Cherry Coulis

yields approximately 1/2–2/3 cup

dairy-free, diabetic-friendly, gluten-free, vegan

Coulis, (koo-lee), is simply an exotic synonym for sauce. In French cooking, a coulis is a thick fruit or vegetable sauce. The coulis most often found drizzled over American desserts is made from strawberries or raspberries. We wanted to wake up your taste buds by changing out the usual fruit flavors for the distinctively sweet, summery flavor of red cherries. The juicy, direct flavor of this sauce surprises senses and awakens sensuality. The slash of deep scarlet color it makes as it splashes across the plate speaks of carefully painted lips, first Valentines and sensual acts hidden away behind heavy, velvet curtains.

2 cups pitted, halved Bing or other red cherries

1/4 cup water

3 tbsp raw sugar

1. Combine the cherries, water and sugar in a small saucepan at medium heat.

2. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes before straining the liquid with a mesh strainer into a glass measuring cup. Press gently to release any additional liquid. From here, you can drizzle over desserts or pour into a squeeze bottle or storage container for later use.

To store:

Store the leftover cherries in a separate container to use as a topping for ice cream, a fruit compote or in our Cherry Vanilla Chia Pudding Parfait.

Dark Chocolate Ganache

yields approximately 2/3–3/4 cup

gluten-free

Ganache is one of the easiest sensual dessert items you could ever make. It’s a perfect, thick, rich, decadent sauce created from 2 perfect ingredients. There may be no easier recipe to turn someone on with food.

A basic ganache uses heavy cream and semi-sweet chocolate. We changed it up just a bit. Our version focuses on the deep, earthy flavor of chocolate rather than the sweet decadence of a typical ganache. We traded the semisweet chocolate for something a bit darker with a higher percentage of cacao—the more cacao, the more aphrodisiac the chocolate! We also switched out the cream for whole milk. It cuts out a little of the fat, which never hurt anyone, and it focuses the flavors more on the chocolate. We think our version is sexy, sophisticated and satisfying. But if you miss the texture and sweetness of a traditional ganache, feel free to lavish your lover by making this recipe with heavy cream.

1/2 cup whole milk

6 oz (about 3/4 cup) dark chocolate (70% cacao or greater recommended), roughly chopped

1. In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a near boil. (It will start to bubble around the sides of the pan.) You don’t want to make it boil, but you do need it hot enough to melt the chocolate.

2. Remove your pan from heat and stir in the chocolate. Whisk with long, rhythmic strokes until the chocolate is fully incorporated and you’re left with a smooth river of dark chocolate goodness. If the chocolate is not fully melted after 3 minutes of whisking, you’re going to have to add some heat. Put the saucepan back on the stove over low heat and whisk continuously until the mixture is perfectly incorporated.

To serve:

Pour ganache over our Chocolate Avocado Snack Cake (or any cake you like), drizzle over ice cream or pudding or use as a dip for berries, nuts, cake, cookies, pretzels, fingers, toes. It’s very versatile!

Easy Dulce de Leche

yields 8–10 servings

gluten-free

This is one of the easiest, sexiest, most genius sauces you could ever make. And you make it right in the can. It’s been a go-to for Delahna for years. She swears it’s a trick every Southern California native knows. But we’re including it in this book to unlock the secret to caramel seduction for everyone yet to discover this culinary magic trick.

Now, unlike almost every other recipe in this book, this sauce has absolutely no redeeming health properties. It isn’t going to boost sexual hormones or get your blood pumping. But it could definitely seduce someone with its uniquely rich, deeply sweet, almost caramel flavor. And since it cooks in the can, there’s no cleanup to worry about afterward, only sheer pleasure.

1 14-oz can sweetened, condensed milk, label removed

1. Fill a pot of water large enough to hold your milk can fully submerged. Put the can in the pot on its side. You want it on its side so it can roll around in the simmering water.

2. Bring the water to a simmer and cook for 3 hours, making sure that the can stays submerged in water. Add more water as necessary and make sure that it continues to simmer. (For a lighter caramel, you can remove the can from the water after 2 hours. But we like a really deep, dark, seductive flavor that is only produced after 3 hours of simmering.)

3. Use tongs or slotted spoon to remove the can from the water. Place it upright on a heatproof surface and allow it to cool to room temperature.

4. Make sure the can has completely cooled before opening or the pressure in the can could make it prematurely spurt its sauce at your face. Once cool, open and stir until smooth, then enjoy on top of cake, ice cream, fresh fruit or your lover’s fingertips.

Store, refrigerated, in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 weeks. Reheat in a double boiler until the sauce is creamy and smooth.

Whipped Coconut “Cream”

yields approximately 2/3–3/4 cup

dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan

Amy grew up with a milk allergy and by the time she was an adult, realized she was lactose intolerant. And at some point during her formative years, Delahna came to the realization that the healthier she ate, the better she looked and the more energy she had. And that’s how she became hooked on nutrition. So for the two of us, whipped cream was always that thing we scraped off the plate. Of all the recipes in this book, this is one we created purely for ourselves!

Although it’s still loaded with fat, coconut milk whipped to the texture of cream is a dairy-free indulgence that won’t leave you longing for a post-meal nap the way many dairy desserts can. Although it looks like cream, we think this whipped topping offers a serious step up in flavor. Imagine taking all the best things about the tropics and whipping them into a cream-colored cloud. It is serious romance novel dreaming-of-a-hot-stranger-on-a-deserted-island stuff. Surprise your lover by using this tropical dream cream to top your favorite desserts or simply spoon feed each other this whipped indulgence snuggled under the covers.

1 14-oz can full-fat coconut milk

1/4 cup powdered sugar*

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

*If you’re making a vegan version of the whipped “cream,” check your powdered sugar to ensure that it wasn’t processed using animal products.

1. Refrigerate the can of coconut milk overnight. (Be careful not to turn or shake it. You want the liquid inside to separate.)

2. Chill a medium mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer) in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

3. Open the can of coconut milk and scoop the solids into the mixing bowl, leaving the liquid in the can. (You can save the liquid and add it to smoothies for a coconutty flavor.)

4. Whip the coconut cream on high for 5–7 minutes, until soft peaks form.

5. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix on low for 30 seconds or until powdered sugar is fully incorporated. Beat for an additional minute.

Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You may need to whisk the cream before serving.