Sunday, December 19, 2010

Seasonal Sunday--Clementines with Dates & Sugared, Spiced Marscapone

It's raining and very cold and grey today in the South of France. If it were a few degrees colder we'd be watching snow fall but to the childrens' great displeasure all the snow is in other parts of France.
What I need is a bit of sunshine and since it's not coming from the sky I've decided to make my own with one of my favorite Christmas treats; clementines with dates and sugared, spiced marscapone cheese. I adapted this from a Martha Stewart Living recipe card years ago. It's Christmas in your mouth. Droplets of sweet sunshine.

Clementines, Dates & Sugared, Spiced Marscapone
6-8 clementines
a dozen or so pitted dates
1 container Italian marscapone cheese
1/4-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 c. or 75g powdered sugar/confectioner's sugar (mostly to taste and stiffness)

optional: you can add splash of pure vanilla extract or make it grown-up with a bit of brandy

This is really easy because it's only mixing the sugar with the marscapone cheese to the sweetness you like and until it's stiff enough to plop into the hollowed-out dates or scoop up with clementine segments. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla or brandy if you like and mix well.
The hardest part is pitting the dates because it gets really sticky. My kids love to help with this part.
Peel and section clementines.

You can serve this already assembled with a dollop of marscapone inside a hollowed out date with a crown of clementine or make it easy on yourself and leave the assembly for the table. If you do this, simply arrange the clementine segments on a platter with the sweetened, spiced marscapone in the middle and the dates opened or halved all around.


ps I served this for M&Mme Bons Amis last weekend after a lunch of  lasagna and they loved it. It's very light and bright and unexpectedly lovely in its simplicity.

7 comments:

  1. That would be great after a big heavy meal. Yummo. You are really impressing me with your french culinary skills!

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  2. Another good use of mascarpone, thanks for the hint!

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  3. I almost wish the snow as well. BUT knowing the effects to south (or anywhere below Scandinavia I see), good it's only rain.

    (Our guests are stuck somewhere in Germany (airport).)

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  4. I love marscaponne cheese! This sounds great, Thank you!

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  5. It does look light and bright :-)
    And we got loads of snow on Sunday! My fingers are crossed it all gets out of the way before my flight on Friday. I have to get to Dublin! I've got a very important teeny tiny t-shirt to find! x

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  6. Kirsty,
    Yea, I'm ok in the kitchen and this is helping because it forces me to write stuff down, but the stocking is disgracefully not finished. It looks like a stocking but it's naked.

    Aracne,
    I hope you try it and like it.

    Anu,
    No snow you crazy Finnish lady!

    Jazzy E,
    Thanks for the comment, I hope you give it a try for the holidays!

    T. Anne,
    It has always been a big hit. Perfect for Christmas nibbles. Thanks for reading and commenting.

    Sara,
    I have my fingers crossed for you too. Not only do you have responsibility for a t-shirt but you've got to get that Irish breakfast, and mince pies, and Guinness, and colcannon, and tomato chutney, and Avoca....sorry, got distracted.

    Happy Monday everyone,
    aidan x

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  7. Yum! Christmas in my mouth! Delicious! I shall try this recipe! Merry, merry and happy New Year, and ho,ho,ho! Have a great holiday, Aidan.

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