Spiced Quinces With A Mascarpone Cream Food

BAKED CRISP WITH FIVE SPICED APPLES, PEARS, DRUNKEN PRUNES, AND MASCARPONE CREAM

Steps:

• In a small pot over low heat, add the prunes and wine. Bring to a simmer and then remove from the heat and let steep for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Plating: Remove the cobbler dishes from the oven and serve hot topped with mascarpone cream.
• In a medium bowl, combine the apples and pears with the lemon juice. Using another small bowl, mix together the sugar, cornstarch, five-spice powder, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Add the dry mixture to the apples and pears and toss until coated. Pour the prune and sugar mixture into the fruit and toss again.
• Coat the cobbler dishes with butter and generously fill with the fruit mixture (it will shrink down as it bakes). Top each serving with 1/4 cup oat crisp topping and bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 30 to 45 minutes, until the fruit is tender and topping is golden and crunchy. In a small bowl, mix the mascarpone with the chopped lemon zest. Reserve in the fridge.
• In a food processor, combine the oats, butter, flour, and both sugars and blend just until crumbly. Be careful not to over-process, as the mixture will become pasty.

SPICED QUINCES WITH A MASCARPONE CREAM

Steps:

• Bring the first 8 ingredients to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
• I drop the peeled, cored quince wedges straight into the syrup.
• Cook on that low simmer until they are tender. That might be half an hour or as much as two hours just keep checking!
• Remove the quinces from the syrup and turn the heat up. Reduce the syrup by about half then pour back over the quinces and cool.
• To make mascarpone cream, combine mascarpone, extract and icing sugar mixture in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.

ROAST QUINCES

Steps:

• Wash the quinces, rubbing their skins to remove the light down that sometimes covers them in patches. Roast them whole, in an oven preheated to 375°F, until they feel soft. Depending on their size and ripeness, it can take from 1 hour up to 2 hours for the largest, so watch them carefully. (The three I cooked, weighing 2 pounds, took 1 1/2 hours.)
• When they are cool enough to handle, cut them in half through the core, and cut away the blackened ends and the cores with a pointed knife. Place them, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Put a sliver of butter on top of each half and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Put them back in the oven for 1/2 to 1 hour, until they are very soft and have turned a rich burgundy color. If you like, put them under the broiler for moments only, until the sugar just begins to caramelize. It fills the kitchen with a sweet smell.
• Serve hot with clotted cream or mascarpone.