A Few Clever Sauces Will Elevate Fruits into Elegant Dishes

Cooks that impress me most are those who take staple ingredients and lift them into spectacle with a simple sauce. Let’s look at a marinade and a couple of creams.

• CREME FRAICHE
• PASTRY CREAM
• INCARNATO SAUCE
• BLUEBERRY SAUCE
• PINEAPPLE SAUCE
• BERRY PUREE

CREME FRAICHE – Self-thickening cream. This stores well in the fridge and can be used instead of whipped cream

• sour cream- 1-1/2 cups, (4 ounces)  
• heavy cream- 1 -1/2 cups, (4 ounces)  
• vanilla extract- 1/2 tsp  
• salt- 1/4 tsp 
• sugar- 2 TBS 

1. Whisk sour cream and heavy cream in bowl; allow to rest at room temperature for at least an hour. Refrigerate if there is time before serving. 
2. Just before serving, stir in vanilla, salt, and sugar. 

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PASTRY CREAM – Ideal for making fruit tarts or to top off any dessert with this vegan cream. We use this in our fruit boat dessert.

• flour- 1/3 cup
• non dairy milk- 1-1/3 cups, or whole milk [I like coconut milk]
• maple syrup- 1/4 cup, or sugar 
• salt- 1/4 tsp 
• vanilla extract- 1/2 tsp 
• rum- 2 tsp, or 1/2 tsp more vanilla

1. In a small pot add flour and a 1/3 cup milk and stir thoroughly
2. Add remaining ingredients and over medium heat bring to a simmer while continuously stirring until it thickens like loose taffy; 3-5 minutes
3. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap that actually touches the cream. Slice a few cuts in the plastic wrap to allow the steam to escape. Refrigerate until cool; about 30 minutes
4. When ready to use whisk until creamy, add more milk, by the TBS, if needed to loosen up

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INCARNATO SAUCE: This marmalade based sauce a flavor bomb! Marinate any variety of fruits and serve chilled.

• orange marmalade- 1/2 cup 
• orange juice- 1/2 cup 
• rum- 2-1/2 TBS 
• ginger root- 1 tsp, grated 
• salt- 1/8 tsp 
• champagne vinegar- 2 tsp [or white wine vinegar] 
• dried cranberries- 1/4 cup, [or other dried fruit, minced] 

Combine in a bowl and then use to marinate fruit or simply spoon on as a topping.

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BLUEBERRY SAUCE – This is excellent as a Greek yogurt topper, with some chopped nuts

berries, sugar, salt, corn starch

1. Bring 3 cups frozen berries* to a simmer along with 2 TBS sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt
2. Simmer for about 10 minutes and adjust for sweetness
3. Add 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water to the berries while stirring
4. Use a potato masher and coarsely mash
5. Store in fridge

Note: if using fresh berries and 1/2 cup water while simmering

PINEAPPLE SAUCE – Follow the Blueberry Sauce recipe, but use 3 TBS brown sugar, add a pinch of allspice, and 1 tsp vanilla extract

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BERRY PUREE  Makes 1 cup 

FRUIT: raspberries, strawberries, or other in-season berries 

• berries – 1 cup, fresh or frozen, puréed 
• liqueur – 2 TBVS, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier, or other fruit liqueur
• maple syrup – 1 TBS

INSTRUCTIONS: –In a blender combine all. If you wish, you can pass through a fine sieve to remove any seeds.