5 Ingredients or Fewer
David Lebovitz's Chocolate Sorbet
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95 Reviews
lauren M.
February 20, 2024
one of the absolute greatest recipes of all time--I've made it probably fifty or more times now. It is perfection, exactly as written.
Brandy S.
June 26, 2022
So luscious! There used to be a gourmet ice cream shop in LA called Carmela. They had the best chocolate sorbet. This may be even better! Be sure to use high quality cocoa powder like Valrhona. Easy peasy and short active time.
Jill
June 3, 2020
This recipe is the most sublime offering for a vegan and/ or chocolate snob. It's perfect everything's and adaptable to added flavors. I personally prefer a heavy shake of high quality cinnamon and some fresh ground cardamom for complex layering.
It's also divine chilled but unfrozen, as an intense vegan pot de creme. Sublime.
It's also divine chilled but unfrozen, as an intense vegan pot de creme. Sublime.
Mary
April 23, 2020
Made it for the umpteenth time today. Might be the best batch yet.
Added 1 Tbs kahlua, 1/2 cup chopped salted (lightly) almonds and 1/2 unsweetened cacao nibs.
Vegan daughter in chocolate heaven.
Bless you David L.
Added 1 Tbs kahlua, 1/2 cup chopped salted (lightly) almonds and 1/2 unsweetened cacao nibs.
Vegan daughter in chocolate heaven.
Bless you David L.
maiolicagirl
August 29, 2019
This recipe is incredible. I make ice cream and sorbet all the time. I was a pastry chef for a few years. It is without doubt the very best chocolate sorbet, gelato ice cream recipe of all time. I made it again this week. My friends were fawning over it, where did you get this it’s is so amazing. The base is like a chocolate pudding that you could eat. but, persevere and make the gelato. You won’t be disappointed. A master piece. Thank you
David you are amazing.
David you are amazing.
andi
July 9, 2018
Made it without an ice cream maker (used a Pyrex bowl and stuck in the deep freezer using his method (every 30 min churning it with a hand mixer) was finished in about two hours). My favorite new type and way to make DF ice cream! Delicious!
Lorraine
July 1, 2018
This is such an awesome recipe. I have made this chocolate sorbet a view times and it was just delicious. Thank you so much David for sharing with us. Lorraine from South Africa.
JOYCE
July 23, 2017
JOYCE
I recently became extremely lactose & fructose intolerant, so no more ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbert or fruit sorbet. My son made this chocolate sorbet for me when he got back from Paris. It was PERFECT in every way! Dark chocolate flavor, smooth & creamy...ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!
I recently became extremely lactose & fructose intolerant, so no more ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbert or fruit sorbet. My son made this chocolate sorbet for me when he got back from Paris. It was PERFECT in every way! Dark chocolate flavor, smooth & creamy...ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!
tota
October 3, 2016
I am wondering why Saba, you would use corn syrup? This is not something I would've thought to add or substitute...this has never been icy when we've made so you might want to just go with the recipe as is....corn syrup is kinda on my no-no list.
Saba
October 4, 2016
Hi Tota, I usually make ice cream in the Jeni Britton Bauer style (eggless, with cream cheese, corn syrup, and cornstarch) for texture and scoopability issues. I read about how to replace sugar with corn syrup and that's how I came up with the amounts. In retrospect, 3/4c of corn syrup is probably too much. I am looking at revisiting the amounts. Karo Light Corn Syrup is the standard in candy making, and as I understand, is not the same as High Fructose Corn Syrup. Here's an article that discusses Jeni's ice cream method and the use of corn syrup: https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2014/08/recipe-for-homemade-ice-cream/
I'd be happy to hear your thoughts. And thanks for letting me know your sorbet was creamy. I will also try it with all sugar.
I'd be happy to hear your thoughts. And thanks for letting me know your sorbet was creamy. I will also try it with all sugar.
