Baked Crisp With Five Spiced Apples Pears Drunken Prunes And Mascarpone Cream Recipes

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.

PRUNE AND APPLE CROUSTADE

Steps:

• Soak the prunes in Armagnac overnight (or perhaps use preserved prunes in Armagnac from a gourmet shop, which have even more flavor because they'll have macerated longer). Drain, pit and roughly chop, reserving the liquid.
• Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a saute pan and add the apples until soft, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle over 2 to 3 tablespoons of the sugar and continue cooking to caramelize, about 10 minutes more. Pour on about a tablespoon of the reserved Armagnac, flambe, and boil until the flames die out and the liquid has disappeared. Remove from the heat and taste. Depending on your apples, the mixture may need more acidity. If it does, add a squirt of lemon to taste. Stir through the chopped prunes.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C. Set the ring part of an 8-inch/20 cm springform pan on a baking sheet.
• Prepare the pastry: Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan or microwave. Working with one phyllo sheet at a time, prepare as follows: lay one sheet of phyllo on a clean surface and cut into three strips crosswise (not lengthwise). Brush one of the three strips with melted butter, sprinkle with a little sugar and a few drops of Armagnac. Lay another strip on top and repeat. Lay the final strip on top and brush with butter. Your single sheet of phyllo is now a three-layer-thick strip. Lay it in the center of the ring mold so that it runs from the middle out, and up and over the edge of the ring, like the spoke of a wheel. Continue with the remaining strips, laying them in around the ring slightly overlapping so that there are no openings.
• Spoon the prune and apple filling into the bottom of the mold. Fold the pastry strips up in over top, twisting somewhat as you go so that the top is a rustic landscape of papery peaks and valleys totally covering the top of the tart. Brush quite generously with butter and scatter over a scant handful of sugar. (You may have some butter and sugar left over once you're done. If you do, use them for something else. The same goes for the Armagnac, of which you will have a lot left: use it in fruit salad or let a piece of pound cake drink it up...or serve it in tiny glasses with dessert.)
• Remove the springform ring, leaving the formed croustade on the baking sheet. Bake until the pastry is fully cooked and golden, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, slide onto rack and cool. Serve with ice cream on the side or all on its own.

BAKED APPLE CRISP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, toss apple slices with granulated sugar, lemon juice and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Spoon into prepared dish. Spread applesauce evenly over apple mixture.
• In medium bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, evaporated milk, dry milk powder and remaining 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Spread over applesauce.
• Bake 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. Cool slightly. Serve warm. Top each serving with a dollop of yogurt.