Spicy Dried Fruit Dessert Sauce

Name: Spicy Dried Fruit Dessert Sauce
Total time: 1 d
Yield: 2 cups
Ingredients: 1 tart apple, peeled and cored; 4 ounces golden raisins; 3 ounces dark brown sugar; 2 ounces prunes or dried figs, coarsely chopped; 2 ounces walnut or pecan halves; 1 ounces dried cherries; 1 ounce cold butter, cut into pieces; 1/2 ounce crystallized ginger, coarsely chopped; 1/4 cup brandy, like Cognac or Calvados; 1 lemon, zested and juiced; 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground allspice; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground clove; Dark rum, apple cider or orange juice; Black pepper to taste; 1 to 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (optional)

By Julia Moskin

Total Time: About 1 day
Rating: 4(15)
Comments: Read comments

One of Julia Child’s holiday tips to the readers of Parade, where she wrote a recipe column from 1982 to 1985, was to “spiffy up” store-bought mincemeat with grated apple and liquor, then heat it in a saucepan to make a rich, fragrant sauce. This is a fine idea, but almost as easy is mixing up a batch of mincemeat (minus the meat) at home. The cook can control the balance of sugar, citrus and spice and also use up all the half-empty containers of dried fruit that seem to end up lurking in kitchen cabinets. This “recipe” is entirely flexible; feel free to add orange zest, walnuts, apricots or whatever you like. The sauce will be equally good on pumpkin or sweet potato pie, ice cream or baked apples.

Featured in: Thanksgiving, the Julia Child Way

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share
Print Options
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:2 cups

For the Minced Dried Fruit

1tart apple, peeled and cored
4ounces golden raisins
3ounces dark brown sugar
2ounces prunes or dried figs, coarsely chopped
2ounces walnut or pecan halves
1ounces dried cherries
1ounce cold butter, cut into pieces
½ounce crystallized ginger, coarsely chopped
¼cup brandy, like Cognac or Calvados
1lemon, zested and juiced
½teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼teaspoon freshly ground allspice
¼teaspoon freshly ground clove

To Finish the Sauce

Dark rum, apple cider or orange juice
Black pepper to taste
1 to 2tablespoons cold unsalted butter (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

Step 1
Combine all ingredients except those to finish the sauce in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped; do not purée. Transfer to an airtight container and let rest at least 1 day, or up to 4 weeks.
Step 2
When ready to serve, transfer to a saucepan and add enough rum or other liquid to loosen. Heat until warm and bubbly. If desired, add black pepper to make the mixture more spicy. To make a richer sauce, whisk in cold butter 1 tablespoon at a time, to taste.
Step 3
Serve warm over ice cream, pumpkin pie or baked apples.