summer fruit toppings

There’s no better way to welcome summer (hello, first official day!) than with a bowl of ice cream. Stock the freezer with several flavors, and whip up a few jars of summer fruit toppings. You’ll be well on your way to a delicious ice cream dessert bar! If you like a tangy fruit topping, try the apricot. If you prefer sweet, you’ll love the blackberry. Personally, I like a spoonful of each – use your favorite fruits and experiment; I strained the blackberry topping but left the apricot more textured and rustic. Spoon leftovers on a stack of pancakes or waffles for an excellent breakfast.

Summer Fruit Toppings
Apricot
2 cups sliced apricots
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp water
4 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp brandy

Combine apricots and honey in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. When mixture begins to bubble, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine lemon juice and water in a small bowl; whisk in cornstarch. Add to fruit mixture and continue cooking until thickened, 1 or 2 minutes. Remove fruit mixture from heat and stir in brandy. Let cool before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

Yield – 1 cup topping (serving size: 2 tablespoons topping)
Calories – 60
Carbs – 15

Blackberry
2 1/2 cups blackberries
1/2 cup honey
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp water
4 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp Chambord

Combine blackberries and honey in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. When mixture begins to bubble, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard solids; return strained mixture to saucepan.

Combine lemon juice and water in a small bowl; whisk in cornstarch. Add to fruit mixture and continue cooking until thickened, 1 or 2 minutes. Remove fruit mixture from heat and stir in Chambord. Let cool before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

Yield – 2/3 cup topping (serving size: 2 tablespoons topping)
Calories – 120
Carbs – 34

Tagged as: Apricot, Blackberry, Fruit Topping, Honey