Strawberry Lavender Sorbet
Strawberry Lavender Sorbet
If you are looking for a versatile dessert, sorbets are a great option. Almost any fruit can be used, and you can sweeten, or not, to suit your own taste. Sorbets can be served on their own, with cake, or drizzled with chocolate sauce. I sometimes add a scoop of sorbet to a glass of lemonade or ice tea on a hot day. So refreshing. I sometimes combine a couple of fruits in one sorbet.
I made this strawberry sorbet the other day. I decided to add a little something extra, so I included some lavender syrup. It came out just wonderful.
You can make the sorbet in an ice cream machine, if you have one, but you don’t need to. I don’t. It really is simple. As an added bonus, once your sorbet is made, you have it on hand whenever you need a dessert. The secret is to blend the sorbet a couple of times after it is frozen. Each time, the sorbet gets smoother and creamier. I use my food processor.
So here is the recipe for my strawberry lavender sorbet. You can substitute any number of different fruits.
Strawberry- Lavender Sorbet
1 1/2 lbs strawberries
1/2 c. sugar, or to taste – you could also sweeten with honey, if you prefer, or use no sweetener
2-3 T. lavender syrup- recipe follows
Wash and stem berries. Place in food processor and blend until smooth. Sweeten to taste, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Place in a container with a lid and freeze. Once frozen, remove strawberry mix from freezer and sit it on the counter to soften a little bit. This is really the important part. You don’t want it to thaw, but you do want it soft just enough to break into chunks. Place chunks in food processor and blend it again, adding lavender syrup to taste. The liquid of the syrup also helps the sorbet to blend better. It will actually start to look a little creamy and lighter in color. You can serve it right away- or put it back in the freezer to serve later. At this point the sorbet is ready- but you can repeat the soften/process step once more, if you like, for even creamier sorbet. Makes 3-4 cups.
Lavender Syrup
¾ c. water
¾ c. sugar
1 tablespoon dried lavender buds
Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Add lavender and cook on low heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes, just until it starts to thicken a bit. Then set to the side to cool. Strain out the lavender and refrigerate. Yields just under a cup of syrup. Will keep in the fridge for weeks and weeks.
