How to Make Sorbet

RASPBERRY SORBET

Sorbet is a beautiful and delicious alternative to ice cream or sherbet. It contains no dairy or eggs, so it's suitable for anyone with dietary restrictions. It's just like making ice cream, maybe easier, and your choice of ingredients is limited only by what fruits are in season or in your freezer. There are standard commercial varieties available, but you can have more fun making up your own non-standard flavors!

Things You'll Need

• 4 cups of fresh fruit (sliced strawberries or peeled peaches, raspberries, blueberries, nectarines, kiwi fruit, bananas, papayas, or mangoes...)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (to taste)

Instructions

How to Make Sorbet

1. Boil the water, sugar and salt together for five minutes to make a simple syrup. Chill.

2. Prepare your fresh fruit. Spray it with lemon juice, if necessary, to keep it from browning while you work.

3. Pulverize the fruit in a food processor or blender, mash it, or chop it finely. Run it through a sieve or colander if desired.

4. Combine the fruit puree with the simple syrup. Start with half the syrup and then taste as you go. You don't want the sweetness to overwhelm the fruit flavor. Add a bit of lemon juice to perk up the fruit flavor. Remember that frozen foods are harder for the mouth to taste, so you may want to exaggerate the flavors a bit.

5. If you are using an ice cream machine you'll need to chill the sweetened puree for several hours. If not, pour the puree into a lidded container and put it in the freezer.

6. If using an ice cream maker, follow your machine's instructions. If not, stir the freezing puree hourly to break up the large ice crystals. Freeze until it reaches the consistency you like.

Tips & Warnings

• Flavors are limited only by your imagination. Try adding some sliced fresh ginger to the boiling simple syrup, then using mangoes, peaches or apricots.

• Amaretto or almond extract is a classic with peaches. You can also add crushed amaretto cookies when you're ready to freeze.

• Try a little freshly ground black pepper or a touch of good balsamic vinegar with strawberries.

• The instructions will say to peel the fruit, but you may like the texture of leaving some of the skins on.

• You can also vary the texture while you are pureeing if you want a chunkier sorbet.

• Another amazing combination is blackberries with a little bit of Cabernet Sauvignon wine.

• An easy variation is sweetened coconut with canned coconut cream, simple syrup and fresh lime juice.

• Don't add too much alcohol or your sorbet won't freeze.

• Chill the puree thoroughly, even overnight, if you're using an ice cream maker.

• Stir the freezing puree regularly if you aren't using an ice cream maker.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish