Fresh Fruit with Coconut Rum Sauce

Fresh fruit is the perfect summer dessert!  Delicious as is, wonderful simply prepared, and delightful as a conclusion to a formal dinner (perhaps with a tasty coconut rum sauce!), it blends health and taste beautifully!

Fresh Fruit Dessert

It was a number of years ago when I tried the original version of this dessert, on a truly special occasion.  A friend was celebrating her five year survival from breast cancer and hosted an elegant dinner to celebrate.

Everyone brought bottles of expensive wine–she had put one away for this after her diagnosis–providing a lush and extravagant backdrop for the event.  She handled all of the food–trays of dazzling appetizers followed by courses of recipe favorites  in an abundance of taste and pleasure.  Just when there was room for no more (“oh no, not another bite”), the dessert arrived–Fresh Fruit with Creamy Grand Marnier Sauce.  Perfect!

There’s always room for fruit–even (especially!) with a wicked good sauce!

Berries and More in Creamy Grand Marnier Sauce

I have served this a number of times since and for the most recent version swapped out the original Grand Marnier for (Malibu) coconut rum.  I was serving it with pineapple, mango and melon and it seemed to fit the sunny tropical mood.  Delicious and summery, I’ll probably go back to the Grand Marnier when the weather turns cool again.

One important tip if you decide to make this–when I tried it with store brand, reduced fat sour cream and cream cheese and it was disappointing (kind of like my reaction to cookies made with margarine instead of butter).  On this dessert go for the full fat (not sure if the name brand matters)–it will still be lower fat and healthier than most desserts!

To friends, food and life!

Fresh Fruit in Creamy Sauce

Fresh Fruit with Creamy Sauce

Serves 8 (adapted slightly from Bon Appetit for standard package sizes)

Sauce

• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 2 T (or more to taste) Grand Marnier, Cointreau or other orange flavored liqueur (or 4 T Coconut Rum)

Fruit Salad

• 8 cups assorted fresh cut fruit

Directions

1.  Cream cream cheese until smooth.  Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  Add more liqueur, if desired.

Creamy Fruit Sauce Ingredients

Creamy Fruit Sauce

2.  Transfer mixture to bowl and refrigerate until cold, at least one hour. (Can be prepared the day before and kept refrigerated.)

3.  Divide fruit into eight bowls. Top with sauce and serve.

Fresh Fruit in Coconut Rum Sauce

• ← Fresh Fruit Salad (with a Simple Sauce)
• Easy Eggplant Parmesan →