Dried Fruit & Mascarpone Fool with Saffron & Ginger Syrup

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

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
Christmas
Vegetarian
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