Apricot and moscato jellies with mascarpone cream recipe

These are irresistible. Add the mascarpone cream just before serving – it will become too firm in the fridge.

Timings

Prep time: 20 minutes, plus cooling and setting time

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves

6

Ingredients

• 475ml moscato rosé wine (still or sparkling)
• 125g granulated sugar
• 2 broad strips of lemon peel, plus a squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
• 6 apricots, halved and stoned
• 11g leaf gelatin (7 sheets)
• 125g mascarpone
• 100g Greek yoghurt
• a drop of vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• about 3 amaretti biscuits, very roughly crumbled

Method

1. Heat the wine, sugar and lemon peel with 150ml water, stirring gently. Add the apricots and poach gently until completely tender. This can be as quick as 2 minutes, depending on the size and ripeness of the fruit. You do have to pay attention – overcooked apricots will spoil this dish.
2. Remove the apricots to a dish where they can lie without touching and allow them, and the poaching liquor, to cool.
3. Slip the skins off the apricots and cut the flesh of each half into 3 slices.
4. Taste the poaching liquor and add a squeeze of lemon juice if it needs it. Strain through a sieve lined with a J-Cloth, to get rid of any fruit bits.
5. Put the gelatin in a shallow bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 5 minutes, until completely soft.
6. Heat the poaching liquor gently, to no hotter than hand warm. Scoop up the gelatin and gently squeeze out the excess water.
7. Add it to the liquor and stir to dissolve. Transfer the mixture to a jug.
8. Divide half the apricot slices between 6 glasses then pour on some jelly to cover. Keep the jug of remaining jelly standing in a bowl of hot (but not boiling) water to help keep it from setting.
9. Refrigerate the jelly in the glasses until just set (1-2 hours), then divide the rest of the apricot slices between the glasses. Again cover with jelly. Put in the fridge to set (up to 4 hours).
10. Beat the mascarpone to loosen it, then stir in the yoghurt, vanilla and icing sugar. Spoon some on top of each glass and garnish with amaretti.