Elegant Cheese Grape Cluster Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place almonds in single layer in shallow baking pan with sides. Bake at 350°F. for 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown, stirring once. Remove from pan; cool about 5 minutes. Finely chop almonds.
• In medium bowl, combine cream cheese, Gorgonzola cheese and chives; mix well. Wrap about 1 teaspoon cheese mixture around each grape to cover; roll in chopped almonds. Place in single layer in 13x9-inch pan. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours before serving.
• To serve, if desired, arrange on serving platter in shape of grape cluster; garnish with parsley or grape leaves.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275°. Pulse almonds in a food processor until finely chopped (do not overprocess). Spread in a 15x10x1-in. pan; bake until golden brown, 6-9 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a shallow bowl; cool slightly., In another bowl, mix cream cheese, blue cheese, parsley and cream until blended. Insert a skewer into each grape. Roll grapes in cheese mixture, then in almonds; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate, covered, until serving.

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.

Steps:

• On large serving platter, arrange cheeses in center. Cover; let stand at room temperature about 30 minutes.
• Arrange fresh fruit in groups around cheeses. Sprinkle dried apricots and cherries over cheeses and fruit. Tuck rosemary sprigs among fruit.
• To serve, provide cheese planes for harder cheeses and cheese spreaders for soft cheeses. If desired, serve cheeses and fruit with crackers.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place almonds in single layer in shallow baking pan with sides. Bake at 350°F. for 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown, stirring once. Remove from pan; cool about 5 minutes. Finely chop almonds. 2In medium bowl, combine cream cheese, Gorgonzola cheese and chives; mix well. Wrap about 1 teaspoon cheese mixture around each grape to cover; roll in chopped almonds. Place in single layer in 13x9-inch pan. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours before serving. 3To serve, if desired, arrange on serving platter in shape of grape cluster; garnish with parsley or grape leaves.

Steps:

• Beat together until smooth the cream cheese and mayo.
• Add grapes and gently stir to coat them.
• Put the nuts on a sheet of wax paper and roll each coated grape in the nuts.
• Place grapes on a cookie sheet and chill for at least an hour.
• When ready to serve arrange grapes on the serving platter in the shape of a bunch of a grape cluster and decorate with a couple of green leaves or silk leaves.