fruit tempura with wasabi chocolate sauce

Years ago, before our lives got busy with moves, businesses, jobs and babies, a group of women would get together once a month to tackle a cuisine from somewhere in the world that intrigued them. I often got the pleasurable task of creating the dessert course, a fantastic opportunity to try out new chocolate recipes on a group of women with incredible palates and culinary backgrounds. This is one of my favorite recipes which I served at our Japanese dinner, a sweet take on tempura with a thick & luscious chocolate fudge sauce featuring the grassy heat of wasabi, a surprisingly beautiful chocolate pairing.

fruit tempura

a sweet dessert variation on the traditional dish

tempura batter

1 cup flour (we use King Arthur Flour all purpose)

3/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1 egg

1 cup ice water or cold beer

wasabi fudge sauce

1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or use our drinking chocolate mix)

4 Tbsp salted butter (we love Ploughgate Creamery‘s salted cured butter)

dried wasabi powder to taste

prepare the fruit

cut a variety of fruit into bite-size pieces: I used mangos, plums, peaches & bananas;

pineapple, strawberries & nectarines would be excellent as well.

prepare the batter

Combine the dry ingredients. Beat the egg, add the chilled water & combine well. Add the liquid mixture to the dry, mixing until just moistened & lumpy.

to deep fry

Dip the fruit into the batter & deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels & serve immediately while warm.

prepare the wasabi chocolate sauce

in a double boiler heat the chocolate and butter, whisking periodically, until fully melted & smooth & glossy. Start with 1/2 tsp. wasabi powder & whisk in thoroughly; add more by the 1/2 teaspoon if desired, tasting after each addition until it’s to your liking.

Serve with ice cream or gelato (we love this recipe with ginger, matcha green tea or vanilla) & drizzle with chocolate wasabi fudge sauce.