This Mixed Berry Coulis is a super quick, easy and versatile recipe made from 4 simple ingredients only. The thick berry sauce is delicious as a sweet topping used over pancakes, waffles, cheesecake, cakes, yogurt, ice cream and many other desserts!
500grMixed Berries (see note 1)fresh or frozen, thawed & drained
50grCaster Sugar
15mlLemon Juice
1/2teaspoonVanilla Extractoptional
Instructions
If using frozen berries, place them in a large bowl and leave them to thaw at room temperature until soft. Strain them to remove any excess water before starting to make the mixed berry sauce.
Optionally, cut the larger berries like strawberries and raspberries into halves or quarters (the fruits will cook more quickly).
Place the berries, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a medium size saucepan. Stir well to evenly coat the fruits with the sugar then place on low to medium heat.
Leave to cook for 15 to 20 minutes, occasionally stirring with a heat-proof spatula to insure the fruits don't stick to the bottom of the sauce pan. If the fruits seem to cook (or burn) too quickly, reduce the heat. When ready, the fruits will be very soft, have mostly broken apart and the juices will have thickened slightly (see note 2).
Transfer into a clean heat-proof bowl or large measuring jug. Allow to cool down for 10 minutes then use an immersion blender to blend the compote until no large chunks remain and the sauce is thick and mostly smooth. Alternatively, use a regular blender.
Pour the blended sauce through a thin mesh sieve to remove any remaining chunks and seeds. If needed, repeat the process to get the sauce as smooth as you want (if you want to fully discard all seeds for example).
Transfer into an airtight container or jar and keep refrigerated for up to a week - or freeze once cool.
Notes
I used a mix of Raspberry, Strawberries, Blueberries and Blackberries. The fruits I used come in a frozen mix, but you can absolutely make your own mix (from either fresh or frozen fruits) and use your favourites berries in addition such as cherries. The taste of your coulis can change a lot based on the type of berries you use: a larger amount of raspberries or blackberries will create a tangier sauce than one made with a lot of strawberries for example.
If preferred, you can add one or two tablespoons of water to help the fruits to start cooking. The exact cooking time can vary based on the ripeness of the fruits, how small or big the berries are and if you are using fresh or frozen fruits.