How about an all purpose raspberry sauce? The favorite fruit in our house is the red raspberry. It's a pricey indulgence, even when they're in season, and a package of them will disappear faster than any other food. This sauce uses the much more affordable frozen raspberries, and is perfect with cheesecake, chocolate mousse and any other desert you can think of. My favorite chocolate desert is flourless chocoate cake. It's rich and fudgy and sinful.
Raspberry sauce
1 1o oz package of frozen red raspberries in syrup
2 TBSP (more or less) depending on desired sweetnes
2 tsp Cointreau
Puree ingredients in a food processor. Pour mixture through a sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids then discarding them. Chill until ready to use. Will keep for two days in the refrigerator.
Flourless chocolate cake
This is from my favorite recipe site, Epicurious
4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate
1 stick unsalted butter
3/4 cup superfine sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper and butter paper.
Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.
You really, absolutely must take the time to whip fresh cream to accompany this recipe. I add the smallest amount of superfine sugar and then whip until stiff peaks form.