Smaug
August 22, 2019
Karo light contains no fructose- it is simply glucose syrup with (for reasons mysterious to me) tiny amounts of vanilla and salt added. Glucose is considerably less sweet than sucrose and binds water just as effectively, thus helping prevent large crystals from forming. It's a great shame that this product has been tarred by the controversy surrounding high fructose corn syrup; it's simply not the same thing.
Smaug
January 3, 2021
Actually, it binds water twice as effectively as sucrose; sucrose is a disaccharide and uses up one of its bonds bonding sucrose to fructose.
Saba
September 29, 2016
I have been making ice cream for a while, but am new to sorbets and they are sometimes icy and not very scoopable. So I tried tweaking the ingredients: 2.125 cups water, 1/2 cup sugar, and 3/4 cup corn syrup (everything else the same). I used high quality cocoa powder and dark chocolate, and added 1/4 tsp espresso powder. Amazing results: smooth, scoopable, rich, and creamy. By the way, I only have an immersion blender and it worked great!
Shahreen R.
March 11, 2017
Corn syrup is disgusting and incredibly unhealthy- Americans are obsessed with sugary chemical substitutes. Saba - David has been living in Paris for years and I promise you that Europeans would never touch corn syrup with a ten foot rod. Try Grand Marnier if you want to play around with consistency but stay away from the horror that is fed to the American masses aka high fructose corn syrup *shudder-*
Hannah S.
January 3, 2021
Actually David Lebowitz seems pretty okay with corn syrup in moderation. You do you!
https://www.davidlebovitz.com/why-and-when-to-use-or-not-use-c/
https://www.davidlebovitz.com/why-and-when-to-use-or-not-use-c/
Smaug
January 3, 2021
Not only that, the objections to high fructose corn syrup are somewhat dubious. It is basically the same as invert sugar (sucrose), which separates the fructose and glucose that make up table sugar; bonds that are broken down in the digestive process at any rate. Thus it's the same as far as sugars as Golden syrup or refiners' syrup, and- if your objection is to high levels of fructose- would be preferable to honey. Remaining objections have to do with the fear that harmful chemicals will somehow be included from GMO corn, for which there is absolutely no available evidence.
Virginia
September 10, 2016
Yes! Absolutely delicious. Made one batch inspired by the instructions (only cocoa powder - no other chocolate, all the water in the pot at the same time, and 2T of bourbon) and one as written. I have also tried Ina Garten's recipe. Ina's is tasty but David's real recipe and inspired are both winners. The one with just cocoa is light and refreshing. The one as written is dense and fudgey - more like an amazing fudgecicle. For my first "inspired" batch, I used Trader Joes Dutch processed cocoa powder. For the "real" batch, I splurged for some Valhrona Dutch processed cocoa powder and 87% dark chocolate. Either way, this recipe is going into permanent rotation at our house.
Zahara B.
June 3, 2016
I did beat it to thin it once it cooled thoroughly. It still gummed up my ice cream maker in 5 minutes. It was half frozen, half not, but too thick for the paddle to go through.
Zahara B.
June 3, 2016
I did beat it to thin it once it cooled thoroughly. It still gummed up my ice cream maker in 5 minutes. It was half frozen, half not, but too thick for the paddle to go through.
ellencooks
December 26, 2015
Nance - try beating the mixture better to dissolve the sugar once it is heated through.
Nance
December 26, 2015
It was not the sugar but the chocolate that would not break down. It was like little fat globules. I melted it, put it in a blender and refroze it yesterday. I'll see what it's like today. Thank you!
Smaug
January 3, 2021
This recipe includes no stabilizers or emulsifiers except for whatever lecithin is in the chocolate, and no fat except for the cocoa butter, so the type of chocolate could make a difference. Also, overworking fats can cause fat molecules to bond together into globules (that's how butter is made), so the blender step should be done with caution.
Nance
December 25, 2015
Mine came out grainy. Has anyone had this issue? If so, how do you correct it?
Emily L.
October 14, 2015
Absolutely delicious, brought this to a party and it was a big hit with everyone.
LLStone
August 26, 2014
I'm late to the party, but this is really great! I just made a batch for an ice cream social at work, and it's fantastic.
Betsy T.
