When you tame the slight acidity of raspberries with the natural sweetness of beets, you come up with a flavor profile like none other. In addition to serving this sauce with Chocolate-Beet Cake (page 29), you could use it as the start of a trifle. Try one with crumbled Chocolate Meringues (page 209) and fresh berries and unsweetened whipped cream, maybe with a layer of Strawberry Sorbet (page 236). You could also serve this sauce with yogurt and granola.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 1 cup

　　18 ounces (510g) fresh raspberries

　　1/4 cup (55g) beet puree (see page 30)

　　1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped

　　1 tablespoon (12.5g) sugar

　　3/4 teaspoon (2.5g) powdered apple pectin

　　

Step 1

Put the raspberries in a food processor and process to a very smooth puree. Strain and measure out 1 cup (discard the solids).

　　

Step 2

Put the raspberry puree, beet puree, and vanilla pod and seeds in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.

　　

Step 3

Mix the sugar and pectin together and stir into the puree. Bring back to a boil. Strain, cover with plastic, and chill for at least 2 hours before serving, or for up to 2 days.

　　Reprinted with permission from Dessert Fourplay: Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Copyright © 2008 by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Published by Crown Publishing. All Rights Reserved.Johnny Iuzzini,, executive pastry chef of the world-renowned Jean Georges restaurant in New York City, won the award for Outstanding Pastry Chef from the James Beard Foundation in 2006. This is his first book.Roy Finamore, a publishing veteran of more than thirty years, has worked with many bestselling cookbook authors. He is the author of three books: One Potato, Two Potato; Tasty, which won a James Beard Foundation award; and Fish Without a Doubt.__