, and rosemary in a small saucepan over high heat. Give it a quick stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Allow it to boil until it has reduced by half, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Once it has reduced, strain the mixture into a glass measuring cup (easier to pour later) and allow it to cool in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.
While your syrup is cooling melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted add the almonds. Continue to cook the almonds while stirring constantly until they have browned evenly, about three to five minutes. Once they are done browning transfer them to a plate to stop the cooking and to allow them to cool.
Once the syrup and almonds are done, divide the syrup evenly among the four glasses. Then dollop each with approximately 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, sprinkle with a quarter of the almonds, and then sprinkle with 1 Tbs. Demerara sugar.
Serve immediately.
Oh Citrus! I just can't seem to contain my excitement as the citrus season returns. I hope you like citrus as much as I do because the citrus train isn't going to leave the A Shared Mile station until this spring. The corniness, however, is a year round event. Sorry.
This dessert is yet another from Peter Berley's Fresh Food Fast. Along with citrus this book is another staple in my life. And so, I share another recipe. This time, it's a dessert featuring grapefruit that is delicious but not overwhelmingly rich or sweet. Doesn't get much better than that.
The only problem I have with this dessert is that I don't have stemless wine glasses to serve it in. Honestly, I find it sort of strange and weird to eat out of wine glasses. I don't know why.
Grapefruit Cocktail with Mascarpone and Toasted Almonds
serves 4
adapted from Fresh Food Fast
This and the other dessert I have posted from this book both called for Demerara brown sugar which are raw and light brown sugar crystals. For this recipe especially I think it is well worth the effort if you can find it in your hometown or online.
5 large grapefruits
2/3 cup honey
1 vanilla bean, cut in half and pulp scraped from the middle
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup brown sugar (preferably Demerara)
Cut four of the grapefruits in half along their "equator" (you know, the way you cut it if you are going to eat it with a spoon) and remove the segments with a small paring knife. Work over a bowl to collect the juices as you cut. Divide the grapefruit segments evenly among four wine glasses (preferably stemless if you are like me) with a slotted spoon.
Squeeze the juice from the membranes and skin of the segmented grapefruits until you have two cups. If you don't reach two cups then use the fifth grapefruit to get the two cups of juice you will need.
Combine the grapefruit juice, honey, vanilla pod and pulp, and rosemary in a small saucepan over high heat. Give it a quick stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Allow it to boil until it has reduced by half, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Once it has reduced, strain the mixture into a glass measuring cup (easier to pour later) and allow it to cool in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.
While your syrup is cooling melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted add the almonds. Continue to cook the almonds while stirring constantly until they have browned evenly, about three to five minutes. Once they are done browning transfer them to a plate to stop the cooking and to allow them to cool.
Once the syrup and almonds are done, divide the syrup evenly among the four glasses. Then dollop each with approximately 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, sprinkle with a quarter of the almonds, and then sprinkle with 1 Tbs. Demerara sugar.
Serve immediately.
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You just made my night!
ReplyDeleteIn a fit of Lets-Use-The-Near-Rotting-Things-In-The-Fridge, and despite the fact that I only had 2 grapefruit (one close to being compost), no marscapone and am out of honey, this was fantastic! A quick substitution of agave for honey and Tony's homemade yogurt for the marscapeone and vioula! - it was delicious, delicious, delicious! And easy peasy!
I especially love the rosey hints infused by the aptly named rosemary. Totally not the type of dessert I usually go for, but...I am a total convert now. It's like you're famous!
Hey there Jen. I love all of your substitutions. Yours sounds hella (have to throw back to our bay area roots from time to time) healthier than mine. Plus, all those substitutions is one of the reasons I love this book...you can make just about anything from what you have on hand. Thanks for the kind words chica!
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