Mascarpone Cheese Dip with Fresh Blackberries

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) container mascarpone cheese plain whole-grain crackers for serving
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 2 cups fresh blackberries
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil leaves
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of coarse salt

Directions

1. Bring vinegar and brown sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Boil until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Pour into a medium bowl. Let cool.
2. Gently stir in blackberries, basil, pepper and salt.
3. Fill a bowl with hot water. Dip bottom of the mascarpone container in water for about 5 seconds. Using a rubber spatula, unmold mascarpone onto a serving platter.
4. Spoon blackberry mixture over mascarpone, being sure to scrape all juices out of the bowl, and letting berries fall randomly. Serve with crackers.