Summer Sundaes Recipes

Steps:

• Combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved. Cover pan; bring to a boil. Leave cover on until condensation washes down insides of pan. If syrup crystallizes, let crystallize completely, and push around bottom of saucepan with the back of a wooden spoon until it melts again. Raise heat to medium high; cook, swirling pan occasionally, until the sugar turns medium-dark amber. Carefully add cream, standing back in case sugar boils over, and scrape in vanilla seeds. Stir until cream is incorporated, and remove from heat. Let cool; transfer to a glass jar, bottle, or bowl for storing and serving.
• Scoop sorbets and ice cream into serving dishes, drizzle with caramel, and spoon fruit over sauce; Serve, garnished with toasted pecans.

Steps:

• Make the brittle: oil a baking sheet and set aside. Gently heat the caster sugar in a small, non-stick frying pan, stirring until dissolved. Add the nuts. When the sugar becomes a deep caramel, pour onto the baking sheet and leave until completely cold. Snap the brittle into pieces, then pulse in a food processor to coarse crumbs. Can be made up to a week ahead. Store in an airtight container.
• For the sauce, whizz the strawberries in a food processor until smooth. Sieve into a bowl, then stir in the icing sugar. Set aside.
• To assemble the sundaes, whip the cream with the icing sugar until it just holds its shape. In a tall glass, layer up the chopped fruit, brittle, ice cream, sorbet and sauce, finishing with swirls of cream, more brittle and the whole strawberries.

Steps:

• For sauce
• Stir first 4 ingredients in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Add rum. Strain, pressing on solids to extract as much flavor as possible. (Can be prepared 5 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low heat before using, stirring constantly and thinning with more cream if necessary.)
• For sundaes
• Combine first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Stir gently. Let stand for 15 to 30 minutes.
• Scoop ice cream into sundae or balloon glasses. Top with warm sauce, then fruits and nuts and serve.