PISTACHIO CRISPS WITH MASCARPONE CHEESE AND GRAPE COMPOTE

Pistachio Crisps with Mascarpone Cheese and Grape Compote image

Categories Cheese Fruit Nut Dessert Bake Pistachio Fall Grape Bon Appétit Vegetarian Pescatarian Peanut Free Soy Free Kosher

Yield Makes 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

Compote:
2 pounds large red seedless grapes, stemmed, halved
1/2 cup sugar
5 tablespoons frozen white grape juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
Mascarpone cream:
1 1/2 8-ounce containers mascarpone cheese*
5 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 large vanilla bean, split lengthwise
Crisps:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup shelled natural pistachios
1 frozen puff pastry sheet (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed
Small grape clusters
Fresh mint sprigs

Steps:

For compote:
Stir grapes and sugar in heavy large skillet to coat. Let stand 5 minutes. Add juice concentrate and spice powder. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until syrup thickens enough to coat spoon, about 30 minutes. Pour compote into sieve set over medium bowl; drain grapes well. Transfer grapes to another medium bowl. Refrigerate grapes and syrup separately until cold, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover each; keep refrigerated.)
For mascarpone cream:
Place mascarpone in small bowl; sift sugar over. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; stir to blend. Chill at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)
For crisps:
Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Blend powdered sugar and nuts in processor until nuts are finely chopped. Sprinkle 10-inch square area on work surface with 1/3 cup nut sugar; top with pastry sheet. Sprinkle pastry with 1/3 cup nut sugar. Roll out pastry to 12-inch square. Roll up into 12-inch-long log. Cut into sixteen 3/4-inch-wide rounds. Roll out each to 4-inch-diameter round, sprinkling with more nut sugar as needed to prevent sticking. Arrange rounds on prepared sheets. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake pistachio rounds uncovered until brown on bottom and golden on top, reversing sheets after 10 minutes, about 16 minutes total. Transfer crisps to racks and cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
Spread 2 tablespoons mascarpone cream on each of 8 crisps. Place on plates. Spoon cooked grapes atop cream. Cut 8 crisps in half. Drizzle each dessert with grape syrup, then garnish each with 2 crisp halves, grape cluster, and mint.
*Italian cream cheese; available in the cheese department of many supermarkets and at Italian markets.