12 SERVINGS
When fresh strawberries are in their summer prime, they offer a delightful alternative to chocolate. Don’t be surprised if many of your guests opt for a small portion of each.
4 pints fresh strawberries
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons fraise de Bourgogne (French strawberry liqueur), framboise (raspberry brandy), or kirsch (cherry brandy)
2 teaspoons arrowroot or cornstarch
2 to 3 pints good-quality vanilla ice cream
Vanilla-flavored sweetened whipped cream, optional
1. Rinse the strawberries by dunking them in a bowl of cold water. Lift them out into a colander and drain well. Hull the berries. Reserve 12 of the most attractive berries for garnish. Halve or quarter 3 cups of the berries, depending on their size. Puree the remaining berries in a food processor until smooth; strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds.
2. Put the cut berries in a bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar and liqueur and toss gently. Let stand at room temperature to macerate for at least 2 hours.
3. In a small nonreactive saucepan, bring the pureed strawberries to a boil over moderate heat. Drain the juice from the macerated strawberries into a small bowl and stir in the arrowroot until it is smooth and blended. Stir into the hot puree and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and let cool. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
4. For each sundae, put a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a dessert bowl. Top with about 1⁄3 cup of the cut berries. Then spoon on about 3 tablespoons of the strawberry sauce. If you’re including whipped cream, spoon a dollop on top and garnish the sundae with a whole strawberry.