When grapes are in season and you have too much on your hands that you don’t want to eat as is, you should put them in desserts. Not just as a garnish, make grapes the star ingredient of the dessert you are prepping. Puree them, juice them, chop them into halves, and roll them in sugar for simple but pure indulgence. Here are some easy-peasy recipes that are a breeze to make:
1. Grape Clafoutis
Ingredients:
- 500 gm seedless red grapes, thoroughly washed and halved
- 100 gm all-purpose flour
- 50 gm sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 125 ml milk or cream
- 1 egg
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly grease an oven-safe dish and set aside.
- Toss the grapes with 1 tablespoon of the sugar and let sit for 30 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining sugar, salt and vanilla. Add the milk and egg and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish. Arrange the red grapes on top, pushing them down slightly into the batter.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
2. Grape Salad
Ingredients:
- 225 gm cream cheese, softened
- 250 ml sour cream
- 50 gm granulated sugar
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 1.5 kg red seedless grapes, chilled
- 150 gm brown sugar
- 150 gm walnuts, toasted and chopped
Instructions:
- Allow the cream cheese to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to soften.
- Rinse and dry the grapes. Cut any large grape clusters in half so that all pieces are roughly the same smaller size.
- Toast the walnuts or pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy.
- Beat in the sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Add the chilled grapes and gently fold to coat.
- Transfer the grape mixture to a serving dish.
- In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar with the toasted nuts.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar and nut mixture over the grape mixture.
- 1Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
3. Grape Crostata
Ingredients:
For the dough:
- 250g all-purpose flour
- 250g unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chilled
- 125g sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2-4 tbsp ice water
For the filling:
- 500 gm grapes, stem removed and halved
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, butter, sugar and salt.
- Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly enough and coarse in texture.
- Add the ice water 1 tbsp at a time and mix with a fork until the dough just holds together when pinched.
- Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- To make the filling: Toss the grapes with the sugar and cornstarch until coated, in a bowl.
- Preheat oven to 180°C. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 30cm round.
- Transfer to a baking sheet. Mound the grape filling in the center, leaving a 5cm border. Fold the border over the filling, pleating as you go to form a rim.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
4. Refrigerator Grape Jelly
Ingredients:
- 250 ml grape juice
- 200 gm sugar
- 120 gm cornstarch
- 10 gm butter
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
- In a saucepan, combine 250 ml grape juice, 200 g sugar and 120 g cornstarch. Mix well to dissolve the cornstarch.
- Cook over low heat. Stir continuously as the mixture starts to thicken.
- Once thickened, stir in 10 g butter and a pinch of salt. Continue cooking and stirring until very thick.
- Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Pour into a container and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until set.
- Once set, turn the jelly out onto a plate. Coat the top surface with additional sugar.
- Cut into squares or diamonds to serve. Refrigerate any leftover jelly.
5. Grape Pudding
Ingredients:
- 500 gm black or red grapes
- 100 ml water
- 50 gm sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions:
- Wash and stem the purple grapes. Set aside 100 gm for garnish.
- Puree the remaining 400 gm of grapes with 100 milliliters of water in a blender until smooth.
- In a small bowl, mix the 50 gm of sugar with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
- Pour the grape puree into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
- Slowly whisk the sugar-cornstarch mixture into the boiling grape puree. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and pour into individual serving dishes. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
- Garnish each serving of chilled grape pudding with the reserved grapes before serving.