Come summertime, we love taking advantage of the sweet and tart goodness of berries. That’s why we are berry excited to partner with Sara Forte of Sprouted Kitchen to share tips, insights and her favorite recipes using berries.
With summer desserts, sometimes simpler is better. And when you have a refrigerator full of fresh seasonal berries, DIY sorbet is the perfect choice.
Because it does not require a custard-making step, sorbet is an easier and lighter alternative to homemade ice cream (though we love that, too). Ice cream usually begins with tempering egg yolks, sugar and cream, while a sorbet is a quick blend, strain and freeze. And the best part? You don’t even need to have an ice cream maker — a loaf pan and a whisk will do the trick.
The herb flavor here is ever-so-subtle, as you only want essence of herbs with your sweet treat. If blueberries are not your favorite, try strawberry with tarragon or a mix of blueberries, strawberries and blackberries with fresh mint. Basil is considered a “sweet” herb, so with most other berry options you will use only half the yield of herbs. If your berries are not very sweet, go ahead and add a couple extra tablespoons of sugar to compensate.
The sorbet will freeze fairly firm because fruit contains mostly water. Because alcohol does not freeze, it helps the mixture stay scoop-able once left out of the freezer for a couple minutes. Use vodka if you don’t want any flavor, or gin if you like its herbal notes. You will want to enjoy this within about three days, or the flavor begins to fade and the texture can become grainier.
Live.Love.Lux Tip: Take control over your warming sugar with the precision heat and temperature control of the Electrolux induction range.