Make sorbet your favorite summer treat
By wyanjen
Sorbet is by far the easiest frozen dessert to make in your own kitchen. Ancient recipes used honey, fruit, and snow. Now-a-days, we don’t have to wait for cold weather to get our ice, and because the freshest fruit is available in the summer, we are clearly at a sorbet advantage.
Sherbet has a little bit of dairy in it, so it’s texture is similar to ice cream. Sorbet has no dairy; it’s main component is water, so its texture is more dense. There are recipes that use alcohol (like wine, or even beer!) You can also find recipes for flavors like vanilla and chocolate.
But for the very best sorbet, you can’t beat a batch made in your own kitchen with your favorite fruit.
Sorbet is fat-free, guilt-free, and kid friendly
Take advantage of fresh summer fruit and make a delicious, healthy, refreshing treat. Any fruit will make a great tasting sorbet. There are so few ingredients that the recipes are extremely flexible; it’s just about impossible to make a bad batch.
Ice cream is made by churning air into a dairy based mix. Because they don’t have any dairy, sorbets don’t take in air when they are frozen. The dense texture makes the concentrated flavors very intense.
People with lactose intolerance find that sorbet is a perfect substitute for ice cream. It can also be made with very little sugar, so it is great for a healthy snack or a light after-dinner dessert.
How to make the best sorbet
Fruit’s flavor can vary wildly, depending on how ripe it is. The best method for making sorbet is to taste as you go. Remember that the flavor will be more intense after it is frozen.
Start with a very small amount of sugar, and add gradually. Use lemon juice if it needs a little acidity to balance the sweetness. It will take a few experimental batches to fine tune your recipes.
That’s not to say your experimental batches won’t be awesome on their own!
Fresh Lemon Sorbet Recipe
SHOP:
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 cups water
COOK:
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and the water.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; then simmer, without stirring, over low heat until the sugar dissolves. This will take 3-5 minutes.
Put the syrup in the fridge until it is completely cooled. When it is chilled, add the lemon juice and zest.
Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Makes 10 1/2 cup servings.
 | Amazon Price: $7.80 List Price: $10.99 |
 | Amazon Price: $7.58 List Price: $19.95 |
 | Amazon Price: $15.82 List Price: $24.99 |
Amazing Earl Grey Sorbet Recipe
SHOP:
- 2 cups sugar
- 12 Earl Grey teabags
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 4 1/4 cups cold water
COOK:
Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; simmer without stirring over low heat, until the sugar dissolves. This will take 3-5 minutes.
Add the tea bags and steep for 15 minutes. Then remove the tea bags, squeeze them, and discard them.
Let the mixture come to room temperature, and then stir in the lemon juice. Chill in the fridge for 6 hours or longer.
Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Makes 10 1/2 cup servings.
Alcohol won’t freeze when you use it in your mix; this gives the sorbet a smoother feel. Vodka will not add any flavor to the mix. Rum makes a great compliment to many fruits.
Ben & Jerry’s® Fresh Raspberry Sorbet Recipe
SHOP:
- 3/4 pound fresh raspberries
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 cup dry red wine
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup cold water
COOK:
In a mixing bowl, combine the berries, sugar and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
When you’re ready to freeze, add the red wine, corn syrup, and water. Stir gently until the mixture is fully blended.
Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Makes 1 quart.
Take it to the next step!
Put 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of water into a blender. Add 1 cup + 2 tablespoons of your favorite sorbet. Blend it up to make a home made slushie.
For a creamier slushie, blend 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, and 1 cup of sorbet.
Watermelon Sorbet Recipe
This recipe can be made without an ice cream machine:
SHOP:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 cups watermelon chunks
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup water
COOK:
Bring the the water and sugar to a boil small saucepan. Once it’s boiling, lower the heat and give it a low simmer for 5 minutes. Put the mix into an 8-inch baking pan. (A glass pan is best.)
With a blender or food processor, puree the watermelon chunks. Strain the puree into a large bowl. Stir 2 cups of the watermelon juice into the sugar syrup and then add the lemon juice.
Put the pan into the freezer and let it sit for 1 hour. Then, stir with a wooden spoon and allow it to freeze for another 45 minutes. Repeat this process again, and then allow the sorbet to freeze all the way through (another couple hours or so).
When it’s ready, thaw it slightly and transfer it to a chilled blender. Pulse the it until the ice is slushy, scraping down the sides from time to time. Serve the sorbet in chilled bowls. (Serves 6)
*Sorbet made without an ice cream machine will thaw very quickly; serve immediately.
 | Amazon Price: $7.70 List Price: $15.95 |
 | Amazon Price: $110.78 List Price: $16.95 |
 | Amazon Price: $4.99 List Price: $11.99 |
© 2010 wyanjen at HubPages
Make sorbet your favorite summer treat
Recently published by wyanjen:
- Chip away debt with interest free credit cards
You’ve trimmed the fat from your budget and prioritized your payments... now it’s time to take advantage of a great financial tool: interest free credit cards. Skip down to the Credit Card Quiz and test your savvy! By transferring the... - 16 months ago
- How to make a gingerbread house | Gingerbread recipe
What better way to savor the holiday spirit than to build a Gingerbread House? Here are recipes, instructions, gingerbread house pictures, and a how-to video. - 18 months ago
- A quick and easy guide to basic flour
Flour has been feeding us for centuries. Cake flour, bread flour, and all purpose flour are all made from wheat, but they each have a different protein content. This is why each type bakes up differently. - 24 months ago
Comments
Hi :)
You don't even need an ice cream machine to do it, although the quality is much better if you do use one.
