Dips add fun to fruit.
Fruit dips add dimension to fresh fruit. When serving fruit dips, provide extra long toothpicks for the fruit or string fruit onto short kabobs ready to be dipped. Bananas, strawberries and pineapple are the usual suspects when thinking of fruits for dipping. But grapes, kiwi, cantaloupe, plums and apricots work well, too. Experiment with other fruits and even try dried fruits. There are a large variety of dips to choose from, enhancing your appetizers, salads or desserts.
Sour Cream and Cream Cheese Dips
A large variety of fruits can be used for dipping.
Add 2 cups of brown sugar to a melted stick of butter. Let cool for a few minutes, then add 1 tbsp. of vanilla and 1 cup of sour cream. Chill.
Mix an 8-oz. package of softened cream cheese with 1 jar of marshmallow creme. Chill.
Combine ½ cup brown sugar with ½ cup caramel sauce and 8 oz. of softened cream cheese. Serve cold.
Whisk together 18 oz. of key lime pie yogurt with 1/3 cup cream cheese. Stir in ¼ cup toasted, flaked coconut. Garnish with granola.
Ginger Dips
Ginger adds a bit of zing to fruit dips.
Combine 1 cup light or fat-free mayonnaise with ¼ cup orange juice, 2 tbsp. honey, ½ tsp. grated orange peel and ¼ tsp. ground ginger. Chill.
Mix 3/4 cup sour cream with ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup toasted, shredded coconut and 2 tbsp. chopped candied ginger. Chill.
Beat an 8-oz. package of softened cream cheese with 1 cup plain yogurt, ¼ cup honey and 2 tsp. crushed ginger root (or ½ tsp. ground ginger). Fold in 1/4 cup crushed pineapple. Chill.
Chocolate Sauces
Chocolate-dipped fruits make tasty desserts.
Whisk 1 cup cocoa powder into a saucepan with 1 cup maple syrup. Add ¼ tsp. orange extract and cook until hot. Do not boil.
Combine 1 ½ cups brown sugar, 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa and ¼ cup flour in a saucepan. Stir in 1 cup water to make a paste. Add 12 oz. evaporated milk and 2 tbsp. butter. Boil gently for five minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tsp. vanilla.
Combine 1 cup butter, 28 oz. condensed milk and 12 oz. chocolate chips in saucepan. Cook over low heat until the chocolate melts, stirring frequently.
Surprising Flavors
Experiment with dips that include some surprising flavors.
Mix ½ cup sour cream, ¼ cup mayonnaise, 3 tbsp. lime juice, 1 tsp. honey, ½ tsp. ground cumin and ¼ tsp. Tabasco pepper sauce. Stir in ½ cup dried, shredded, sweetened coconut. Chill.
Mix 2/3 cup cranberry orange sauce with 1 cup vanilla yogurt, ½ tsp. grated lemon peel and ¼ tsp. lemon juice. Chill.
Mash 1 cup raspberries through a sieve over a bowl. Add 1 tsp. grated lime peel and 1 tbsp. juice to the raspberries in the bowl. Stir in 1 ½ cups Greek yogurt and ¼ cup packed light brown sugar. Chill.
Tags: brown sugar, softened cream, softened cream cheese, sour cream, 8-oz package