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Quick & EasyBy Beverly Barbour
Tart and sassy sorbetsPopping frozen grapes and frozen bananas was the way we cooled off during the summer when we were children, with an ice cream cone thrown in now and then. Popsicles were never seen at our house and considered a waste of money, as they were "just flavored water." Flavored water was also a waste of calories and hard on the teeth, went the ancient wisdom. Obviously, our Mom didn't know about sorbets. Sorbets are frozen fruit--mushed up fruit, that is. At its simplest, making sorbet is nothing more than pureeing fruit (very easy in a food processor or food mill), adding sugar, water and lime or lemon juice; then freezing. The freezing is most easily done in an ice cream maker. Making sorbets is less time consuming than making ice cream and sorbets don't have as many calories. My mother would have approved their low fat content and so do doctors and dieters. Using an artificial sweetener isn't worth the trouble because the type available to the home cook leaves the sorbet icy. Too much sugar in a sorbet prevents the fruit mixture from freezing properly. Sorbets can be scooped straight from the ice cream maker, but will harden after several hours in the freezer. I like to soften a pint of sorbet about 30 minutes in the refrigerator, or 5 to 10 minutes on the counter, before using the scoop. Forget about adding heavy ingredients like nuts, candy and crumbled cookies--they overwhelm the sorbet. But you can add leafy herbs like tarragon and basil at the last minute. Wine, spirits or liqueur add flavor but keep sorbet from freezing solid. Like antifreeze in a car, alcohol and sugar lower the freezing point of the mixture. But alcohol can help soften the texture without adding unwanted sugar. It's another one of those dammed if you do and dammed if you don't conundrums. Tips for succesful sorbet making:1. If your sorbet is too soft and doesn't set well, there is too much alcohol or sugar in the mixture. Let it melt, add more fruit puree, juice or water and refreeze. 2. If your sorbet comes out too icy, add more sugar or a little alcohol. A spoonful of strained fruit preserves or jam can improve the texture and flavor. 3. To soften fleshy fruit like strawberries, grapes, blackberries, so they release more juice and flavor, slice or crush and then macerate with a tablespoon or two of sugar before pureeing. 4. By adding cream, milk, sour cream, yogurt or buttermilk you can turn a puree into a tasty sherbet. 5. The simple syrup you make for the sorbet recipes can be kept several months as soon as it is boiled for a few minutes, and then refrigerated. Mix any extra chilled syrup to beverages for great lemonade, ice tea or mixed drinks. Ruby Red Grapefruit & Rosemary SorbetSqueeze fresh grapefruit juice or buy a carton. Either will do. Syrup Fruit Syrup--Make by bringing the ingredients to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and steep about 15 minutes, more if you want a stronger rosemary flavor. Strain the syrup and refrigerate the clear syrup. Makes 1 1/4 cups. Fruit--Combine 3/4 cup of the chilled syrup with grapefruit juice and sugar. For a sweeter sorbet, add more of the syrup. For a less intense flavor, add l/4 cup water. Process in an ice cream maker. If adding thyme or mint, mince at the last minute, then add during the last few minutes of processing the sorbet. Makes 3 cups. Watermelon SorbetThis light pink sorbet has a mild watermelon flavor; cinnamon sparks it up a bit. Using cinnamon sticks you won't have specks of cinnamon sprinkled through the sorbet, but you can use ground cinnamon to save money. Start with about 1/2 teaspoon and taste the mixture until you find the quantity you like. The flavor will intensify so under use the first time. Syrup Fruit Syrup--Make the syrup by bringing the water, sugar, corn syrup, cinnamon, star anise and peppercorns to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Reduce the heat and simmer 10 minutes. Set aside the saucepan and let steep until cool. Strain the syrup, discarding spices, and refrigerate until chilled. Makes 1 1/4 cups syrup. Fruit--Puree watermelon in batches, then refrigerate until well chilled. Combine all of the syrup with the watermelon and lime juice (vodka, too, if using). Process mixture in an ice cream maker. If adding mint, mince at the last minute. Incorporate either mint or pepper during the last few minutes of processing. Makes 5 cups. Kiwi-Ginger SorbetThis dense, intense sorbet can be scooped directly from the freezer. For a lighter sorbet add 1/2cup water before freezing. Syrup Fruit Syrup--Make the syrup by bringing the water, sugar, corn syrup and ginger to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside until cool, about 45 minutes. Strain the syrup (discard ginger) and refrigerate until chilled. Makes l l/4 cups syrup. Fruit--Cut the kiwis in half and scoop out the flesh into a food processor. Process until pureed, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Combine half of the chilled syrup with chilled puree. Add remaining syrup to taste or keep for another use. Process in ice cream maker. If adding basil mince at the last minute, then incorporate as the mixture thickens during the last few minutes of processing. Makes 3 cups. Ice cream without the cream = an adult dessert!
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