Summer Fruit Shortcake With Mascarpone Recipes

STONE-FRUIT SHORTCAKES WITH MASCARPONE CREAM

Steps:

• Add the vanilla extract, sugar, 1 cup water and orange juice to a medium saucepan. Whisk the mixture over medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the peaches and plums and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the fruit is tender and the syrup has reduced slightly, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, beat the cream with an electric mixer until thick. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until the cream holds soft peaks. Add the mascarpone cheese and beat until thick and smooth.
• Place the shortcakes on serving plates. Spoon some of the poached fruit on the bottom half of each shortcake and top with a dollop of the whipped cream. Add the top of the shortcake and drizzle with the fruit syrup.

MASCARPONE BRULEE WITH FRESH BERRIES

Steps:

• Mix strawberries, blackberries, 1/3 cup sugar, and orange juice together in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 2 hours to overnight.
• Stir mascarpone cheese, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and vanilla extract together in a bowl.
• Spread mascarpone mixture over the top of each shortcake half; sprinkle about 1 teaspoon sugar over the top to cover. Caramelize the sugar using a kitchen torch, 20 to 30 seconds per shortcake. Place each shortcake in a shallow bowl and surround with berries and accumulated juices.

SUMMER FRUIT SHORTCAKES WITH MAPLE CREAM

Steps:

• In large bowl, stir together fruit and maple syrup. Let stand about 1 hour until fruit becomes juicy.
• Heat oven to 450°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. In medium bowl, stir together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in margarine, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in milk just until blended.
• Drop dough by 8 spoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.
• In small bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Gently fold in yogurt and maple flavor. (Refrigerate until ready to serve.)
• Split shortcakes horizontally in half while warm. Place about 1/4 cup fruit and 1 tablespoon Maple Cream on bottom half of each shortcake. Add shortcake tops. Top each with additional fruit and 1 tablespoon Maple Cream.

SUMMER FRUIT SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture; pour in the buttermilk and milk, and mix just until the dough gathers together. Do not overwork. Cover the bowl, and allow dough to rest 10 to 15 minutes. Roll or pat the dough into 6 rounds, each about 3 inches in diameter. Place on prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until puffed and golden, about 15 minutes. Place on a rack and cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, combine the blueberries, apricots, and cherries in a bowl. Toss to blend and set aside.
• Beat the whipping cream in a mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Stir in 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form. Split the shortcakes in half and place the bottom halves on 6 serving plates. Spoon whipped cream over each half, top with fruit, and place a shortcake top on each. Dust tops with remaining 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar.

SUMMER FRUIT & MASCARPONE TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Unroll 1 pastry sheet, but leave it on the parchment. Place it on a baking tray, dust with 2 tbsp icing sugar, then cover with another sheet of parchment and another baking tray. Pour baking beans into the tray to weigh it down, or use empty cans. Bake for 30 mins, then check if the pastry is golden all over. If not, return for another 5 mins or so. Repeat with the other pastry sheet (or cook both together if you have enough trays). Once out of the oven, trim the edges with a large, sharp knife. Leave to cool.
• Softly whip the mascarpone, cream, vanilla and remaining icing sugar, then transfer half to a disposable piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm round nozzle (or just snip off the corner). Pipe blobs of the mascarpone cream over the surface of one piece of pastry, right up to the edges. Top with half the fruit and dust with a little icing sugar.
• Top with the second piece of pastry, more mascarpone cream (refilling the bag when you need to), the remaining fruit, a dusting of icing sugar and, finally, some mint leaves. Use a serrated knife to cut through the layers without squashing the whole tart. Best served within an hour or two, but leftovers will keep for up to two days in the fridge.