My daughter has been asked, at the last minute, to bring a dessert for a Fourth of July cookout. It seems the hostess underestimated the popularity of a lake house for tomorrow's fireworks display. Seeing that she is working normal hours today, we thought this would be a cinch to make and great theater for the occasion.
This dessert is assembled in a spring form pan. Alternatively, you can layer everything in a trifle mold and use store bought pound cake instead of ladyfingers. Sara Lee makes a good one.
Serves 8
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds raspberries (5 cups)
- 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (from 1 large orange)
- 10 ounces mascarpone cheese (1 1/3 cups)
- 1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Fine salt
- 20 to 24 ladyfingers (from a 7-ounce package), broken into 1-inch pieces
- 3/4 pound blueberries (2 1/2 cups)
-
In a medium bowl, combine raspberries with 1/4 cup
confectioners' sugar and orange juice. With the back of a fork, lightly
mash berries to release their juices and let sit 10 minutes. Meanwhile,
in a large bowl, stir together mascarpone and 1/2 cup confectioners'
sugar until smooth. Whisk in cream, vanilla, and pinch of salt and whisk
until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes.
-
Cut one or two pieces parchment 1 inch taller than side of an
8-inch springform pan and line inside of pan. Place half the
ladyfingers in pan and top with half the raspberry mixture. With a small
offset or rubber spatula, spread half the whipped cream over berries.
Tap pan gently on counter to remove air bubbles. Repeat with remaining
ladyfingers, raspberry mixture, and whipped cream. Top with blueberries
and refrigerate until whipped cream is stiff and cookies have softened,
about
3 hours (or, tightly covered with plastic, up to 3 days). To serve, unmold trifle and peel away parchment.
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
I'll have to save this for next year -- I've been fretting over what to bring to a 4th get together -- I'm to bring dessert. But it's outside -- it's 100 degrees and so I'm electing to make raspberry almond bars (red and white) and put them on a blue and white platter!
ReplyDeleteThose sound great Martha. This one will have to go directly into their fridge. It's also hot as hell here. we had 109 in atlanta couple of days ago.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous! I will have to bookmark this, cannot imagine that any dessert could possibly upstage this beauty!! Enjoy the firework and enjoy your July 4th!
ReplyDeleteHomemade Mascarpone Cheese
ReplyDeleteMakes 12 oz
2 cups whipping cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Bring 1 inch of water to the boil in a wide skillet. Reduce heat to medium low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium sized heat resistant bowl, then place bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, till it reaches 190F. If you do not have a thermometer, wait until small bubbles keep trying to push up to the surface.
It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating to reach this temperature. Then add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. It will coat the back of your wooden spoon thickly, and you will see a few whey streaks when you stir.
Remove the bowl from the water and let cool about 20 minutes. Line a sieve with 4 layers of dampened cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Transfer the cream mixture to the lined sieve. Do not squeeze or press on the cheese.
Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate in the sieve, overnight or up to 24 hours. It will firm up and become thick and creamy. Keep refrigerated and use within 5 days.
The first time I made mascarpone I had all doubts if it’d been cooled enough, because of its custard-like texture. Have no fear, it will firm up beautifully in the fridge, and will yet remain lusciously creamy.
Thank you anonymous.
ReplyDelete