July 7, 2014
I accidentally mixed all of the water to cook ingredients instead of some of the water and it still turned out beautifully. Super creamy and very rich. A little dollop of fresh whipped cream would be a great addition!
ellencooks
June 21, 2014
Diana - see Robert Cardinalli's comment below how he made it without an ice cream machine.
Barney W.
May 26, 2014
Why add the water in 2 parts? I'm going to try adding all the water in stage 1 and see what happens...either way, with both cocoa AND dark chocolate, this proves to be an intense sorbet. (love the espresso & amaretti addition, ellencooks)
ellencooks
May 27, 2014
Barney - hope I caught you before you made the sorbet. Yes, you are right, it is a very intense chocolate dessert and very tasty. Do not make the same mistake I did. Forgetting the recipe called for adding the water in stages, I just did it in one. The result was a very hard sorbet, so hard as a matter of fact, it had to come out of the freezer 30-40 minutes before serving. Do the two stage water...you will be happier!
Sharon
April 10, 2014
I am thinking of trying this onto try this on the frozen dessert setting in my Vitamix. Any thoughts?
Sharon
Sharon
Vitaj
February 21, 2014
Try a tablespoon or so of vodka or some other alcohol in the recipe - it seems to keep a coconut-milk ice cream that I make pretty scoopable.
Perrin H.
February 21, 2014
I enjoy the flavor of this, but I'm amazed at the description that it doesn't get hard in the freezer. In my freezer (set to the recommended 0 F and checked with a thermometer) it gets so hard that it has to sit out for 20 minutes before it can be scooped. My guess is that the Lindt 70% chocolate that I used has less sugar and more cocoa solids and cocoa butter. That would cause the mixture to freeze more completely. I'm experimenting with invert sugar to try make a softer version that can be scooped directly from the freezer, but that may not be possible without a lot more sugar.
LilyB612
January 27, 2014
If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can always just use your food processor by putting the bowl in your freezer (with the makings of cold deliciousness inside) and taking it out to process your sorbet every hour or so until it's done. Works great!!
Diane
November 5, 2013
Oh. My. Frozen brownie batter is the closest way I describe this. Don't make my mistake and skip the "cool completely" step, my mixture didn't even budge into a slushy state in the ice cream maker. I threw it in the freezer and found dreaded ice crystals this morning. I melted it slightly and ran it through the food processor, good as new, creamy, lush and utterly divine!
Felicia S.
September 27, 2013
I don't have 6 oz of semisweet chocolate. I do have cocoa powder that has a recipe on the side to convert the coca powder to baking chocolate. Could I just make that? Will it be the same?
Robert C.
September 3, 2013
My ice cream freezer did not operate at the last minute so I just froze this in a container. It worked perfectly, not a hint of ice crystals. It was a little more dense than it would have been using the ice cream freezer but this just added to the decadence of the experience. All my guests swooned.
fhp
September 1, 2013
I have never owned an ice cream maker. Does anyone have any suggestions for a first timer with little need for big batches.
Kristen M.
September 5, 2013
fhp, check out Robert Cardinalli's comment above if you haven't seen it already.
tota
August 12, 2013
We just made this again for a birthday dinner---for a chef, no less. It was perfection,everyone loved it, and easy as long as you have good quality chocolate on hand. Am curious about the espresso addition tho, so next time will try this.
ellencooks
August 1, 2013
I have been using a T of espresso powder in the water mixture. Fabulous! And finish with a sprinkle with crushed amaretti cookies. I make this every month for the husband.
Sondra
July 8, 2013
I made this yesterday in a Cuisinart ice cream freezer, but the sorbet did not freeze after 45 minutes in the freezer. So I put it into a container and into the freezer overnight and it still didn't freeze. What's up with that? I followed the directions exactly as listed. The flavor was to die for, but the product did not freeze!
kiki's C.
July 16, 2013
Sounds like your freezer may not be cold enough? It sounds as though it not set to a low enough temperature to either freeze your ice cream maker insert or a slightly thick liquid. There is nothing wrong with the recipe and I suspect you will find that your ice cream machine will work (with any recipe, whether ice cream, sorbet, or gelato) within 20-25 minutes, if it is properly frozen:-)
Susan K.
