Ani's Raw Food Essentials - Ani Phyo [82]
A gelato-like ice cream popular in South America, lúcuma is a fruit with a flavor reminiscent of caramel. You don’t need an ice-cream maker to enjoy this recipe. Just blend and freeze.
You can also make this ice kream without a high-speed blender by first grinding up your cashews into a powder, then blending with the remaining ingredients. This will help you achieve a smoother final product.
NOTE: If you don’t have yacón syrup, just replace it with agave syrup. You may want to add 1 tablespoon of blackstrap molasses, which is not raw but will richen the flavor.
Lúcuma powder is available at natural food stores and online, and in my e-store, at www.aniphyo.com/store.
1 recipe Basic Ice Kream (page 277), made with cashews and yacón syrup
instead of agave, if available. (See Note above.)
½ cup lúcuma powder
1 tablespoon alcohol-free vanilla extract (see Vanilla, page 262)
½ cup filtered water
Place all the ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend slowly at first, increasing the speed gradually to get the smoothest consistency possible.
Transfer to a container and place in the freezer overnight. Enjoy straight from freezer with your favorite sauces and syrups (pages 280 to 283).
SWEET SAUCES
Sauces are a great way to add an extra level of flavor and visual complexity to any sweet treat. So, sauce it up from simple to sophisticated with easy-to-make sauces. Just process your favorite fruit and agave syrup together. Now, that’s even faster and easier than walking down a grocery aisle to find a jarred sauce.
Use these sweet sauces to make ice-kream sundaes with your favorite ice kream, drizzle over your pies or pancakes, and even to dip your cookies into.
BASIC FRUIT SAUCE
MAKES 1½ CUPS
Make your favorite sauce with whatever fruit is in season and whatever you happen to have on hand today. Adding a brightly colored syrup is a great way to bump up the sophistication of your presentation and flavor profile.
I always prefer fresh fruit when it’s in season, but you can use frozen if fresh isn’t available. Just thaw before using frozen fruit in this recipe.
This basic sauce is similar to the Raspberry Sauce from Ani’s Raw Food Desserts, but the recipe in this book will help you to create your own varieties and flavors.
2 cups fruit, such as pineapple, mango, or peaches
½ cup agave syrup
Place the ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth to make a beautiful colored sauce.
Will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
AGAVE BLUEBERRY SAUCE
MAKES 1½ CUPS
Blueberries are processed with agave syrup to create a chunky sauce that’s beautiful in color, and tastes great with every dessert.
1 recipe Basic Fruit Sauce (page 280), made with blueberries
Place the sauce ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend smoothly to make a bright purple sauce that looks amazing and tastes delicious.
MAPLE-STRAWBERRY SAUCE
MAKES 1½ CUPS
This recipe calls for maple syrup, which isn’t raw but adds a great flavor. Medjool dates also have a maple flavor. So if using agave syrup instead, add two or three Medjool dates, too.
2 cups strawberries
½ cup maple syrup, or ¼ cup agave syrup and 2 to 3 Medjool dates with
2 tablespoons water
If using dates, place in a food processor, and chop into small bits first.
Place the strawberries and your syrup of choice in a food processor, and pulse into sauce. If using dates, add with the water and pulse.
Will keep for 4 to 5 days in the fridge.
BERRY COMPOTE
MAKES 1½ CUPS
Compote is fruit in syrup. I use red wine with fresh fruit, sweetened with agave syrup.
2 cups raspberries
¼ cup red wine
2 tablespoons agave syrup
1 tablespoon lemon zest (optional)
Place all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse lightly to mix.
NUTELLA HAZELNUT SAUCE
MAKES 1 CUP
Inspired by the Italian jarred sauce, Nutella, a delicious chocolate-hazelnut sauce that’s used for dipping fruit, on sandwiches, and in crepes with sliced bananas. Use my uncooked version in exactly the same way, drizzled over cake,