Roasted Strawberry Sundaes

Simple and elegant! Sugar-coated strawberries are oven-roasted until just softened and a syrup forms, combined with framboise and served over ice cream or gelato.

Recipe Ingredients:

Roasted Strawberry Sauce:
4 1/2 cups (about 1 1/2 pounds) fresh California strawberries, stemmed and quartered
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean

Chocolate Sauce:
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon strawberry or raspberry liqueur

9 cups vanilla ice cream
1 1/2 cups (about 1/2 pound) fresh California strawberries, stemmed and quartered

Cooking Directions:

1. To make Roasted Strawberry Sauce: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In blender, purée 1 1/2 cups of the strawberries; strain through fine-meshed strainer, pushing on strawberry purée with a spoon.
3. Combine purée with remaining 3 cups strawberries and sugar.
4. Slit vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out seeds; add bean and seeds to strawberry mixture. Let stand 10 minutes; transfer to shallow baking dish large enough to hold strawberries in one layer.
5. Roast in oven about 20 minutes or until strawberries are cooked and juices have reduced to a syrup.
6. To make Chocolate Sauce: In saucepan, bring sugar and 3 tablespoons water to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until sugar dissolves. Add cream and chocolate. Cook over low heat, stirring, until chocolate melts. Remove from heat; add liqueur.
7. To Assemble Sundaes: Spoon 2 tablespoons Chocolate Sauce in the bottom of each of 6 sundae glasses. Add a (3/4-cup) scoop ice cream; top with 2 tablespoons Roasted Strawberry Sauce. Repeat layers. Top with 1/4 cup fresh strawberries.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/6 of recipe): 784 calories; 43 g fat; 128 mg cholesterol; 171 mg sodium; 100 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 10 g protein.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of California Strawberry Commission. All rights reserved. Used with permission.