With the summer upon us, a cool treat is sure to provide relief.
But if ice-cream seems a little rich, lighter frozen desserts such as sorbet and granite are refreshing alternatives.
Unlike ice-cream, sorbet contains no milk. The frozen dessert is a simple mixture of fruit or fruit juice, sugar and water and can come in almost any flavour.
“Sorbet can be made from virtually anything,” says Patrick Davidson, president and co-founder of PJ Madison’s Ice-Cream Co in San Antonio.
Thrilling combos
“It can come in flavours as simple as raspberry, strawberry and lemon, and as complex as coconut jalapeno, which I made for a catering company once.
It can be made from almost any type of fruit or anything you can steep into a tea.”
Sima Hinson, owner of Brindles Awesome Ice-Creams, has made adventurous flavours such as Granny Smith apple, jasmine green tea and ruby red grapefruit.
“The ruby red grapefruit is so amazing,” she says.
Once a year, a cool cucumber sorbet is available at Brindles.
In addition to a vast array of fruit sorbets, Justin Arecchi of Justin’s occasionally makes a chocolate sorbet for his customers.
“Any kind of fruit you can find, I can make a sorbet out of,” he says.
Ice-cream maker must
To make homemade sorbet, an ice-cream maker is a must.
“An ice-cream maker gives a constant introduction of air to the mix,” Davidson says.
“If you’re not adding air you will end up with an ice cube,” he adds.
For a simple fruit sorbet, combine sugar and water over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Purée the fruit of choice in a blender or food processor. Stir the purée into the cooled sugar syrup and refrigerate until chilled.
Then place the mix into an ice-cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Add accompaniments for that fabulous finishing touch, .
Hinson, for example, serves sorbet with fruit and ice-cream.
“A nice cup of espresso or any rich coffee is nice with sorbet,” suggests Arecchi.
“A lemon sorbet with white chocolate is amazing,” Davidson says.
“The two flavours complement each other very well.”
If there is a craving for a cool crunch, granite is an option.
“Granite is more like chunks of ice which is closer to a raspa,” Arecchi says.
Like sorbet, granite comes in many flavours, including almond, cherry, coffee and lemon.
Slushy delight
To prepare a simple lemon granite, combine water, sugar and lemon juice.
Then pour into a baking dish and freeze until the mixture becomes slushy.
Stir to break up the ice crystals and continue freezing and stirring every 15 to 20 minutes until the granite takes up a slush-like consistency.
Sip on these summer specials
MOJITO SORBET
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup finely chopped mint leaves or 1/2 teaspoon spearmint extract
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 to 1-1/2 cups freshly squeezed lime juice
- Mint leaves, for garnish
Method
Place sugar and chopped mint leaves or spearmint extract in a large bowl or pan and pour boiling water over it.
Mix at high speed until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Let the mixture stand and steep for at least 30 minutes.
Strain the mixture with a fine sieve and let it cool to room temperature. Then add lime juice.
Place the mixture into an ice-cream machine and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Remove from machine, put into a container, cover and place in your storage freezer for at least 20 minutes.
Serve and garnish with mint leaves.
Makes about 3 and 1/4 cups.
Approximate nutritional values per 1/4-cup serving: 90 calories (0 per cent fat per serving), 0 protein, 24g carbohydrate, 22g sugar, 0 dietary fibre, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 0 sodium.
Source: PJ Madison’s Ice-Cream Company
LEMON SORBET
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Method
Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, remove from the heat and cool.
Combine the syrup with the lemon juice and zest and pour into the bowl of an ice-cream machine.
Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. After the sorbet is made, transfer to an airtight container. Cover tightly and freeze until ready to serve.
Makes 2 cups.
Approximate nutritional values per 1/2-cup serving: 140 calories, 0 protein, 41g carbohydrate, 37g sugar, 0 dietary fibre, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 0 sodium.
Source: Foodnetwork.com.
ALMOND GRANITE
- 2 cups slivered almonds
- 4 cups spring water, divided use
- 2/3 cup sugar
Method
In a food processor, grind the almonds to a fine paste.
Add 1 cup water and process with almonds. Let stand for 1 hour.
Strain through a fine-meshed sieve, stirring and pressing on the almond paste with the back of a large spoon to release as much liquid as possible.
Set the almond milk aside. Return the almond paste to the food processor and add 1 more cup of water.
Process, let stand and strain as before. Repeat this process two more times. Reserve the almond milk and discard the almond paste.
In a medium bowl, combine the almond milk and sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour into a 9-inch round or square baking dish.
Freeze until the mixture becomes slushy around the edges, about 30 minutes. Stir to break up the ice crystals.
Continue freezing, stirring the mixture every 20 minutes, until it is slushy, about 1 hour.
Makes 1 quart or 4 servings.
Approximate nutritional values per serving: 340 calories (53.9 per cent calories from fat), 10g protein, 34g carbohydrate, 26g sugar, 6g dietary fibre, 23g fat, 0 cholesterol, 10mg sodium.
Source: Gelato! Italian Ice Creams, Sorbetti & Granit by Pamela Sheldon Johns.
BEN & JERRY’S RASPBERRY SORBET
- 12 ounces fresh raspberries (can substitute frozen, unsweetened)
- 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups sugar
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup cold water
Method
Combine the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a mixing bowl and refrigerate covered for at least 1 hour.
Add the corn syrup and water when you are ready to freeze and stir gently until blended.
Transfer the mixture to the ice-cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Makes 6 servings.
Approximate nutritional values per serving: 150 calories (0 per cent fat per serving),0 protein, 43g carbohydrate, 28g sugar, 0 dietary fibre, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 10mg sodium.
Source: www.recipezaar.com
WATERMELON-BERRY GRANITE
- 7 cups (3/4-inch cubes) seeded watermelon (from 4 and 1/4 pounds)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 large ripe strawberry, hulled
- Pinch of salt
Method
Working in batches, purée watermelon in blender until smooth. Return 4 cups purée to blender. Add sugar, lemon juice, strawberry and salt. Blend until smooth.
Pour mixture into a 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Freeze until icy at edge of pan, for about 45 minutes.
Whisk to distribute frozen portions evenly. Freeze again until icy at edge of pan and overall texture is slushy.
Whisk to distribute frozen portions evenly, then freeze until solid, for about 3 hours.
Using a fork, scrape granite down length of pan, forming icy flakes. Freeze the mixture for at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep frozen.)
Servings: 8
Approximate nutritional values per serving: 70 calories, 0 protein, 21g carbohydrate, 20g sugar, 1g dietary fibre, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 0 sodium.
Source: Epicurious.com
