The Versatile Sweet Sauce You Should Know How To Make

Sometimes the best part of a dish is the simplicity that allows certain flavors to shine through. And simple desserts allow us to create add-ons that mesh perfectly with the ingredients. If you have an abundance of berries at your disposal or simply want to switch up a recipe, creating a sweet berry sauce is a delectable addition to many desserts.

Known as a coulis, this sauce can take your French toast to a whole new level or be mixed in with Greek yogurt parfait. The French sauce contains fruit or vegetables that have been pureed or strained into a thick sauce. With a berry coulis, you can use frozen berries from the grocery aisle or seasonal ones from the local farmers' market — the content doesn't matter.

The recipe can be used as a decorative sauce for cheesecakes or swapped out for syrup when eaten with waffles or pancakes. Coulis also goes inside desserts — by making it on the thicker side, it can be used as a filling inside blueberry pies, white chocolate-raspberry macarons, or a berry cake. Similar to how a glaze can sweeten beef or pork, berry coulis can be eaten on top of a steak or pork tenderloin.

To make berry coulis, you'll need to gather the berries of your choosing. Mixed berry coulis typically contains raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries, but you can add or remove whichever one you like. Ensure that the berries total up to 12 ounces and put them in a medium saucepan. If you prefer your sauce to be on the thicker side, leave out 4 ounces of the berries and set them aside.

Add ½ cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of water, and a pinch of salt into the pan. Simmer and stir on medium heat for one to two minutes or until the berries are warmed up and the sugar dissolves. Add the simmered berries into a food processor or blender and puree until the coulis is smooth. Then, strain the sauce into a container — you can use it as is or pour it back into the saucepan if you want a thicker coulis.

If you're opting for a thicker version, bring the coulis to a simmer and toss in the berries you previously set aside. Let it cook on low heat until the sauce is hot and the berries have lost some of their juice. If it's too thick, add some more water and reduce the heat as it cooks.