Cooking in the CLG: Homemade Sorbet

One of the most successful snacks we tried this summer was our homemade sorbet. Although there are other methods for making this dessert, we used ice cream balls to "churn" the fruit mixtures into sorbet. If you have a blender or food processor, feel free to use these to puree and blend the mixture prior to churning. Keep in mind that the more fruit you add, the chunkier your sorbet will be; the more liquid, the smoother it will be. The options are limitless as far as flavor and ingredient combinations, but here's what we tried out this summer:


Fresh produce (select one or more fruits):

• strawberries, diced
• raspberries
• blackberries
• watermelon, diced
  
• cantaloupe, diced
• peaches, diced
• nectarines, diced
  
• mint, chopped (optional)

Essential Extras:

• water or fruit juice
• liquid sweetener (maple syrup, agave nectar, honey, or simple syrup)
• lemon juice

And for the ice cream balls (not to be consumed):

• lots of ice
• rock salt

How to Make It:

Wash and chop all produce as instructed. In a bowl, mash fruit with a fork until pureed. Add your preferred sweetener, water or juice, and a splash of lemon juice to the pureed fruit. Blend well and pour into the metal container of the ice cream ball (the mixture should reach about an inch below the rim of the metal container in the ice cream ball; add more water or juice, if needed). Seal tightly!

Flip over the ice cream ball and add ice until the ball is about 2/3 full with ice. Sprinkle in a couple tablespoons of rock salt* and tighten the lid. Shake the balls continuously for at least 10 minutes or until sorbet becomes solid.

Enjoy alone or with toppings of your preference!

*The rock salt is required to melt the ice but keep the water at freezing (32 degrees F) so that the sorbet will congeal (change from liquid to solid).

Other flavor/ingredient ideas to try at home:

• coconut milk or flakes
• banana, mango, papaya, kiwi, or another exotic fruit
• chocolate (pieces or cocoa powder)
  
• mocha (chocolate and coffee/espresso)
• citrus (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit)

Shake it!

Media (text and image) created and published by Rebekah Carter 2010.