Savoy Sorbet credits Nero for inventing the sorbet during the first century A.D., directing runners to carry buckets of ice down from the mountains to his banquet hall, where his cooks mixed the ice with honey and wine. Fine restaurants offer sorbet to cleanse your palate between courses. Sorbets are perfect alternatives to ice cream drinks if you are seeking low-fat alternatives to cold beverages. Sorbets contain no fat but are high in calories. Many recipes call for wine or alcohol to prevent the sorbet from freezing into a solid brick.
Step 1
Pour the water into a saucepan and add a cup of sugar, reserving 3 tsp. of sugar. Put the saucepan on high heat on your stovetop and bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 2
Reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to stand at room temperature for ten minutes. You may refrigerate this sugar water for later use, if necessary.
Step 3
Wash whole fruit. Remove any non-edible parts, like stems and cores. Slice large fruits into small pieces to facilitate processing.
Step 4
Place the fruit in a bowl. Sprinkle 1 tsp. sugar over the fruit and stir. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes at room temperature to macerate, or fully release, the strawberries' juices.
Step 5
Puree the fruit in a food processor, including all the sweetened juice at the bottom of the bowl. Blend until mixture is smooth.
Step 6
Strain the mixture through a colander over a large bowl, to remove any tiny seeds. Allow the mixture to sit for 15 minutes, occasionally squeezing the juices into the large bowl by pressing the fruit against the sides of the colander with a large spoon.
Step 7
Add about half of the last tsp. of sugar if your sorbet is too tart. Freezing will intensify the flavors -- stop adding sugar when your sorbet is nearly sweet enough.
Step 8
Add lemon juice if the fruit is too sweet or if you have added too much sugar. Add vodka at this point, if desired, to give the sorbet a smooth consistency without adding an alcohol flavor.
Step 9
Pour the mixture into a large container or ice cream mixer. Freeze the mixture and stir it every one to two hours to prevent the formation of large chunks.
Step 10
Keep the mixture frozen until you are ready to serve the sorbet. You can keep it in your freezer for up to three days, according to What's Cooking America.
Things You'll Need
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup plus 3 tsp. granulated white sugar
- 2 pints fresh or frozen fruit
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 to 3 tbsp. of vodka, if desired
- Colander
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