frozen berries with warm white chocolate cream

I’ve had the amazing fun of interviewing Ina Garten on onstage recently and I’m happy to report she’s exactly in person as she is on TV: lively, never tired of talking food, and unpretentious (despite her beautiful home and kitchen). She’s also somewhat diminutive in the height department. We cracked up at the sound check beforehand because the chairs they had put out were so huge, her feet didn’t touch the floor.

By the time the show started, there was a new set of chairs that fit much better. I teased her about her husband Jeffrey and his cameos on the show, and how her dark shirts are always spotless, even when she’s rolling out pastry on a flour-covered counter. I told her my favorite recipe of hers: frozen berries with white-chocolate cream from Barefoot Contessa at Home. I love it so much I’ve come up my own version over the years, using some coconut milk and chopped crystallized ginger. It’s the contrast of hot and cold that makes this so phenomenal, not to mention it takes about 10 minutes to make. How easy is that?— as Ina would say.

ingredients

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
5 oz good-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt), chopped
2 cups mixed frozen (unthawed) berries, such as blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries
2 pieces crystallized ginger, minced (optional)

directions

Make the sauce in one of two ways:

1. If you have a Vitamix, put coconut milk, cream, and white chocolate in the container. Put lid on securely, turn on machine and slowly increase speed to 10 (high) and blend for 3 minutes until mixture is hot and foamy and chocolate is melted. Divide berries among small bowls. Pour warm sauce over each portion and sprinkle with chopped crystallized ginger, if using.
2. If you don’t have a Vitamix, combine the coconut milk, cream, and chopped chocolate in a metal bowl and place it over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat and whisk vigorously until foamy. Divide berries among small bowls. Pour warm sauce over each portion and sprinkle with chopped crystallized ginger, if using.