A Summers Treat

Do you know that feeling that when the first warm sunrays hit your skin you get the urge for everything summery and with that the craving for ice-cream? To make a good ice-cream you will need an ice-cream maker, but I think that a good sorbet does the trick as well, without having to invest in more machinery to clutter the kitchen. And my kitchen is full of this kind of equipment from a panini-maker to a heavy duty Kenwood Mixer. So to avoid having to spend more money and space on gadgets that I don't really need I started experimenting with Sorbets or maybe more correct Granitas.

A Sorbet doesn't contain Dairy and has a soft consistency. If you would add a couple of spoons of Mascarpone Cheese or Cream to your Sorbet Mixture you would convert it into a Sherbet. It can be eaten as a Dessert, as a palate refresher between courses or simply as a treat on a hot summers day. But don't restrict yourself to that. Sorbets don't have to be sweet, you could even make more savoury ones. Strawberry and Black Pepper, Spiced Pineapple and I have even heard of Asparagus Sorbet. But I will be experimenting with those another time and let you know how I got on.

The reason I said that the word Granita would be more correct is that the frozen mixture will be grainier than when you would make the Sorbet in an Ice-cream Maker. It depends on how often you break it up, basically every 45 minutes to an hour and what ingredients you use.

You can make really basic Sorbets. Use equal quantities of Water, Sugar and for example Lemon or Lime Juice. But make sure that you taste the mixture before it goes into the Freezer. The Sorbet will turn out less sweet than when it went in, so keep in mind that the mixture should be a bit sweeter than you want it. You have to experiment with it till you get the tartness or sweetness you like.

Lime Sorbet

7 floz. (200ml) Water
7 oz. (200gr) Sugar
7 floz. (200ml) Lime Juice
Zest of 1 Lime (optional)

Put a Metal or Glass container that you plan to freeze the Sorbet in in the Freezer to get a headstart on the freezing.

Bring the Water with the Sugar to a boil and let it simmer for 5 minutes untill all the Sugar has dissolved. Let this cool for 10-15 minutes so the mixture won't be too hot going into the Freezer as this will cause unnecessary condensation and rise in temperature inside the Freezer. After it has cooled a bit add the Lime Juice and the zest when using. I tend to use the Zest only if I am using Organic Limes but you could give conventional grown ones a good scrub, the Zest will give it an extra Punch.

Put this in your pre-cooled container and put it back into the Freezer. Use a Fork to break up the Mixture every 45 minutes to an hour for about 3-4 hours. And at this stage, if you have managed not to try the Sorbet every time you look at it, you can take your first spoonfull. The Sorbet will harden the longer it's in the Freezer and form Ice Chrystals so cover it with Cling Film (Plastic Wrap) after you are done with the breaking up. It should be eaten within 1-2 days, although it will keep longer but it can get a bit icier. Take the Sorbet out before serving to soften it up a bit. If it is too icy run it through a Foodprocessor to break it up and call it a Granita.

Coconut and Chocolate Sorbet

7 floz. (200ml) Water
7 oz. Sugar (200gr)
7 floz. (200ml) Coconut Milk or more to taste (I use a full can, not great for the Cholesterol though)
1.5 oz (30gr) Dark Chocolate, broken up in chunks

Put a Glass or Metal Bowl in the Freezer.
Bring the Water and Sugar to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, let cool.
Add the Coconut Milk and taste the mixture, add more Milk if needed.
Put it in the Container and freeze.
After 1 hour break up the mixture and add the Chocolate. Freeze.
Break up the mixture every 45-60 minutes till desired consistency.

Experiment with the Basic Recipe. Use Lemon Juice, Fruit Puree or Espresso instead of the Lime. Try adding Spices like Star Anise, Black Pepper or Dried Chilli Flakes to your Fruit Puree. You could use Fresh, Frozen or canned Fruits. Try adding your favourite Chocolate Bar or chopped up Dried Fruit. Why not add a couple of spoons of Mascarpone Cheese for added fizz to make a Sherbet. Cooking is all about experimenting with the flavours you like. If it doesn't work out, throw it out and try again.

Technorati: Sorbet, Sherbet, Granita, Icecream Maker, Lime, Lemon, Coconut Milk, Chocolate, Mascarpone

Comments

[Podchef]

A bit of vodka in the mix--or any alcohol--can help reduce the chance of everything freezing too solid. That way, if a particular mix is too sweet, you can cut back on the sugar--which also helps keep a sorbet soft when frozen. And the added flavor can create some amazing mixes.