This is not a recipe for fruit jam that you jar and leave on a shelf somewhere for long periods of time. This is a fresh and fruity version meant to be used soon after being made. It is gently cooked and lightly sweetened. The result is a sauce like consistency paired with a more intense fresh fruit flavor. It is absolutely delectable poured over ice cream, waffles or toast. It is perfect swirled into yogurt or oatmeal. It can be frozen into ice-cube trays and stored until needed. The food processor makes preparation a breeze. Everything, start to finish, takes less than 20 minutes.
Here are sauce recipes for the four types of fruit I grow every year: strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and peaches. Each recipe starts with 2 pounds of fresh fruit and calls for varying amounts of honey, due to the different inherent levels of sweetness in each fruit. Each uses a citrus fruit best suited to the specific sauce; the citrus adds flavor as well as a balancing acidity.
Ingredients For Strawberry Sauce
2 pounds of fresh strawberries, hulled
1 cup of honey
A small pinch of sea salt
The juice and zest of 1 large lemon
Ingredients For Blackberry Sauce
2 pounds of fresh blackberries
2 cups of honey
A small pinch of sea salt
The juice and zest of 2 limes
Ingredients For Blueberry Sauce
2 pounds of blueberries
3/4 cup of honey
A small pinch of sea salt
The juice and zest of 1 large navel orange
Ingredients For Mulberry Sauce
2 pounds of mulberries
1 1/2 cups of honey
A small pinch of sea salt
The juice and zest of one large navel orange
Ingredients For Peach Sauce
2 pounds of peaches, halved and pitted
1 cup of honey
A small pinch of sea salt
The juice and zest of 2 limes
Directions
Put the fruit into the work bowl of your favorite food processor fitted with a multi-purpose blade. Process until well puréed. Transfer to a heavy bottomed saucepan and add the honey and sea salt. Stir well. Heat over a low flame for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, add the citrus juice and zest and mix well. Adding the citrus at the end gives the sauce a freshness you would not get if you cooked it along with the other ingredients.
Tips and Suggestions
These sauces can be used raw, if desired. Just purée the fruit, add the other ingredients and mix well. The result is a much brighter taste, although without some of the lovely complexities found in the cooked version. One great perk when serving it raw: you'll be done in about 5 minutes!
If you are looking for a more jam like consistency add an apple. Peel and seed your favorite type of apple and use your food processor shredding disk to quickly shred it. Cook it with the honey and sea salt for 10 minutes before adding the fruit. Apples naturally contain large amounts of pectin, which give jam its gel like texture.
The Best Food Processor For Making Fruit Sauce
This is an easy task for any food processor, so there is no need for a high quality model. You will be best served by a full size food processor, but if you only have a smaller machine you can get around it by doing multiple batches.
For more information on finding the best food processor for you, visit FOOD PROCESSOR REVIEWS. You'll find reviews on all the top models and a convenient buying guide.
