Blueberry and Red Grape Sorbet
The first time I made this sorbet, it was kind of an accident. I was in the mood for sorbet and decided on making blueberry. I grabbed a few containers of blueberries out of the freezer and put them on the counter to soften for a few minutes. Well, instead of three containers of blueberries I had grabbed one of blueberries and two of red grapes.
I decided to use them together. It really worked out well, because the grapes added a lot of natural sweetness to the blueberries. I added a couple of tablespoons of sugar to the fruit, but in hindsight, I think the sorbet would be sweet enough without any added sugar. I also added a little fresh mint. It really is a light, refreshing dessert.
Of course, you can start out with fresh fruit in this recipe, you just have to freeze them as some point. We made it in cooking camp last summer and the kids loved it. We made it without adding any extra sugar and the kids thought it was sweet enough. It ends up as a satisfying dessert- that is really just fruit.
Blueberry-Red Grape Sorbet
4 c. red grapes, fresh or frozen
2 c. blueberries, fresh or frozen
sugar to taste- I used a couple of tablespoons
a few sprigs of fresh mint, optional
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. You might have to do this in a couple of batches. Place in a container and freeze until solid. Remove from freezer and allow to soften for about 20 minutes, or even a little less. Mixture should still be frozen, but soft enough to break into chunks. Place in processor and mix again. Mixture will get smoother and softer. You can also do this step in a stand mixer or even with a hand mixer. Return sorbet to freezer, until ready to eat it. For even smoother sorbet, repeat the step of softening and running through the processor again.
Strawberry Sorbet
Strawberry sorbet is a wonderful dessert to keep around, especially in summer. It is sweet and a little tart and very refreshing. It is such a pretty color. We made it in class the other night.
You can play around with adding other flavors. I sometimes add fresh herbs, like mint or lavender. Extracts, like vanilla, can be added, too.
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. Sorbet can be a fun topper in cocktails, too.
You can make 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, if you can. Each time, the sorbet gets smoother and creamier. I use my food processor.
Strawberry Sorbet
1 1/2 lbs strawberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 c. sugar, or to taste – you could also sweeten with honey, if you prefer, or use no sweetener
1 T. lime or lemon juice
Wash and stem berries. Place in food processor with juice 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. 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.
