Mascarpone mousse, sticky grapes, frosted almonds

Serves: 2
Course: Dessert
Cooking Time: 0 hr 45 mins

Ingredients

  • For the grape compote:
  • 250g seedless black grapes
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • 1tbsp caster sugar
  • A few twists of black pepper
  • For the mousse:
  • 80g mascarpone
  • 100ml cream
  • Pinch orange zest
  • 2 drops of vanilla extract
  • 1tsp icing sugar
  • For the frosted almonds:
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 heaped tbsp icing sugar
  • 3tbsp flaked almonds

1 Set the oven to 170 degrees.

2 Put the grapes, orange juice, sugar and pepper into a pot and cook over a medium heat for 15 minutes or so, until the grapes are soft and jammy. Allow to cool and then refrigerate.

3 Whip the mascarpone, cream, orange zest and vanilla extract and sugar together until it's light and airy. Refrigerate this mixture.

4 Whisk the egg white, then beat in the icing sugar, fold in the almonds and spread the mixture on some parchment paper.

5 Bake for 15 minutes exactly, then allow it to cool and break it up into little pieces.

6 You can assemble your dessert ahead of time. Simply spoon some of the grape compote into the bottom of a nice glass, put twice the amount of mascarpone cream on top, then add the shards of frosted almonds just before you serve.

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn is a chef, restaurateur and contributor to The Irish Times. He and his wife, Máire, run the Tannery restaurant and cookery school in Dungarvan, Co Waterford