FRUITFUL SUMMER DESSERTS

Macerate sounds like something you`d do in a back room, but it`s really a simple procedure of soaking raw or dried fruits in a flavorful liquid. In French cooking, fruit is often macerated to soften it, add flavor and draw out the juices.

A simple version once served at a dinner in Paris was apricots, pears and apples macerated in warmed red wine for 30 minutes. The fruit took on the deep crimson of the wine and tasted wonderful.

I serve macerated fruits -- chilled or at room temperature -- at late-summer dinner parties where the food is very hearty. To make it especially elegant, the fruit is served in a goblet or wine glass and garnished with a fresh sprig of bright green mint.

Parfaits made with macerated fruit are a delicious make-ahead dessert for warm weather. Let the fruit stand in liqueur or juices, then layer it with low-fat vanilla yogurt.

Another idea is to puree some of the macerated fruit with the yogurt. This creates a silky dessert mousse, as in the recipe below.

APRICOT DESSERT MOUSSE

1 cup apple juice

1/2 cup dried apricots

1/3 cup maple syrup or to taste

2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt

4 mint sprigs

Bring apple juice to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add apricots, cover, and let stand 30 minutes. Transfer to blender. Add maple syrup and puree until smooth.

Using rubber spatula, fold 1 cup yogurt into puree. Adjust sweetener to taste. Spoon into 4 dessert or wine glasses, alternating layer of puree with layer of remaining 1 cup yogurt. Chill 1 hour. Garnish with mint sprigs. Makes 4 servings.

HONEY-VANILLA PEAR COMPOTE

The flavors of vanilla and pears go well together. I often combine the two in a compote, then serve it chilled over sliced angel food cake. You can find pear juice in natural foods stores.

1/2 cup mild-flavored honey

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise in half

1 cup pear juice

4 cups peeled, cored and diced pears

1 tablespoon lemon juice

4 slices angel food cake

In 2-quart saucepan, combine honey, vanilla bean and pear juice. Cook over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Add pears and simmer until softened, 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove vanilla bean and discard or save for another use. Mash or puree pear mixture slightly. Spoon over angel food cake. Makes 4 servings.

MACERATED SUMMER FRUIT WITH YOGURT AND LIME

This is a simple weekday dessert that can be made before you leave for work in the morning.

1/2 cup lime juice

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups sliced strawberries

2 cups blueberries

1 cup seedless green grapes

1 cup low-fat strawberry or vanilla yogurt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

In medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, sugar and cinnamon. Add strawberries, blueberries and grapes and toss well. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 8 hours.

Spoon fruit into 6 dessert glasses. Drizzle each serving with yogurt and dust with nutmeg. Makes 6 servings.

(Mary Carroll is the author of the ``No Cholesterol (No Kidding!) Cookbook,`` Rodale Press.)

(c) 2000, Mary Carroll. Distributed by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate.

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Author: Mary Carroll