🔑 Quick Answer: Broiled stone fruit is a fast summer dessert made by caramelizing halved peaches, plums, or apricots under the broiler until soft and juicy. Here it’s served over whipped mascarpone honey infused with rosemary, then finished with crushed amaretti. It comes together in about 20 minutes and works for anything from a weeknight to a dinner party.
This broiled stone fruit with rosemary mascarpone honey looks like a classic Italian dessert, but that isn’t quite the case. I actually dreamed the recipe up after traveling in Italy. When you travel and eat your way across Italy, you’ll notice most desserts there are easy, not too sweet, and built around whatever’s ripe: some simple baked or broiled fruit turns up almost every season. This is my modern take on that idea.
It’s the warm-weather dessert I reach for most: juicy summer stone fruit caramelized under the broiler, spooned over a cloud of whipped mascarpone honey and finished with crushed amaretti. Simple, a little stunning, and the kind of thing you’ll crave long after summer ends.
Why Trust Us
I’m a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef, recipe developer, and cookbook author, and I grew up in California in a house ringed with stone fruit trees, in a family with Italian roots, so subtly sweet fruit desserts are in my bones.
I dreamed this one up during the summers we’ve spent leading Salt & Wind group trips through Lombardy, Italy, from Milan to Lake Garda, where mascarpone and amaretti are local staples. It’s the kind of dessert I trust to look impressive with almost no effort.
Why You’ll Love This Dessert
You’ll love this recipe for how the savory rosemary balances the richness of the mascarpone honey, creating a dessert that’s as elegant as it is easy. The contrast of warm, charred fruit with cool, creamy mascarpone honey is irresistibly good. Plus, the presentation is gorgeous, and very little effort is required.
Growing up in California, with a family with an Italian background, I’ve made many takes on subtly sweet desserts. I grew up in a house with a lot of stone fruit trees and have used them over the years in recipes like this rhubarb strawberry pie, nectarine crisp, and peach ice cream. But, as of late, I’ve been more drawn to this seriously simple dessert.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this mascarpone honey dream dessert:
- Honey and fresh rosemary for a floral, herb-infused syrup
- Mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, vanilla, and sea salt to whip into the mascarpone honey topping
- Stone fruit like peaches, plums, or apricots for broiling
- Olive oil and orange juice to bring out the fruit’s natural sweetness
- Amaretti cookies for a crunchy, nutty garnish
How To Make This Recipe
Three quick components, then you broil and assemble.
- Infuse the honey. Warm the honey with the rosemary sprigs until it simmers, then set aside to steep.
- Whip the mascarpone. Whip the mascarpone smooth with vanilla, a pinch of salt, and some of the rosemary honey, then whisk in the cold cream until light and airy.
- Broil the fruit. Halve and pit the stone fruit, toss with olive oil and orange juice, and broil cut-side up until soft, charred, and juicy, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Assemble. Spoon the whipped mascarpone onto plates, top with the broiled stone fruit and any pan juices, crumble amaretti over, and serve right away.
What are Amaretti Cookies?
There are all sorts of Italian cookies, from biscotti to sbrisolona, but one of the most popular commercially made cookies is Amaretti. Made with a dough of almond paste, sugar, egg whites, sweet almonds, and apricot kernels, these cookies are classic (and gluten-free)!
You’ll find a soft version of Amaretti cookies made in Southern Italy, but the kind we use in this recipe are from the northern town of Saronno (just outside Milan), hence the name Amaretti di Saronno. Thanks to their sweet, intensely almond, and ever-so-slightly bitter flavor, these cookies find their way into all sorts of recipes, from traditional pasta to this dessert.
One of the most famous types is from the Saronno cloister, an ancient Franciscan cloister in the center of the northern town of Saronno. We like the lemon ones in this recipe as they add another layer of flavor, but the traditional ones are delicious, too.
Tips for Success
A few things that keep it elegant instead of a soggy mess.
- Choose ripe but firm fruit. Overripe pieces collapse under the broiler.
- Watch it closely. Broilers are fast, and fruit goes from caramelized to burnt in about a minute.
- Broil cut-side up so the juices pool and concentrate instead of running off.
- Don’t over-whip the mascarpone. Stop when it’s airy; it firms up fast and can turn grainy.
