Fruit Desserts
Mascarpone and Peaches
(Serves 6)
4 large ripe peaches
1/3 cup amaretto or orange-flavored liqueur
1 tablespoon lemon juice
8 ounces mascarpone
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup crushed amaretti cookies  (about 8)
1 tablespoon sliced almonds, toasted
Bring a saucepan 3/4 full of water to a boil.
Using a slotted spoon, add one peach at a time into the water.
Cook for 30 seconds.
Lift out and put into a bowl of cold water.
Using a knife, peel off the skins.
Halve, pit, and cut into thin wedges.
Place in a bowl, add the liqueur and lemon juice and toss to coat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mascarpone cheese and sugar until well blended.
In a separate bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form.
Fold the cream into the mascarpone.
Spoon half of the cream mixture into stemmed glasses, dividing evenly.
Top with the peaches and then the amaretti, again dividing evenly.
Spoon on the remaining cream mixture.
Cover and chill.
Sprinkle with the sliced almonds before serving.
Figs with Chocolate and Almonds
(Makes 12 stuffed figs)
3/4 cup finely chopped, unpeeled almonds
1/2 cup finely chopped semisweet chocolate
1 tablespoon sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons dark rum
12 fresh figs
Place the almonds, chocolate, and sugar in a bowl.  Stir to combine.
Add the rum and stir until the mixture holds together.
Add a few more drops of rum if needed to form a rough-textured paste.
Trim the stems off the figs.
Starting at the stem end, cut the figs 3/4 of the way down,
making 2 cuts in the form of a cross.
Pinch the bottom of the fig to open it like a flower.
Gently stuff the almond mixture into the center of each fig.
Press the fig together to reshape it.
Arrange the figs on a platter and serve.
Strawberries in White Wine
(Serves 4)
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons sugar
2 lemon zest strips
2 pints strawberries, hulled and cut in half
In a bowl, combine the wine, sugar, and lemon zest.
Stir to dissolve the sugar.
Add the berries and mix well.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Serve in stemmed glasses.
Strawberries in Balsamic Vinegar
(Serves 4)
12 ounces strawberries
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Vanilla ice cream, to serve
Wash and hull the strawberries.
Cut the berries in half and place in a bowl.
Add the sugar and vinegar. Stir to combine.
Place a scoop of ice cream on a plate and spoon the berries on top.
Serve immediately.
Fresh Fruit Pizza
(Serves 8)
Make this pizza with any combination of your favorite fruit
1 (18 ounce) package sugar cookie dough
8 ounces light cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups fruit  (berries, slices of peach, kiwi, mango)
1/2 cup apricot jam
Shredded coconut (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Roll out dough to cover a 12 to 14-inch round pizza pan.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until firm.
Cool completely.
Combine cream cheese with extract.
Spread cream cheese over the cookie leaving a 1/2-inch border.
Arrange the fruit on top.
In a small saucepan, heat the jam 2-3 minutes just until it melts.
Brush the jam over the fruit.
If you are adding the coconut, sprinkle it evenly over the fruit.
Serve immediately.
Frullati - Fresh Fruit Whips
(Serves 2)
Frullati are like adult milk shakes with a little liqueur added.
The Maraschino used in this recipe is a fine Italian liqueur.
If you must substitute for Maraschino, try a not too sweet cherry liqueur such as Kirch.
1 cup peeled and sliced fruit (banana, peaches, strawberries or raspberries)
2/3 cup milk
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons crushed ice
2 tablespoons Maraschino liqueur
Place all of the ingredients into a blender.
Puree at high speed until the ice is dissolved and fruit is liquefied.
Serve immediately.
Baked Amaretti Plums
(Serves 6)
This recipe can also be made with peaches or apricots.
6 ripe red or purple plums, cut in half and pits removed
4 ounces amaretti cookies, crushed
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Whipped cream or frozen vanilla yogurt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Brush a baking dish with a little of the butter.
In a food processor, process the cookies into coarse crumbs.
Add the remaining butter, yolk, and nutmeg. Blend well.
Mound the cookie filling on each plum half and press down firmly.
Arrange the stuffed plums in the baking dish.
Bake 15-20 minutes until soft and light brown.
Serve warm with whipped cream or frozen yogurt.
White Peaches with Raspberries
(Serves 4)
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
4 white peaches
8 ounces raspberries
4-5 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
2/3 cup Prosecco, chilled
In a saucepan over low heat, combine the sugar and water.
Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Remove from heat, cool, and refrigerate.
Just before serving:
Slice the peaches into a large bowl.
Add the raspberries and mint.
Combine the cold sugar syrup and Prosecco.
Pour the mixture over the peaches.
Serve immediately.
Skillet Blueberry Crisps
(Serves 4)
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons Amaretto or almond extract
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1 pint blueberries
10 amaretti cookies, coarsely crushed
Confectioners' sugar
In a saucepan, combine lemon zest, juice, water, brown sugar, cornstarch and Amaretto.
Add butter and half of the blueberries.
Lightly crush the berries with a potato masher or fork.
Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir constantly.
Add the remaining blueberries and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
Spoon the mixture into 4 dessert cups.
Sprinkle the cookie crumbs on top.
Dust each with confectioners'  sugar.
Serve warm
Grilled Pineapple with Nutella
(Serves 5-6)
1 pineapple, peeled and cored
1/3 cup light cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup Nutella
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons chopped toasted almonds
Cut the pineapple crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices.
Lightly oil your (indoor or outdoor) grill and set to medium-high heat.
Grill the pineapple slices 3 minutes per side or until beginning to brown.
In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and vanilla. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine the Nutella and heavy cream.
Cook over low heat 3-5 minutes until smooth and easy to pour.
Place the pineapple slices on a serving dish.
Drizzle the warm Nutella sauce over the top.
Sprinkle with the toasted almonds.
Serve each slice with a dollop of the cream cheese.
Berries with Cannoli Cream
(Serves 4)
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons confectioners'  sugar
Pinch cinnamon
3-4 cups of berries (combination of your favorites)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons crushed oatmeal cookies
Combine the ricotta and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in a bowl.  Set aside.
With an electric mixer, combine 1/3 cup heavy cream, confectioners'  sugar, and cinnamon.
Beat until stiff peaks form.
Fold the ricotta mixture into the whipped cream.
Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
Combine the berries in a bowl with the sugar and lemon juice.
Allow to sit about 15 minutes before serving.
Spoon the berry mixture into 4 dessert cups.
Dollop the cannoli cream on top.
Sprinkle with cookie crumbs and serve.
Mangia Bene Pasta
Chi mangia bene, vive bene
Who eats well, lives well
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Recipes
Mascarpone and Peaches
Figs with Chocolate and Almonds
Strawberries in White Wine
Strawberries in Balsamic Vinegar
Fresh Fruit Pizza
Frullati - Fresh Fruit Whips
Baked Amaretti Plums
White Peaches with Raspberries
Skillet Blueberry Crisps
Grilled Pineapple with Nutella
Berries with Cannoli Cream
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