I’m a big fan of the all-American blueberry, and why not? They’re so easy to transform into a versatile sauce that’s equally at ease atop Philly-friendly Cheesecake Ice Cream (page 62) or alongside Hollywood–healthy Vanilla Frozen Yogurt (page 49). Or forge a Franco-American alliance by adding crème de cassis, the deep, dark black currant liqueur from Dijon (see the Variation at the end of the recipe).

　　

Ingredients

makes 1 cup (250 ml)

　　2 cups (225 g) blueberries, fresh or frozen

　　1/4 cup (50 g) sugar

　　1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

　　1 tablespoon cold water

　　1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

　　2 teaspoons kirsch

　　

Step 1

In a medium, nonreactive saucepan, heat the blueberries and sugar until the blueberries begin to release their juices. Mix the cornstarch with the cold water and lemon juice until lump free, then stir the slurry into the blueberries.

　　

Step 2

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the kirsch. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

　　

Variation

Step 3

To make Blueberry-Cassis Sauce, increase the amount of cornstarch to 2 teaspoons. After you mix the cornstarch into the cooked blueberries, stir in 1/4 cup (60 ml) crème de cassis, then simmer as indicated in the recipe.

　　

Storage

Step 4

This sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

　　The Perfect Scoop