Our family loves berries. So much in fact that we have possibly a few hundred or even more than a thousand berry bushes and trees on our farm. We freeze most of our harvest. In the winter I make preserves, jams, syrups and other berry type of goodies to can from the frozen stash. We have our favorite ways to serve berries. Top on the list is berries with a balsamic drizzle and a huge serving of citrus (lemon or orange) infused mascarpone cream and crunchy nuts. I wouldn’t call this an actual recipe because it’s so SIMPLE. And yes, it can be customized in a hundred ways based on what’s in your garden or kitchen.
Trust our berry experience and try this dish. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Our favorite berry dish on the farm is simple to make and can be easily customized based on the ingredients you have available.
- 1 8-ounce container of mascarpone cheese at room temperature
- 1/2 cup white sugar (You can customize recipe by using honey, brown sugar or maple syrup. Use a smaller amount and adjust to your sweetness preference.)
- 1 whole lemon or orange zested and juiced
- fresh berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, gooseberries, currants, strawberries, grapes, etc.)
- Balsamic vinegar or berry preserves
- Glazed or toasted nuts. (I prefer walnuts, but pecans and pistachios would be nice.)
- Other creative toppings: coconut, shaved chocolate, mint leaf, whatever you like on fruit will work with this recipe.
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Rinse berries. Drain.
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Zest lemon or orange peel and then juice your chosen citrus fruit. In medium size bowl add mascarpone cheese, white sugar, zest from lemon or orange peel and juice from the lemon or orange. With hand mixer, blend on high speed until light and fluffy.
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Add your berries to individual serving dishes. Drizzle a small amount of balsamic vinegar or berry preserves on top of berries. We love balsamic vinegar but fruit jams/preserves are also tasty.
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Top berries with a large spoonful or two of your amazing mascarpone cream.
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Add the final touch by sprinkling your favorite toppings of nuts, coconut, shaved chocolate or whatever you desire. I've tried many variations and find that they all taste great.