10 Sorbet recipes – how to prepare a delightful summer fruit dessert

Sorbet recipes are numerous. This is the perfect treat for the summer heat. Light, airy and cool, it literally melts in your mouth, leaving a delicate, natural, but bright taste. What is sorbet? What is the difference between sorbet, sherbet and ice cream? How to make sorbet at home?

What is the difference between ice cream and sorbet? Sorbet is made from natural juices or puree of fruits and berries. This mixture does not include cream, which makes the dessert less nutritious than ice cream. Sorbet contains about 70% water and vitamins from fruits. Ice cream is made from cream, egg yolks, and is far more nutritious.

Sorbet is one of the lowest-calorie and healthiest ice cream options, with a lot of vitamins and no fat. Homemade sorbet can be made from frozen fruits and berries, adding a little lemon juice. In this case, you do not need sugar – if you wish, you can add a drop of honey or other sweetener to the treat.

Many people make a mistake thinking that sherbet and sorbet are the same thing. Sherbet is not the same as sorbet. The difference between these two types of frozen desserts is that sorbet does not contain dairy, while sherbet contains a little cream or milk which gives it a richer and creamier texture. You could say that sherbet is a cross between ice cream and sorbet.

What is the origin of sorbet? If we turn to history, then we can say that sorbet appeared much earlier than classic ice cream. Historically, sorbets were the first ice-cold desserts. The Chinese, the first inventors of sorbets, introduced them to Persians and Arabs. This is the first dessert to be served cold.

How to prepare sorbet?

Thanks to the rich fruit content and the lack of added sugar, fruit or berry sorbet not only does not contain fats and carbohydrates, but also offers a large amount of vitamins and microelements. Additional benefits are provided by a variety of added spices. They improve metabolism and awaken appetite. Sorbet recipes contain natural juices or puree of fruits or berries, light alcoholic drinks, and other natural additives. According to the rules, sorbet is served in a variety of bowls or tall glasses. It can be served between meals or as a light and invigorating dessert.

There are several ways to prepare sorbet. The simplest one is to put fruit or berry puree in a freezer dish and freeze it for about 3 hours. To make the sorbet homogeneous, you need to stir it several times during the freezing process.

The golden rule for making a delicious flavorful sorbet is to use the best, most fragrant and ripe fruits that you can find. Berries are rich in pectin while mangoes, pears, and bananas are rich in fiber. Pectin and fiber act as thickeners which gives you a creamy consistency.

Sugar quantity matters greatly. Of course, it will depend on the type of fruit you have chosen. Some fruits are sweeter than others. Strawberries needs less added sugar than lemon yet factors like season, ripeness, etc. affect the sugar content in the fruits themselves. The rule of thumb is four cups fruit purée to one cup sugar.

What is the role of alcohol in sorbet recipes? Alcoholic sorbets are quite popular summer desserts. The amount of alcohol varies but its role is to reduce the freezing point of the sorbet and make it softer and easier to scoop. The more alcohol you add, the softer the sorbet gets, so make sure you do not get carried away.

Eating sorbet in hot weather has a particularly beneficial effect on the body as it perfectly cools and gives a feeling of freshness. Due to the wide variety of sorbet recipes, everyone can easily find the perfect taste for themselves. This is especially important for those who follow a healthy diet and avoid ice cream. Sorbet is also ideal for dairy allergy sufferers, vegetarians and vegans. Sorbet is a truly unique delicacy and you should definitely try it!

It is best if you use an ice cream machine to churn your sorbet until it has a milkshake consistency. Technically, there is no need to churn it, but this process guarantees a creamy and smooth texture. The goal is to avoid big ice crystals that ruin the texture and make the sorbet grainy. If you do not have an ice cream machine then you should pour the sorbet into a container and freeze it for 2 hours. Then transfer it into a food processor, pulse, and pour back into the container. Freeze for another 2 hours and then pulse in the food processor again. Return to the container and freeze until firm – at least 8 hours or overnight.

Before serving, you need to allow your sorbet soften for a white. When taken out of the freezer, it is hard and not easy to scoop. Just allow ten minutes or so on the counter to soften up.

Strawberry Sorbet Recipe

Ingredients:

• 24 ounces strawberries
• 12 ounces water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:

In a small saucepan, simmer sugar and water, until the sugar dissolves; allow simple syrup to cool.

Wash and hull strawberries then place in food processor with the water. Blend until smooth puree. Pour into a sieve placed over a large bowl and press the purée through the sieve to get as much of the juice as you can.

Add the cooled simple syrup and stir.

Pour into container with lid and refrigerate until completely cool or pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Before serving, let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to allow it to soften, then scoop sorbet into glasses.

How To Make Raspberry Sorbet

Ingredients:

• 175g granulated sugar
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 450g raspberries

Instructions:

Add the sugar to a pan with 250ml water. Cook gently over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Pour the syrup into a jug and stir in the lemon juice. Set aside to cool completely.

Put the raspberries in food processor and pulse until smooth. Pour into a sieve placed over a large bowl and press the purée through the sieve to get as much of the juice as you can.

Add the cooled syrup to the raspberry puree and mix well.

