Choice of Choice Sauces Heats Up Cold Treat

Now’s the time to rustle up a repertoire of ice cream toppers so that the kids can have fun concocting their favorite splits and sundaes.

And so that you, too, can have an elegant dessert “on ice”--a Peach Melba, for example. It’s nothing more than a fresh peach half topped by a scoop of vanilla ice cream that’s crowned by a blush of Melba Sauce that microwaves to perfection--in an instant--and can be made ahead of time.

Because microwaving is a moist method of cooking, all of the just-picked flavor of the berries used in the Melba Sauce is preserved. Indeed, it seems to be heightened through some feat of culinary alchemy.

Let the kids lend a hand in microwaving other culinary feats that make delicious ice cream toppers such as Hot Fudge Sauce.

MELBA SAUCE

2 cups pureed raspberries, strawberries or loganberries

1/3 cup sugar, about

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons framboise or Chambord liqueur or red currant jelly

Mix puree and 1/3 cup sugar in microwave-safe 6-cup measure. Cover with wax paper and microwave on HIGH (100% power) 3 minutes.

Blend cornstarch with water. Whisk cornstarch mixture and lemon juice into puree and microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until sauce boils and thickens slightly.

Stir in framboise, cool, taste for sweetness and add more sugar, if needed. If too thick, thin with small amount of water. Makes 2 cups.

Note: Use as sauce for Peach Melba or ladle over plain ice cream.

Variation: For Apricot or Peach Sauce, prepare as directed substituting pureed apricots or peaches for berries and peach brandy for framboise.

HOT FUDGE SAUCE

1 cup sugar

1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk

1 teaspoon freeze-dried coffee crystals

Dash salt

2 (1-ounce) envelopes unsweetened chocolate

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla

Cake or ice cream

Mix sugar, milk, coffee crystals and salt in microwave-safe 6-cup measure. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH (100% power) 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, stirring at half time, until bubbling.

Whisk in chocolate, butter and vanilla, beating until smooth. Serve warm or at room temperature over cake or ice cream. Makes about 1 2/3 cups sauce.