Fruit Gratin with Calvados and Mascarpone

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb bartlett pears 
• 0.5 cup calvados 
• 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar 
• 24  apricots dried (preferably California; 5 oz)
• 1.5 inch lemon zest fresh
• 5 tablespoons brown sugar light packed
• 8 oz mascarpone cheese 
• 18  prune- cut to pieces dried pitted ( plums; 7 oz)
• 1.5 lb golden delicious apples ()
• 2 tablespoons butter unsalted

Equipment

• bowl
• oven
• sieve
• baking pan
• aluminum foil
• broiler

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Halve apples lengthwise (quarter if large), leaving stem intact, and core halves with melon-ball cutter. Halve Seckel and Forelle pears or quarter Bartletts lengthwise, then core with melon-ball cutter and trim root ends.
3. Melt butter in a 14- by 9-inch oval gratin dish or other 2 1/2- to 3-quart shallow baking dish in middle of oven, about 2 minutes. Stir in Calvados and 3 tablespoons brown sugar, then add fresh and dried fruit and zest and turn gently to coat. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake in middle of oven, gently turning fruit and basting occasionally with juices, until apples and pears are tender but not falling apart, about 1 hour.
4. Remove dish from oven.
5. Preheat broiler.
6. Spoon 1/3 cup baking juices from baking dish into a bowl and stir in mascarpone and remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Rearrange fruit, cut sides up, in baking dish to form an even layer, if necessary, and spoon mascarpone mixture over fruit. Put confectioners sugar in a fine-mesh sieve and sift over fruit. Broil gratin 3 inches from heat until confectioners sugar is caramelized, 1 to 2 minutes.
7. * Available in Italian markets and many supermarkets.
8. • Fruit can be baked 2 hours ahead and cooled, uncovered, then kept, covered with foil, at room temperature. Reheat in oven before adding mascarpone and broiling.