Cherries with Grappa & Mascarpone - Ciliege con Grappa e Mascarpone
 
Prep time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1½ pints of large flavorful cherries washed, pitted and halved
  • ¼ cup plus 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
  • ½ cup Grappa
  • 1 cup mascarpone
  • ¾ heavy cream
  • 1 plump vanilla bean
  • ⅛ tsp. pure almond extract
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
  • 6 fresh mint sprigs
Instructions
  1. Two to five hours before serving, add the ¼ cup of granulated sugar and Grappa to the pitted & halved cherries, stirring gently. Cover and place in the refrigerator. Give the cherries a good stir midway during the marinating process.
  2. Two to three hours before dinner continue to prepare the dessert. Slice the vanilla bean in half and with the back of a pairing knife scrape out the tiny seeds. Place the mascarpone, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, vanilla seeds, and the almond extract into the work bowl of a standing mixer. Slowly cream the mascarpone until soft, scraping down the bowl once or twice. Begin to slowly drizzle the heavy cream into the soft mascarpone with the mixer on low speed. Once a uniform cream has formed, place the finished cream into the refrigerator for 30 minutes (resist the temptation to eat this right from the bowl).
  3. Arrange 6 prosecco (or champagne) flutes on the counter along with the cherries, cream, toasted almonds and mint.
  4. Equally spoon the cherries into each of the flutes along with the resulting liquid. Top the cherries with the almond mascarpone cream, again dividing the cream equally. Sprinkle each of the flutes with the toasted almonds and a garnish of fresh mint. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Recipe by LaBellaSorella at https://labellasorella.com/2016/05/cherries-with-grappa-mascarpone/