Apple, Mascarpone & Ginger Snap Parfait

After making a trifle, I decided to have a go at making a parfait, since I had a recipe for mascarpone cream that I hadn’t used yet. This seemed like the perfect choice to not only incorporate the cream, but to make use of fall fruit and flavors.

Apple Compote:
4 apples (Pink Lady, Granny Smith or Golden Delicious), peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/4 cup apple cider
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mascarpone Cream:
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar

8-16 Ginger snaps, crushed

Apple Compote:
In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients and cook, covered, over low heat, until apples are tender and mash easily. (About 20-30 minutes) Chill mixture in the fridge until completely cool.

Mascarpone Cream:
In a medium bowl, beat together the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold in the mascarpone cheese.

Assembly:
Using parfait glasses (or similar), add a layer of the apple compote, a layer of crushed ginger snaps and a layer of mascarpone cream. Repeat until glass is full, ending with the cream.

Yields about 4-6 servings.