A Grape Surprise

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While living in Cully, (Lavaux) Switzerland, I shopped at the farmers market in Vevey. There I noticed bottles of dark syrup for sale. A vendor explained that this deep brown/purple syrup was made from grapes and is used in the preparation of fruit tarts. This is a wine-growing region with many small vintners. During the vendange (harvest) I would see mounds of grape skins stacked along the side of the wineries. I thought they were to be discarded. Not so, with such an important product every last part of the grape is made into wonderful surprises, such as Grappa or Raisinée au Vincuit. The mystery of this syrup is of course dependant on the flavor of the grapes used. You may find a different flavor in each wine-growing region, so it is worth it to buy a bottle wherever you find it. The syrup can be used sprinkled over cakes or ice cream, or mix it with fruit to be baked in tarts and glazes for meats or fish.

In the French part of Switzerland it is called Raisinée au Vincuit. It is also made from very ripe fruits when the sugar is most concentrated. It is a reduction of fruit juices and pulp or skins until the liquid becomes thick and syrupy, the consistency of honey. It can also be made from pears or apples or as in Italy figs and raisins.

In Italy it is called mosto cotto or vino cotto, and it is also called sabe. Sugar was so expensive and grapes grow all over Italy, that they made the syrup and used it to replace sugar. It is used in the preparation of desserts, or whenever a sweetener is needed. As in Switzerland, it is sprinkled over cheese, breads and cakes or ricotta, yogurt or cookies. Mosto cotto not only adds sweetness but an exotic flavor.

You will not find grape syrup on your grocery store shelves, but if you happen to find it on a visit to a vineyard region, buy a bottle and keep it in a cool place. I have seen one web site on the Internet that offers it for sale as well.

I have experimented with Raisinée au Vincuit in fruit tarts and love it especially mixed with plums in the tart recipe below. Serve it with a little sweetened ricotta or crème fraîche.

Plum Tart                                                 

Recipe Summary Prep time: 30 minutes Cook Time:  410ºF oven for 30 minutes Yield: 8 servings CRUST

2 cups all purpose flour

1 pinch of salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon Raisinée au Vincuit (grape syrup)

1/4 cup ice cold water or less

FILLING

2 pounds plums cut in half, stones removed 

1/4 cup Raisinée au Vincuit (grape syrup)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch or flour

GLAZE

1 1/2 cup Raisinée au Vincuit (grape syrup)

1 tablespoon Grappa

TOPPING

Crème fraîche

PIE CRUST

Prepare the piecrust by mixing the butter, flour and salt in a food processor. Add in the egg yolk and a tablespoon of Raisinée au Vincuit. Add about 1/4th cup or less of ice water and form a ball. Cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Remove it from the refrigerator and roll out the piecrust and put it into a false bottom tart pan or tart-baking dish. Blind bake the tart shell by covering the bottom with foil filled with rice or beans. Bake it in a 410ºF oven for 12 minutes. Remove the foil and place it back in the oven until the shell is slightly brown about another 10 minutes.

FILLING

Wash the plums and cut them in half removing the stones. Prepare the filling mixture in a bowl. Place the plumbs in the filling mixture and toss them gently. Layer the plumbs overlapping them in the baked tart shell.

BAKE

Place it in a pre-heated oven at 410ºF for 30 minutes.

GLAZE

Remove the tart from the oven and brush the plums with the glaze.

SERVE

Allow the tart to cool and serve it with cinnamon or vanilla ice cream or Crème fraîche on the side.

NOTE: The dough can be made a day in advance and kept in the refrigerator.

NOTE: Fruit tarts should be eaten the day they are made, as they don’t store well.