Wine-Stewed Prunes and Mascarpone

Recipe from Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli

Adapted by Dana Bowen

Wine-Stewed Prunes and Mascarpone
Joe Fornabaio for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
5(107)
Notes
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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings
  • 1pound pitted prunes (about 40)
  • 1¼cups sugar
  • 2cinnamon sticks
  • 2½cups dry red wine
  • 28-ounce containers mascarpone
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

687 calories; 26 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 96 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 73 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 282 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine prunes, sugar, cinnamon and wine in a pot over medium-high heat. When mixture boils, reduce to simmer and cook 45 minutes, until liquid has turned to syrup.

  2. Step 2

    Remove from heat, and rest at least 15 minutes. Spread a mound of mascarpone on each serving plate, top with 6 prunes and drizzle with syrup. Serve immediately.

Ratings

5 out of 5
107 user ratings
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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Katherine

Amazing recipe. I first tasted this dish at the (now sadly closed) Frankie's Spuntino in the Lower East Side. Was so happy to learn that the recipe is online.

Made this for my family over Christmas years ago. Mom was skeptical ('ugh, prunes'), but now she specifically requests it. Criminally easy to prepare, understatedly elegant, impresses everyone. OK, if not ideal, to use ground cinnamon instead of sticks.

I continue to love springing this dish on people and reaping praise.

Elizabeth

This is what a good boxed red wine is made for! I now always have a jar of these prunes in syrup in my fridge. I like it spooned over plain Greek yogurt, and my husband loves it on ice cream. It is a gorgeous color and a wonderful, easy way to end a meal.

Brkln.df

Thought this looked delicious — and, like many recipes here, too sugary. I tried it with roughly half the sugar, followed the rest of the recipe, but added in a scant tsp of five spice powder. Maybe ended up with less syrup, but the prunes were amazingly delicious. Will definitely make this again. Don’t leave out the mascarpone — though good cream cheese blended with a little butter and milk or cream will do in a pinch.

Sue

I'll second the sugar comment -- reducing the sugar to 1/2 c works just fine (not sure why the NYT tends to routinely make things so sweet!). And in the absence of cinnamon sticks, I've successfully used whole star anise here; indeed, it's become our preference.

Leila

This was delicious and easy to make. It is quite strong so not much is needed for one portion. Don’t leave out the mascarpone – it is definitely need to balance the sweetness from the prunes. The desert keeps well in the fridge and we had our leftovers a few days after it was cooked. This time we whipped some heavy cream with the mascarpone. It worked really well.

Kate

Metric conversions for ingredients: Prunes: 1 pound = 450grams Sugar: 1.25 cups = 130grams (I use about half this) Red wine: 2.5 cups = 590mls Mascarpone: 8 ounce container = c.225grams

hk

This was delicious and mascarpone made it sublime! Everyone at the table devoured it ! How often can you say that when you offer someone a prune or two? I too decreased the sugar to 1/2 cup.

Patricia

Tastes exactly like the delicious red wine stewed prunes from Frankie’s in Brooklyn. So easy and so impressive

MVP-VA

I was so excited to try this recipe, being a daily consumer of prunes and someone who loves the Frankies restaurants, but it just didn't do it for me. The prunes became unpleasantly chewy and the syrup was overly...acidic? It burned the back of my throat. I used a star anise for the last few minutes because I only had one cinnamon stick...I wouldn't do that again. I am toying with the idea of adding some orange peel and a clove if I make it again. The mascarpone is essential here.

Alexis

Had this dessert at Frankie's Brooklyn....delicious! And it's equally delicious when you make it at home!

Jennifer

Can this be made in advance and reheated?

Kate

Metric conversions for ingredients: Prunes: 1 pound = 450grams Sugar: 1.25 cups = 130grams (I use about half this) Red wine: 2.5 cups = 590mls Mascarpone: 8 ounce container = c.225grams

Leila

This was delicious and easy to make. It is quite strong so not much is needed for one portion. Don’t leave out the mascarpone – it is definitely need to balance the sweetness from the prunes. The desert keeps well in the fridge and we had our leftovers a few days after it was cooked. This time we whipped some heavy cream with the mascarpone. It worked really well.

Elizabeth

This is what a good boxed red wine is made for! I now always have a jar of these prunes in syrup in my fridge. I like it spooned over plain Greek yogurt, and my husband loves it on ice cream. It is a gorgeous color and a wonderful, easy way to end a meal.

Brkln.df

Thought this looked delicious — and, like many recipes here, too sugary. I tried it with roughly half the sugar, followed the rest of the recipe, but added in a scant tsp of five spice powder. Maybe ended up with less syrup, but the prunes were amazingly delicious. Will definitely make this again. Don’t leave out the mascarpone — though good cream cheese blended with a little butter and milk or cream will do in a pinch.

Sue

I'll second the sugar comment -- reducing the sugar to 1/2 c works just fine (not sure why the NYT tends to routinely make things so sweet!). And in the absence of cinnamon sticks, I've successfully used whole star anise here; indeed, it's become our preference.

npigaga

So happy this was published! We had been enjoying it for years at Frankies 457 Spuntino on Court Street in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. Now that we no longer live on the east coast, all the more important to be able to relive this memory! I have never made it where it did not spark wide-eyed looks of surprise and delight.

Katherine

Amazing recipe. I first tasted this dish at the (now sadly closed) Frankie's Spuntino in the Lower East Side. Was so happy to learn that the recipe is online.

Made this for my family over Christmas years ago. Mom was skeptical ('ugh, prunes'), but now she specifically requests it. Criminally easy to prepare, understatedly elegant, impresses everyone. OK, if not ideal, to use ground cinnamon instead of sticks.

I continue to love springing this dish on people and reaping praise.

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Credits

Adapted from Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli

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