Hallelujah, it’s finally hot in Montana! The gardens were very late this year with such a cool June, but the long summer days up here make up for it, and they’re going great guns now.
Raspberries are coming in fast and furious, and when I saw an article in my latest issue of Better Homes & Gardens about throwing an ice cream social and using homemade fruit sauce as an ice cream topping, I knew three things:
- I’d found a perfect use for some of the raspberries
- I had found a delightful dish to post after my summer hiatus
- I was going to use a roll of pre-made pie dough because I am baking impaired.
To start, you make pie crust “cookies” which were a cinch with purchased pie dough. Simply unroll and cut out shapes then bake according to the package directions for a pre-cooked shell. I used my old biscuit cutter and parchment paper and it worked like a dream. I pricked the cookies with a fork and gave them a sprinkle of sugar then slid the parchment onto the cookie sheet. The beauty of just making the crust as opposed to a pie, is 10 minutes in the oven instead of close to an hour. Ugh! With no air conditioning up here we try to avoid the oven until September.
While the cookies baked, I started the sauce. Are you ready for the ingredients . . . 1–½ cups raspberries and ¾ cup sugar! Now how easy is that? Bring the sauce to a boil over medium heat and then simmer about 10 minutes until it starts to thicken a bit - it will thicken more as it cools. Refrigerate until use.
To serve, I used a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, a dollop of raspberry sauce and a cookie. I topped the scoop with a fresh berry. A mint leaf would also be pretty if one happens to have them on hand – I did not.
I learned a couple of things with this last photo. Two scoops of ice cream with raspberries on top look just like boobies. Also, ice cream is difficult to photograph on a warm day. Fortunately, Dana didn’t mind eating the ice cream boobies or the second melty dish so it was a win/win for both.
This is a super easy and delicious way to have pie and ice cream and got an enthusiastic “thumbs up” from my taste testers. The crust counters the sweetness of the sauce nicely. I’ll be doing this one again with other fruits and ice cream flavors. Peaches sound delicious, don’t they?
I hope you don’t get the Summer heat we’ve had here for three weeks and counting!
Ugh – when it gets that hot up here, we start having forest fires. I’m really sorry about the nasty heat down there. I remember it well from Texas. : (
Great post. Your dessert looks delicious. I know exactly what you mean about photographing ice cream on a hot day as that is what I was trying to do today too.
Thanks, Karen! I learned another lesson – set up the shot THEN add the ice cream.
great idea – so great I hope you dont mind if I copy it….
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
It’s hard to beat fresh raspberries – this looks perfect for a hot summer day.
It was perfect. I’m still jealous of your blueberries. Ours are just starting to turn and we don’t have near the bumper crop you got.
I’m loving this raspberry sauce. And yes, how easy is that! Great photos as always. Too funny about the two scoops of ice cream. I just made some lemon ice cream (and yes used that oil) that didn’t hold up well through the photo shoot, but loved eating it. For some reason I like my ice cream a little “melty”. Yup, I’m one of those that stirs it around in the bowl to make it more like soft serve. What’s different about your blog? The font? Looks nice.
Isn’t that sauce great? Dana started dreaming of it on pancakes the minute he tasted it. And I just tried one of WP cool new themes. I like the font and some of the other little features.
And by the way, that photo of the okra blossom is OUTstanding.
Thanks – you know me and my okra. I almost named the first “baby”.
And by the way, love that old biscuit cutter.
I’ve had that thing forever – and it’s well used. It used to have a little insert for donuts, but it got lost along the way.
What a perfect ‘cookie’ to go with ice cream. Why hadn’t I thought of that?! Love the new header, too… looks so summery!
I felt the same way when I saw that article – you should check it out when you’re in line at the grocery. Cute, cute idea for a party.
That header is a little feature in this new WordPress theme. It lets you use a photo as a header in one post only.
Everything looks amazing! I miss the fresh raspberries and your garden, picking twice as much as what came inside with us! that rasberry sauce sounds like it would be delicious with a little spice on some pork. Thanks for sharing and some inspiration to play in the kitchen. Love ya!
Awww – thanks, son! You are such a great cook, I’m flattered when I can inspire YOU!
I miss the good old days of cooking together. Let me know if you make the sauce. I’m going to tinker with that idea myself. I have some chipotle chiles that need a home . . .
Oh Vickie…I laughed out loud when I read, “boobies”. I smile a lot when I read blogs, but to laugh out loud was so much fun.
Here we have so many blackberries, so I am going to use your recipes and make a blackberrry sauce.
Your photos are so perfecdt. What kind of camera do you use?
xoxoxo
Marianne! How fun to see your comment this morning. I laughed out loud, too when I was looking at the view finder and saw ice cream breasts. I love blackberries and they’d be perfect with this!
Big hugs to you!
My camera is an older Canon Rebel (a gift from my son) and I’m blown away at your compliment because your photos are wonderful. You have such a way of capturing people. I’m just learning to use the camera and for every photo you see, there are 20 rejects that went in the trash.
Boobies….too funny! I think ice cream can be very difficult to photograph. Nicely done, Vickie. Love your version of pie ala mode. Using premade pie crust is a great idea and a real time saver.
Thanks for the photo compliments, Cathy! I can’t take the credit for this sundae – simply the shortcut adaptation.
You should check out the entire article in BH&G – lots of fun ice cream ideas.
Great idea. I wonder if youcould “cup” the cookie crust and put the ice cream in there with sauce on top. Bake it in a Ramiken or something so it holds a cup form. I’m OK with the boobie thing as well!
So you just improved the idea 100 times! Will be playing with that!