Sweet Success

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Cherry Sauce
Lavender Ice Cream
Hot Fudge

June 13, 2012

Sweet Success

FOR THE DAILY SOUTHERNER Karen Freeman The Daily Southerner Wed Jun 13, 2012, 04:33 PM EDT

PRINCEVILLE —

I have a sweet tooth. I didn’t have that problem when I was younger, but the older I get, the more I am attracted to sweets. That is NOT a good thing. However, it does send me online looking for great dishes that are sweet. Keep in mind that most of these sauces are great on fruit, sponge cake and ice cream. Also keep in mind that most of them will work fine with Splenda for baking as a sugar substitute. The only way to know for sure is to try it. However, they don’t work as well using sweet n’ low or equal.

The first recipe is a blueberry sauce. It’s sinful on ice cream but makes a great blueberry shortcake too. Just save some blueberries to put on the dessert in addition to the ones cooked into the sauce.

The second recipe is almost the same except its cherry instead of blueberry. It also calls for cognac or sherry but you can leave that out. I don’t add that.

The third is my favorite. I like tart. This one is lemon lime and it’s great. This is also good drizzled over chicken! Yummo, as Rachael Ray would say.

The next one is using ricotta. I don’t care for ricotta by itself but it’s wonderful as a filler for other things. It gives texture without adding a lot of fat and calories. This one is almost a dessert by itself but is great as a topper for berries.

The last one is for the chocolate lovers! It’s hot fudge sauce. Obviously, it’s good on anything!

Blueberry Sauce

Water

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbs. lemon juice

1 tsp. cornstarch

1 cup blueberries

Bring 3/4 cup of water and the sugar to a boil and stir until the sugar to a boil and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the lemon juice.

Mix the cornstarch with one tbs. water and add, stirring, to the syrup.

Cook, stirring, one minute. Add the blueberries and cook one-half minute.

Serve warm.

Yield: 2 cups

Cherry Sauce

1 pound sweet cherries, pitted

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup corn syrup or sugar

1 tbs. cornstarch

Lemon juice

Kirsch, cognac, sherry or cherry liqueur (optional)

Place the cherries, one-quarter cup of the water and the syrup in a saucepan and bring to a boil.Blend the cornstarch with the remaining water and add, stirring, to the cherries.

Cook, stirring, until clear or for about one minute.

Add lemon juice and kirsch to taste. Serve warm or cold over pudding over ice cream.

Note: Can be stored in a the refrigerator

Yield: 2 1/2 cups

Lemon Lime Sauce

Serve over fruit or sponge cake.

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup water

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

4 very thin lemon slices

4 very thin lime slices

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 drop yellow food coloring (optional)

Whisk sugar and cornstarch in small saucepan to blend. Add 1 cup water and stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens.

Remove from heat. Add butter and stir until melted. Whisk in lemon juice and lime juice.

Cool sauce to room temperature. Stir in lemon and lime slices and vanilla extract.

Add food coloring, if desired.

Yield: Serves 1 2/3 cups.

Ricotta Dessert Crème

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons honey

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

2 to 3 drops pure almond extract, to your taste

Fresh berries of your choice

Place all the ingredients except the berries in a blender, cover, and blend on medium speed until smooth.

Refrigerate for 1 hour, then spoon over the berries and serve.

Hot Fudge Sauce

1/2 cup cocoa

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup light cream or evaporated milk

1/8 tsp. salt

3 tbs. butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine all the ingredients except vanilla in a saucepan.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Boil briskly three minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the mixture from the heat and add the vanilla.

Serve warm

Note: The sauce may be stored in the refrigerator.

To reheat, place in a pan of hot, not boiling, water until the sauce has thinned to pouring consistency.

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