Cherry Mascarpone Cheese Dessert Food

NO-BAKE CHERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray; line bottom with a round of parchment. Stir together cookies, butter, sugar, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt; press evenly into bottom of pan. Refrigerate while making filling.
• Make the filling: Beat sour cream, 1/3 cup sugar, the cheeses, vanilla seeds or extract, and lemon zest with a mixer on medium speed until very smooth, about 4 minutes. Pass mixture through a fine sieve into a large bowl. Whisk heavy cream and remaining 1/3 cup sugar until medium peaks form; fold into filling mixture, and spread evenly onto crust. Smooth top, and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours. Refrigerate for 45 minutes before serving.
• Make the topping: Bring half the cherries, and the sugar, vinegar, and cinnamon stick to a simmer in a small saucepan. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover, and simmer until cherries are soft, about 3 minutes. Whisk together cornstarch and water; add to cherry mixture. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat, and stir in remaining cherries. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Run a knife around edge of cake; release sides to remove from pan, and transfer cake to a serving platter. Remove cinnamon stick from topping; spoon over cake. Cheesecake can be frozen or refrigerated for up to 2 days. Cherry topping can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

SWEET CHERRY CHEESE DESSERT

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cut butter into crushed cookies until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. , In a large bowl, combine the pie filling and extracts; set aside. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Fold in whipped topping. Spread over crust. Top with filling. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until set.

CREPES WITH MASCARPONE AND CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine the mascarpone, chocolate chips, 1/2 cup sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. Set aside. If making more than 2 hours ahead reserve in the refrigerator but let come to room temperature before serving. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the cherries, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, lemon zest and juice and a splash of water. Cook until the cherries have let off their juice and the flavor has concentrated, about 10 to 12 minutes. When done the cherries should be very sweet and the juice should be syrupy.
• To assemble:
• Schmear some of the mascarpone/chocolate mixture, about 1/4-inch thick, onto the lower half of a crepe. Fold the top half over the bottom to create a perfect half circle and press to secure. Fold the crepe in half again, to create a loose triangle. Repeat this process with remaining 7 crepes. To serve, arrange 2 triangles on each serving plate and spoon the stewed cherries over the tops.
• Batter: In a mixing bowl, add the flour and salt and make a well in the center. Add the eggs, milk, club soda and 3 tablespoons of melted butter into the center of the well and whisk together until just combined. The mixture should be like VERY loose pancake batter. If the mixture is a little thick, whisk in a little more milk. Let the batter sit for at least 30 minutes before using.
• Crepes:
• Melt about a 1/2 teaspoon of butter in a small nonstick saute pan. The butter should coat the bottom of the pan, if there is a lot of excess, wipe it out with a paper towel. Keep the paper towel handy in case you need it again (you will).
• Put the pan over medium heat. Fill a 2-ounce ladle, almost to the top, with batter and pour it into the preheated pan, tipping and rolling the pan, as you ladle the batter, to evenly cover the bottom. This will take a little practice, even when you are an experienced crepe maker the first couple always get wasted. Accept it and move on.
• When the edges of the crepe begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and the bottom begins to brown a little, turn the crepe over and cook it for about 1 minute on the other side. Remove the crepe from the pan to a plate and let cool. Stack the crepes as they are cooked between parchment paper squares. Repeat this process, until all the batter is used, wiping the pan with your paper towel or melting a little more butter to the pan, as needed.

CHERRY-MASCARPONE CHEESE DESSERT

Steps:

• Combine mascarpone cheese and confectioners' sugar in a bowl and beat using an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy.
• Stir together cream and vanilla extract, add to mascarpone mixture and beat until well combined. Set 4 cherries aside for garnish, and fold the rest into the cream-mascarpone mixture.
• Fill 4 dessert bowls equally with cream-mascarpone mixture, garnish with a cherry, and refrigerate until serving.

CHERRY CREME PUFF WONTONS

Steps:

• NOTE: You will need a non-stick mini muffin pan.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Spread a little of the flour onto some wax paper and unfold one of the puff pastry sheets onto it. Roll the dough with a floured rolling pin until it is 12X12 inches.
• Using a knife, cut the pastry dough into 24 squares. Repeat this process with the other sheet of puff pastry for a total of 48 squares.
• Shape a square of puff pastry into each muffin tin slot and then place a cherry into the bottom of each. Careful to not let any puff pastry square touch another and keep the tops open for filling.
• In a large bowl, using electric beaters; whip the heavy whipping cream and then add the mascarpone cheese in chunks and whip to blend completely.
• In a little bowl; mix the strong coffee with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar until it forms a paste. Add to the mascarpone mix and blend well.
• With a spoon, stir in 1/4 cup pecan chips reserving the other 1/4 cup for garnish. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs. Place mascarpone mix in the fridge until ready to use.
• Bake the puff pastry squares with cherries for 13 minutes or until golden brown.
• Use a fork to gently remove puff pastry wontons from the muffin pan to a serving plate. (they will come right out, the fork is to keep from burning your fingers).
• Allow the puff pastry wontons to cool for 10 minutes.
• Place a heaping teaspoon of the mascarpone filling over each cherry. Sprinkle each wonton with a bit of the reserved pecan bits then serve!

DRUNKEN CHERRIES WITH MASCARPONE CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together brandy and 1/4 cup sugar until sugar is mostly dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add lemon juice, fennel seeds, and pepper; whisk to combine. Add lemon zest and cherries and stir until combined. Refrigerate, covered, 24 hours (or up to 3 days), stirring occasionally.
• In a small bowl, whisk mascarpone until loose and shiny, about 2 minutes. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream and 2 teaspoons sugar on high until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Whisk in vanilla. Fold mascarpone into whipped cream until well combined. Divide cherries and liquid among 4 plates. Serve with mascarpone cream and biscotti.

PASTA WITH A CHERRY TOMATO AND MASCARPONE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet, over a medium heat.
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the cherry tomatoes, onion and salt. Stir frequently. This mixture will need to cook for about 25 minutes until the sauce has developed.
• When the tomatoes soften and the skins start to burst, press on them to release the juices inside. Once the majority of the skins have burst, it does not need stirring more than once every 5 minutes.
• Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package, so it will be ready in time for the sauce.
• After about 25 minutes, the tomatoes should all have split and the juices should have created a sauce. Stir in the mascarpone cheese until melted and blended in.
• If desired, use a blender or hand-blender to puree the sauce, otherwise it can be left chunky.
• Add the parmesan cheese and basil leaves to the sauce, stir and serve on top of the pasta or mixed together with the pasta.