My 3-Ingredient “Posh Dessert” Only Takes Five Minutes To Make

I first had this dessert of iced berries with warm white chocolate sauce at my friend Helen’s house in London. I offered to cook us some chicken curry for dinner while visiting her for the weekend, and we needed something sweet to finish the meal—or “pudding,” as the Brits refer to dessert.

Helen is one of those people who can put together a perfect dish from whatever’s already in her fridge. She started pulling things out, declaring, “Well, we’ve got double cream, white chocolate, and some frozen berries. So, thanks to The Ivy, pudding’s sorted!”

The Ivy is a posh London dining institution that has served this dessert for years: tiny frozen berries on a dessert plate, drizzled with warm white chocolate sauce. It’s such a simple dish, but the contrast is unforgettable—cold, tart, sweet. I love how the sauce pools around the berries and creates purple and white swirls.

Years later, when my boyfriend and I were in London for Christmas, I used my first salaried paycheck to treat us to dinner at The Ivy. The iced berries and white chocolate sauce were on the menu, so we had to try “the pudding.” It felt like luxury; a dessert I’d first eaten at a friend’s kitchen table, all dressed up. 

Now, I make this “posh dessert,” as my husband and son call it, for my own family. It’s what I serve when I want to end a meal with something that feels elegant, but takes almost no time: five minutes, truly.

Tips for Making This Dessert 

• Use small frozen berries. Raspberries, blueberries, and red currants work beautifully. Blackberries are fine too—just avoid the oversized ones that stay frozen in the center. Skip frozen whole strawberries, as they are too large, but sliced and frozen are fine.
• Use white chocolate chips. Using chips is easier than chopping a bar. I like Ghirardelli white baking chips, and if you can find Callebaut, their callets (small discs) melt beautifully and make a lovely sauce. But you can use whatever white chips you find at the grocery store.
• Stick to dessert plates. You want the berries to sit on a single layer so the warm chocolate sauce can pool around them. If you use a bowl, the sauce will sink to the bottom, which is not what you want. 
• Pour just before serving. You can bring the dessert plates with the frozen fruit to the table and serve the warm chocolate sauce separately in a small creamer. Or, pour the sauce over the fruit just before serving and bring the plates out immediately. Either way, this dessert is all about contrast: icy berries and warm, silky chocolate. So good.

How to Make My 3-Ingredient Iced Berries with White Chocolate Sauce

To make four servings, you’ll need:

• 1 cup (6 ounces) white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 cups frozen mixed berries, unthawed

In a small saucepan, combine the white chocolate chips and the cream. Set over low heat to melt the chocolate, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. Cook very gently until smooth and glossy, about 5 minutes. Don’t let the mixture come to a boil, as white chocolate scorches easily. Add the salt at the end and give it a whirl with your spatula or spoon to incorporate.

Divide the frozen berries among four dessert plates. Pour the warm white chocolate sauce over the berries and serve immediately.

I doubt you’ll have any white chocolate sauce left over, but if you do, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Rewarm gently in a small saucepan or in the microwave, stirring until smooth. The berries should always be served straight from the freezer—this isn’t a make-ahead dish.