Midsummer visits to the market promise an abundance of scarlet raspberries tucked into small paper boxes layered in wooden crates.  Cool, creamy mascarpone makes the perfect match to the most delicious of red fruits imaginable. When asked to make a sweet treat I choose a simple combination of fresh fruit and cream. This dessert on a spoon is inspired by the Italian “dolce a cucchaio”, a homemade tradition made in a bowl instead of the oven. Enjoy the unmistakable happiness that simplicity brings.

Ingredients

• 250 grams of mascarpone
• 250 grams of fresh red raspberries
• 125 grams of blueberries
• 50 grams of fresh red currants
• a drizzle of honey
• an espresso spoon of fresh lemon zest mixed with the flowers of blooming lavender

Wash and dry the fruits and berries. Empty a pot of fresh mascarpone into a bowl and fold in the raspberries through the thick cream with a fork. Press the fruit gently, smashing them into the cream. Add the zest of a fresh organic lemon and some fresh lavender flowers from the garden. Chill the smashed raspberry mixture for half an hour or up to half the morning in the refrigerator.

Arrange the chilled mascarpone in the middle of your favorite ceramic bowl and surround the edges  with lots of fresh berries and currants.  Serve your Italian “dolce” dessert with no further delay.

Suggested combinations
Bake a batch of lemon almond biscotti to scoop up the smashed raspberry mascarpone. On particularly warm summer days, put the mascarpone for a little less than an hour in the freezer before serving.

 Notes
Mascarpone can be made from scratch with fresh cream and lemon juice. Cook 500 ml of full fat cream at low heat until small bubbles form along the edge of the pan. Continue to stir the cream at low heat with a wooden spoon for five minutes. Turn off the heat and add 15ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Pour the cooked cream into a pitcher layered with a clean cheesecloth or paper filter. Cover the jug and refrigerate it overnight. Spoon the freshly made mascarpone out of the pitcher 12 hours later.