Sunset Sorbet with White Chocolate Sauce

Tips: A perfect hot-weather dessert, this refreshing sorbet combines the flavors of mango, watermelon, and lime. The sauce adds richness and sweetness without cloying. I serve this in wineglasses with a small pool of sauce under the sorbet, a bit more poured on top, and some fresh berries.

Because fresh produce is so variable, you may have to adjust the amount of sugar. When the fruie is pureed, start by adding 1/3 cup. Stir it in well to dissolve, then taste for sweetness. Remember that the freezing process subdues sweetness slightly, so you need to have the puree a bit sweeter than you like it before freezing. Superfine sugar, used here, dissolves instantly; it is available in one-pound boxes in many markets.

You'll need a one-quart capacity ice cream freezer to make the sorbet, and it should be eaten within 2 or 3 days of churning.

For Sauce: Place chopped chocolate in medium heatproof bowl. Place over warm water on low heat (water should not touch bottom of bowl); stir often until almost smooth. Remove from heat and hot water. Stir until smooth and melted.

All at once, add hot water. With sturdy whisk, stir water into chocolate (mixture will initially separate and look terrible, but eventually water will incorporate fully and a smooth sauce will form. If sauce is not smooth, turn into food processor fitted with steel blade and process just until no lumps remain.). Cool sauce to room temperature, then cover airtight. Store at cool room temperature for up to three days.

If made more than 8 hours or so in advance, sauce will solidify slightly. Gradually add a small amount of warm water, whisking each addition in well, until sauce is pourable.

For Sorbet: In blender container, combine first four ingredients. Cover and blend at high speed until pureed (if you want a veryfine texture, force the puree through a sieve at this point). Turn into medium nonreactive bowl. Add sugar and stir in thoroughly to dissolve; taste for sweetness. Adjust sweetness to your preference. Chill puree, covered, for 4 to 6 hours.

Follow manufacturer's instructions for freezing sorbet. To add optional rum, wait until sorbet is about three-fourths frozen. When churned (I find that this freezes quickly), transfer to microwaveable/freezer container and freeze.

If sorbet is churned more than about 6 hours before serving, it will be solidly frozen. Soften before serving by removing lid of microwaveable/freezer container. Place in microwave at 50% (medium) power for 10 to 20 secons, or just until soft enough to scoop easily. Scoop sorbet onto small pools of sauce; pass more sauce to pour over sorbet.

About 3 cups sorbet, 6 servings of 1/2 cup each