I wish sorbet had a better name. It's all fine and fancy for an elegant evening dinner affair, but for the regular every day, it should have a nick-name. Something that sounds a little bit less French... lol
Stay tuned for Ice Cream, the Sequel: Frozen Yogurt!
Hi Jen.Think I deleted your e mail but I'm not sure.I hit Save and it disappear,now I cant find it[I really am computer retarded lol],would like help on photos when I return from this years trip with Nomad if thats cool.she's getting upgrades now.
btw,gonna try the watermelon recipe tonight,let you know the results...or disaster lol.
Thanks my friend
Dean
Okey dokey Dean
Let me know when you're ready. My e-mail is on my profile page.
Take it easy & have some fun
wow I had no idea that making sorbet was so simple, thanks for the great recipes.
Ben & Jerry's has a recipe for beer sorbet.
HA HA HA
I do like a beer now and then, maybe six a year total but beer sorbet, think I'll pass on that one lol.
Sound yummy, thank you for sharing Wyanjen :)
You're very welcome :)
wyanjen, love the Earl Grey idea. My fav tea.
great hubs.
odd because i haven't used a cooked ice-cream recipe in ages. almost forgot the old techniques.
thanks again.
Thanks Twenty One-
Earl Grey is the only tea I drink. It's the best :D
I tend to use the cooked mixes because for me, the quality is a lot more consistent. That might only be because I am paying close attention, what with the stove being hot. HA. Otherwise I can get a little careless with the recipes.
Thanks for stopping over!
Hi Jen. Lovely, lovely Hub.
I thought it was a nifty idea to try and make a dessert from Earl Grey tea so I got started on your recipe right away. I got as far as adding the 12 teabags when I lost my concentration. I came back an hour or so later to find a small trace of dark liquid in the bottom of the pan along with 12 dry, hardened teabags.
After recovering from the disappointment of my culinary failure, I decided I might as well have a cup of tea. There was just enough liquid to fill my mug.
One sip was all it took. I'm sailing on a caffeine high that will likely last for days. Great sorbet, I say. Great sorbet!
Espresso-Style Earl Grey! Brilliant!
You call Tim Horton's, I'll call Dunkin Donut's. We'll be dominating the entire North American continent. kaCHING
--hey, climb down from that wall. You need to mellow out there, Mr. Grey. Stop skittering around and try to blink your eyes every now and then. Sheesh. You can't handle your Grey, can you?
Well, looky here! I already got a response for the patent request - they say the "ES-EG" sold in Canada will have a higher caffeine content than what we can sell in the states. Stupid caffeine content laws....
One of these days you'll hear the story of how my ex failed to mention that all beer is NOT created equal. He had himself a good laugh at an Ontario bar. I think I said something to the effect of "You mean Molson is not Molson?" just as I stumbled to the floor. :D
Dang, not only does this set off a terrific craving for sorbet, but for summer. I'm SO over the winter weather here. Anyway, I love sorbet. I've never tried to make it at home, but it looks quite easy. I think the lemon one sounds unbelievable. Whodathunk of earl grey sorbet? I'll bet it's fabulous. Hope you're well, Jen!
I have a fresh appreciation for the pain of Jerry Lee Lewis. "What made Wyandotte famous has made a fool out of me..."
(I loved your Molson story! Steady as she goes, girlfriend; it's only 2% extra. A couple more tries and you'll have it all under control!)
My mouth is watering right now for some fresh berries. I eat them like candy, until I get a tummy ache. HA
I will be doing a watermelon sorbet SAP. It seems like a great candidate for a little splash of rum ;)
Thanks for the thought, I am doing well actually. Longer days and brighter sunshine maybe?
It's always a pleasure to get a visit from an award winning hubber. Keep on smilin' ws!!!!
OK niter. I did have to google that one.. LMAO very funny. ;) Ahhh, you know how to treat a girl right. It's the laughter!
Yes, it is only 2%. But the mugs were also a little bigger, and at that time, it cost less too. So my usual consumption indicators failed me. I was just flat out, undeniably, irrefutably over-served.
:D
jen- sorbet is just about my favorite desert. And now Spring is here (well almost though here in NY it def feels like it today) Ijust cant wait to try some of these. I hope it is as easy as you make it seem! Results to follow! Thanks for sharing this one!!
Shari
Yes! I can say from experience... even bad sorbet is good sorbet. I had trouble with my freezer once, it wasn't cold enough. So my attempted sorbet became a truly awesome ice cream topping. :D
The fresher the fruit, the better the sorbet!
Thanks Shari, and have fun with it
Thanks I love the watermelon sorbet and I agree that sorbets in summer is a very good idea. I am going to try the lemon sorbet idea as well, it should be very tasty. I think it is more or less like the lemon 'ice' they give you between courses in restaurants to clear your palate.
It does clear your palate :)
It's a fresh and bright flavor. Perfect for a steamy hot day.
Thanks for stopping by!
wyanjen hi, this made my mouth water so i'm going to try it.. this time of year is great for cold and healthy treats.
I've been known to eat berries until my tummy aches. LOL I love fresh summer fruit. It hardly seems healthy to me! It's better than candy, how can it be good for you? hee hee
qwark 2 years ago
Hey Wyan:
Sounds pretty easy.
I might give it a shot.
I make my own yogurt with a variety of fruits.
I use no-fat milk of course...
Have a great day. :-)