Impromptu Mustard Fruit With Mascarpone Food

IMPROMPTU MUSTARD FRUIT WITH MASCARPONE

Steps:

• Measure out the amount of jam you want into a small bowl. For each tablespoon of jam, add 1 teaspoon mustard. Stir with a small spoon, or even better, a butter knife.
• Spoon mascarpone -- a little more than half the amount of the jam -- into a bowl. Add the mustard fruit and mix lightly. Adjust to taste. Spread on toasted bread. Serve with Prosecco or with one of the great Italian sweet wines, like Recioto di Soave.

FRESH FRUIT WITH HONEY VANILLA MASCARPONE

Steps:

• Combine the apricots, plums, kiwi and cherries in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the mascarpone, honey, vanilla and vanilla seeds. Add the heavy cream and stir until combined.
• Pour the mascarpone mixture over the fruit, and serve.

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.