Light, refreshing and perfect for summer, this quick sorbet is simple and delicious. It also doesn’t have any of the weird ingredients or stabilizers that many of the store-bought brands have. Its also a great project to do with your kids and keep them busy for a an hour or so (much needed this time of year I bet). So drag out that ice cream machine that has been collecting dust and get going. Please not that you may have the type of machine that requires that the container be frozen is advance (typically at least 12 hours- plan ahead).
There are many variations that you can do like changing out the fruit for something else that is ripe and fantastically in season. You can event get a little wild and use basil instead of mint or even exchange a bit of the puree for some coconut milk to make a vegan sherbet. I would recommend increasing the simple syrup by 1/4 so it stays smooth as it freezes. The sweet content is partially what keeps the consistency for being too icy so don’t try and substitute the simple syrup for stevia- it will fail. You can perhaps try some maple syrup but you will have to tinker with the ratio as it is a strong flavor. The other component that makes the consistency smooth is the rate at which the minute freezes- but the fast machines have freon built in and cost hundreds to thousand of bucks. Unless you are a serious ice cream or sorbet maker- the simple ones will probably do!
Strawberry Mint Sorbet
INGREDIENTS:
2 pints fresh strawberries (1-1/2 pounds), tops removed
1-1/4 cup simple syrup (recipe follows)
1/2 packed cup fresh mint leaves
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Makes 1 quart
DIRECTIONS:
Purée the strawberries in a blender with the simple syrup until very smooth. Add the mint and lemon juice and pulse until the mint is broken down into tiny flecks. Transfer to an ice-cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Simple Syrup
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons organic cane sugar
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons filtered water
Makes 1-1/4 cup
Combine in a sauce pan and gently warm until all the sugar has been dissolved.
Tips & Notes~
If you would like to remove the strawberry seeds you can strain the mixture before blending in the mint.
This recipe works well with raspberries or blackberries also but you will certainly want to strain!
