Dried Fruit & Mascarpone Fool with Saffron & Ginger Syrup

Name: Dried Fruit & Mascarpone Fool with Saffron & Ginger Syrup
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 300 ml (½ pint. ¼ cups) double cream; 450 g (1 lb) dried apricots; 6 (8) tablespoons apricot brandy (or orange liqueur such as cointreau or Grand Marnier); 100 g (4 oz, ⅔ cup) mixed dried fruit, such as apricots, prunes & figs, cut into large pieces; 600 ml (1 pint, 2 ½ cups) water; 2 tablespoons syrup from a jar of stem ginger; Juice & zest of 1 orange; Sprigs of fresh mint, to decorate (optional); 100 g (4 oz, ½ cup) mascarpone; 200 ml (7 fl oz, scant 1 cup) water; A good pinch of saffron strands; Juice & zest of 1 lemon; 100 g (4 oz, generous ½ cup) caster sugar

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

A Passion for Cheese

By Paul Gayler

Published 1997

About

I devised this recipe for the Christinas edition of the BBC Vegetarian Good Food magazine, when looking for an alternative to the traditional Christmas plum pudding.

Ingredients

450 g (1 lb) dried apricots
600 ml (1

Dessert
Vegetarian
Christmas
Gluten-free

Method

Put the dried apricots in a saucepan, pour the water over and leave to soak overnight. Bring all the ingredients for the saffron and ginger syrup to the boil, pour it over the mixed dried fruit and leave that to soak overnight too.

The next day, bring the dried apricots to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until soft, adding a little more water if necessary. Tr