- Add the amaretti at the last second so they stay crunchy.
Variations and Adaptations
This recipe is really a template, so feel free to vary it as you’d like. And, for the fruit, follow the seasons because using out-of-season fruit here won’t taste good. Here is what I’d use during each season.
- Fall: swap in fresh figs, apples, or persimmons.
- Winter: broil citrus segments or use baked pears.
- Spring: use fresh berries, no broiling needed.
- Pears or apples: bake at 350°F until soft, about 15 minutes, instead of broiling.
- Make it boozy: add a splash of amaretto or grappa to the honey.
What to Serve With This
This mascarpone honey dessert pairs perfectly with a chilled glass of Moscato d’Asti or a floral herbal tea. It’s an ideal finish to a summer dinner party or backyard BBQ with dishes like watermelon pistachio feta salad, grilled steak with fig salsa, and a quinoa salad. Whether impressing guests or treating yourself, this broiled stone fruit and mascarpone honey combo will swoon everyone.
Similar Italian-Inspired Desserts
We have all sorts of Italian recipes on the site, but here are a few desserts inspired by Italy that we love:
Frequently Asked Questions
Peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, and pluots all broil beautifully. The key is fruit that's ripe and fragrant but still firm, so it caramelizes and softens without turning to mush. A mix of colors makes for a prettier plate.
Partly. Make the rosemary honey and whip the mascarpone up to a day ahead and keep them chilled. Broil the fruit just before serving, since it's best warm, then assemble at the last minute so the amaretti stay crisp.
Crushed biscotti, gingersnaps, or toasted sliced almonds all add crunch. Amaretti bring a distinct almond flavor and keep the dessert gluten-free, so they're worth seeking out, but any crisp cookie works in a pinch.
If you've had Mascarpone cheese before, you know that it's like Italy's answer to American cream cheese. However, it tends to be softer, creamier, and a little less tangy than what we have stateside.
The exact origin story of this cheese is unclear, but it has been made for centuries in the Po Valley area between Milan and Pavia. We like to use it in all sorts of recipes, from this dessert to our tiramisu and even these Fennel Puff Pastry Bites.
Broiled Stone Fruit With Rosemary Honey Mascarpone and Crushed Amaretti Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Rosemary Honey:
- 2/3 cup honey
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
For The Whipped Mascarpone:
- 8 ounces Mascarpone cheese
- 1 vanilla bean halved and seeds removed or 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Large pinch Sea salt plus more for garnish
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
For The Stone Fruit:
- 8 to 12 cling-free ripe peaches nectarines, plums, pluots, apricots or other stone fruit
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1/2 navel orange
- amaretti cookies for garnish
Instructions
- Make The Rosemary Honey: Combine the 2/3 cup of the honey with 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring it to a simmer then set it aside to infuse the honey with the rosemary while you make the whipped mascarpone.
- Make The Whipped Mascarpone: Place the 8 ounces of the Mascarpone cheese in a mixing bowl and whip with a balloon whisk (aka a whip) until it's evenly smooth and whipped. Add in the vanilla beans seeds (or vanilla bean paste or extract) as well as a pinch of the flaky sea salt, and 1/4 cup of the infused honey (it's great if some of the rosemary leaves get in there too). Whisk the mixture until all the ingredients are evenly incorporated.Add the 1 cup of heavy cream and whisk until the mixture becomes light and airy and resembles whipped cream cheese frosting (it will not be as airy and light as cream that is whipped on its own FYI). Taste and add more salt or honey as desired.
- Broil The Stone Fruit: Halve all the stone fruit and remove the pits. Toss the fruit in a bowl with the 2 teaspoons of olive oil, a pinch of the salt, and the juice of 1/2 orange (if using). Turn the oven on to broil and arrange a rack in the upper third. Place the stone fruit cut side up in a pie plate or other heat proof baking dish then broil the fruit, keeping an eye on it so it doesn't burn, until it is soft, charred, and juicy, anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes total.
- Serve The Broiled Fruit: Place a large spoonful of the whipped Mascarpone on a dessert plate then arrange 4 to 6 pieces of fruit on top, spoon over any juice in the baking dish then crumble one amaretti cookie on top and serve immediately.
