Muscat grapes mark the beginning of spring, and they’re a prompt for me to start thinking of new menus, new ideas, and the other spring fruits to come. This soup is designed to keep the distinct musky flavor of these grapes in its purest form. “Cape” refers to the papery husk the gooseberries are wrapped in, which makes them look like tiny Chinese lanterns.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 on its own or 10 as part of fourplay

　　

For the Soup

1 teaspoon (5g) vitamin C powder (see Note)

　　17 1/2 ounces (500g) muscat grapes

　　1 teaspoon powdered gelatin (or 4.25g sheet gelatin; see page 276)

　　1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (95g) Simple Syrup (page 184)

　　(makes about 2 cups)

　　

To Serve

6 ounces (170g) Cape gooseberries, husked, rinsed, and chilled

　　

For the Soup

Step 1

Put the vitamin C powder in the container you’ll be juicing the grapes into.

　　

Step 2

Juice the grapes in a juicer and immediately mix the juice with the vitamin C powder.

　　

Step 3

Sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the simple syrup and leave for about 1 minute to soften. Microwave for 45 seconds or heat gently in a saucepan until melted. Add the gelatin and syrup to the grape juice and stir well. Cover with plastic wrap immediately, pressing the wrap to the surface, and chill completely.

　　

To Serve

Step 4

Put a few Cape gooseberries in small dessert bowls or glasses. Spoon in enough grape soup to cover halfway.

　　Cooks' Note

　　Vitamin C powder will prevent the grape juice from discoloration. You can buy it at a drugstore.

　　Reprinted with permission from Dessert Fourplay: Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Copyright © 2008 by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Published by Crown Publishing. All Rights Reserved.Johnny Iuzzini,, executive pastry chef of the world-renowned Jean Georges restaurant in New York City, won the award for Outstanding Pastry Chef from the James Beard Foundation in 2006. This is his first book.Roy Finamore, a publishing veteran of more than thirty years, has worked with many bestselling cookbook authors. He is the author of three books: One Potato, Two Potato; Tasty, which won a James Beard Foundation award; and Fish Without a Doubt.__