This week I decided to try
something new: a sorbet! Specifically, a
Raspberry Lemon Sorbet. Yum!
A sorbet, in case you didn’t know
(and I didn’t before I attempted this) is made from water, sugar, and flavoring
(usually fruit). It’s gluten-free and
vegan-safe, and it’s quite a bit healthier than ice cream (No dairy!). Also, if you buy the flavoring in season, it
can be really, really cheap. And did I
mention that it’s delicious and oh-so-refreshing? Because it absolutely it.
Sorbet also seems to be pretty
forgiving if you’re following a recipe though there are a few things you should
know to get the best sorbet possible.
Understanding which fruits make the creamiest sorbets is important as is
nailing a general rule of thumb for sugar-to-fruit ratios, but, instead of
paraphrasing what I learned, I’m just going to direct you to this
awesome article entitled “The Science of the Best Sorbet.” It’s incredibly helpful and tells you just
about everything you need to know about sorbets from the best fruits to use to
the importance of corn syrup and the use of alcohol and cooking the fruit. I fully plan on referencing it in my next
sorbet attempt.
Because there will be another
sorbet attempt. I forgot how delicious
sorbet could be and how it really hits the spot when you’re looking for a sweet
that isn’t too heavy on the stomach. The
recipe I used, which more or less can be found here,
was tart but sweet and melted easily on the tongue, leaving you wanting
more. The color was a gorgeous, shocking
red-pink, and the smell was a perfect balance of raspberry and lemon. My only possible complaint is that it wasn’t
quite as firm as I would like. Next
time, I think I’ll add a little corn syrup to the recipe to set it a little
nicer – if only so that it plates better.
Below is my modified recipe for Raspberry
Lemon Sorbet.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 cups raspberry (I used fresh but frozen works too)
- ¼ cup lemon juice + 2 dashes (or to taste)
Directions
- In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a gentle boil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, then turn off the heat and let it cool.
- Place raspberries in a blender and blend until smooth. Add lemon juice and blend until well incorporated.
- Push the raspberry-lemon puree through a fine-mesh sieve and into a large mixing bowl (You want as few seeds as possible.).
- Add the sugar water to the raspberry-lemon puree and mix well.
- Cover and put the base in the fridge until very cool – at least 2 hours.
- Once chilled, pour the base into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Once churned, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm – at least 4 hours (Your sorbet may end up very hard – it is only fruit, water, and sugar. If so, take out of the freezer about five minutes before serving to thaw a little.).
And that’s it! Sorbets really do seem very easy. The hardest part seems to be finding a good
recipe and/or understanding a fruit’s chemical make-up well enough to predict
how the sorbet will set (which I guess might not be easy for anyone that doesn’t
read that article I linked to).
This sorbet was absolutely delicious
and a wonderful combination of tart and sweet.
The lemon juice really enhanced the raspberries’ natural coloring and
paired well with a flavor that can sometimes be a bit too subtle. I think this sorbet would go really well with
vanilla ice cream, and I have a ton of ideas on how to enhance it – making a
vanilla swirl, putting it in push-pop containers, and making popsicles to name
a few. This is going to be a good
summer.
Overview
- Base prep time: 15 – 30 minutes
- Base chill time: at least 2 hours
- Sorbet set time: at least 4 hours
- Taste: tart and sweet with a perfect balance of raspberry and lemon flavors; a beautiful color but only medium firmness
- Difficulty level: low
- Expense level: low
- Makes: approximately 6 cups
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