Double-layer Mascarpone Martini
This lovely dessert is served in sparkling martini glasses. A layer of Frangelico-mascarpone mousse is topped with a phyllo crisp. Raspberries are hidden inside, then the glass is filled up with a Chambord-chocolate-mascarpone mousse. Hazelnuts, more raspberries, and a crisp phyllo triangle finish presentation. What’s not to like?
Ingredients
- Phyllo Crisps
- Hazelnuts - 1 cup, toasted (see Basics)
- Sugar - 1/3 cup
- Phyllo Dough - 3 sheets, cut in half
- Unsalted Butter - 1/2 cup, melted
- Confectioner’s sugar - for dusting
- Mascarpone Mousse
- Egg Yolks - 6
- Confectioner’s Sugar - 1/4 cup
- Egg Whites - 2
- Pinch of salt
- Mascarpone cheese - 1 pound, at room temperature
- Cream Cheese - 1/2 pound, at room temperature
- Vanilla - 1 teaspoon
- Frangelico or other hazelnut liqueur - 2 tablespoons
- Chambord or other raspberry liqueur - 1-1/2 tablespoon
- Semi-sweet chocolate - 2 ounces, melted
- Fresh Raspberries - 1-1/2 pint
Instructions
To make the crisps: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the bottom of another sheet with melted butter. Put the hazelnuts and sugar in a food processor and process to a slightly coarse grind. Reserve one fourth for final topping. Spread a phyllo sheet on a work surface and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with nuts. Top with another phyllo sheet and repeat until all phyllo sheets are used, ending with butter and nuts. Cut down through all layers to make eight 2-inch circles and four 1-inch-by-3-inch rectangles. Cut the rectangles diagonally into triangles. Place on the prepared lined baking sheet and cover with the buttered sheet, bottom-side down, to keep the crisps from rising. Bake 10 minutes and uncover. Continue baking until golden, 2 - 5 minutes. Extra crisps may be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To make the mousse: In the top of a double boiler, whisk the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the confectioner’s sugar until smooth. Place over gently simmering water and continue whisking until thickened. In a deep bowl, beat the whites with 1/4 cup of the confectioner’s sugar and the salt until stiff peaks form. In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone, cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Fold the thickened egg mixture into the cheese. Fold a large spoonful of the beaten egg whites into the cheese mixture, then gently fold in the remaining the egg whites. Divide the mousse between two bowls. Very gently fold the Frangelico into the mousse in one bowl, and the Chambord and melted chocolate into the mousse in the other bowl.
To serve: Fill martini glasses one-third full with the Frangelico mousse. Lay one phyllo circle on top of the mousse in each glass. Place raspberries around the phyllo circle and fill in the center with more raspberries. Fill almost to the rim with the Chambord-chocolate mousse. Sprinkle with the reserved ground hazelnuts and press a phyllo triangle into each. Garnish with more raspberries.