Pour the mixture into a freezer-proof container and freeze for 2 hrs.

Remove from the freezer and use a fork to break up any ice crystals so that the mixture is smooth. Freeze for another 2 hours, then break up the crystals again. You can repeat this -3 times more every hour until the sorbet is fully set.

Remove from the freezer 10-15 minutes before serving to allow it to soften slightly and scoop into glasses or bowls.

Serve immediately.

Blueberry Sorbet Recipe

Ingredients:

• 5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, rinsed, stems removed
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• Pinch salt
• Fresh blueberries and sprigs of mint for garnish

Instructions:

Place the blueberries, sugar, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt into a blender and blend for a couple of minutes until smooth.

Place a sieve over a large bowl and press the mixture through the sieve.

Chill the mixture for at least an hour in the fridge. Then process following the directions of your ice cream maker.

Serve with a few fresh blueberries and a sprig of mint.

Watermelon Sorbet Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups granulated white sugar
• 1½ cups water
• 6 cups cubed seedless watermelon
• ½ cup white grape juice
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions:

Bring the sugar and water to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Process the watermelon in food processor until smooth. Pour the watermelon puree through a fine sieve into a bowl.

Combine the sugar syrup, watermelon juice, grape juice and lemon juice in a covered container. Let chill at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Pour the mixture into the container of ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Serve immediately, or place into an airtight container and store in the freezer.

Honeydew Melon Fruit Sorbet Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 honeydew melon
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup coconut water

Instructions:

Peel and cut the melon into cubes. Place onto a cookie sheet and freeze for at least 5 hours.

Place the frozen melon chunks into a food processor or blender and add the honey, lemon juice, and coconut water. Blend until smooth.

Pour the blended melon into a loaf pan and freeze for another 5 hours.

Mango Sorbet Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (454g) mango flesh
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime or lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• ⅓ cup sugar
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

Puree mango.

Add lime, water, sugar, and salt and process until very smooth and sugar dissolves.

Taste and adjust sugar, lime, and salt as necessary.

Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a refrigerator safe bowl.

Refrigerate until well chilled.

Churn in ice cream machine until thick.

Put in freezer safe bowl and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.

Before serving, let rest on counter a few minutes before scooping.

Raspberry Coconut and Mango Sorbet Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cubed mango
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp lime juice

Instructions:

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and process until creamy and smooth.

Transfer to a mixing bowl and cover. Refrigerate overnight or for a minimum of 3-4 hours.

Add the chilled mixture to ice cream churning bowl and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Transfer to a freezer-safe container, cover securely and freeze for 4-6 hours, or until firm.

Let thaw at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving to soften.

Margarita sorbet

Ingredients:

• 1-1⁄2 cups tequila
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1⁄2 cup Triple Sec
• 1 cups water
• 1 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

In a large saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the lime juice, tequila, and triple sec.

Refrigerate until cold.

Pour the chilled mixture into an ice-cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Prosecco and tangerine sorbet recipe

Ingredients:

• 225g caster sugar
• 225ml (8oz) water
• 320ml prosecco
• 320ml (11fl oz) tangerine juice
• 2 tangerines or clementines, zested
• ½ tsp orange blossom water
• 300g (10oz) berries, defrosted

Instructions:

In a large saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat and boil for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool.

Strain the tangerine juice through a sieve and pour this into the syrup along with the prosecco, orange blossom water and tangerine zest, mixing well to blend.

Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. Pour the mixture into a freezable container and cover tightly with a lid. Freeze until firm – at least 8 hours or overnight.

Remove the sorbet from the freezer 5-10 minutes before serving to soften, scoop into balls and divide among bowls or glasses.

Serve immediately, garnished with berries and mint sprigs.

Gin and Tonic Sorbet

Ingredients:

• 12oz (350g) Caster sugar
• 4 tbsp Gin
• 1 Lime, finely grated zest and juice
• 1 Lemon, finely grated zest and juice
• 500ml bottle Tonic water
• Lemon and lime zest and slices to serve

Instructions:

In a saucepan, make simple syrup by heating water and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Take off heat and add lime zest and juice. Let cool.

Once cooled, add tonic water and gin. Taste it and make any adjustments according to taste.

Let everything cool in the refrigerator, then strain into the bowl of your ice cream machine. Follow your machine’s directions to freeze the sorbet.

Store in a freezer-proof container in the freezer to allow it to harden some more.

Serve in glasses garnished with more lime zest and thin little slices of lime.

Pineapple and Tequila Sorbet Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds peeled, cored, and cut pineapple
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, preferably Aleppo chili powder
• ¼ cup tequila
• Juice of one lime

Instructions:

Place pineapple in a blender and process until smooth.

Warm water, sugar and Aleppo chili powder in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.

Add the syrup and salt to pineapple puree and blend until well combined.

Transfer to a large bowl and stir in tequila and lime juice. Season to taste with additional salt.

Cover the bowl and chill the sorbet base for at least 3 to 4 hours, or until very cold.

Freeze sorbet in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Transfer sorbet to an airtight container and chill in the freezer for two to three hours.

To serve, scoop sorbet in small bowls or glasses and sprinkle with chili powder or lime zest.