August 28, 2017
I, am using the Kitchenaid Ice Cream maker. When I took this mixture out of the fridge after 3 hours of cooling is was ....WATERY...now, after 20 minutes in the machine... it's like wet syrup. However, after 20 minutes in the ice cream maker...it's definitely thickening. I'm assuming after 2-3 hours in the fridge it'll be ok. I followed the directions exactly. I have made great ice cream before.
shoka2005
April 28, 2013
I don't have ice cream machine
could you tell me what to do in this condtion ,please ?
could you tell me what to do in this condtion ,please ?
belby0
March 24, 2013
This was so unbelievably good it prompted me to buy his book, The Perfect Scoop!
lisabu
March 23, 2013
I couldn't believe i'd like a chocolate sorbet but this is divine. Made it with Guittard Cocoa Rouge and Scharfenberger chocolate. Served with Alice Medrich's coconut macaroons for Passover.
LovieH2O
February 15, 2013
This is so rich and chocolaty it is dangerous. A little goes a long way. Then after a few minutes it calls you back for another taste. Best part is it makes me the gourmet in the eyes of my fans.
Ali @.
February 14, 2013
This recipe looks to die for. Absolutely cannot wait to try it and I love the ability to make it vegan! Some other substitutions: you could split the water and replace half with coconut milk for a very creamy treat and still not have the dairy.
BurgeoningBaker
February 13, 2013
1. Isn't a sorbet by definition sans cream/milk?
2. Don't most chocolates contain dry milk or milk fat?
2. Don't most chocolates contain dry milk or milk fat?
Lee A.
February 13, 2013
Sounds fabulous! I'll have to try it.
I'm on the "no dairy=no ear infections" eating style and usually use soy or almond milk when I make ice cream, but this looks great!
I'm on the "no dairy=no ear infections" eating style and usually use soy or almond milk when I make ice cream, but this looks great!
gretch374
February 10, 2013
I am having a crazy thought to cut back on the sugar and use that caramelized white chocolate in place of the bittersweet. Just for kicks and giggles. And hopefully boat loads of super yumminess. If I try it I'll let you know how it turns out.
Beth E.
February 7, 2013
This recipe is magical. Some kind of alchemy happens during the preparation of the ingredients to produce such a creamy product. It is absolutely delicious, yet very, very strong...too strong for my kids. So I experimented with combining the chilled mixture with 1.5 cups of heavy cream and 1/2 tsp vanilla before freezing. This turned out to be one of the best chocolate ice creams ever!
[email protected]
January 10, 2013
I just made this twice (one recipe for my house and one for my grandmother who cannot eat dairy)!! It is so yummy and creamy! I added some almond milk and peanut butter to mine and milk shake!! over the top!!
mbinzel
October 18, 2012
This is one of the best chocolate recipes EVER. DO NOT skip or forget the blender step like I did once...it homogenizes the mixture. Without it, you end up with gritty bits of chocolate in a sugary mixture. Still edible, but not nearly as delicious.
monacake
September 12, 2012
i return to this recipe again and again, and am always grateful and satiated. what a gift this simple, decadent, magical recipe is.
nicolena
August 23, 2012
I made this last night - absolutely delicious! I added a bit of cayenne and some cardamom to give it a bit of kick. Highly recommend!!
Choirbell
August 12, 2012
Awesome! We found that for some reason our ice cream maker only got the mixture to a slushy stage (which tasted awesome). But we put it in the freezer and it turned out to be a great Sorbet texture the next day. We'll be making it again and again as my husband is a chocoholic! I'd love to try it with cold coffee instead of water.
Margaret M.
July 15, 2012
So easy, so delicious -- like a Fudgesicle on steroids! Super chocolate-y. Served with raspberries and a garnish of mint. Can't wait to eat it again tonight!
Phoov
July 13, 2012
Stunning! Could not find full Dutch cocoa here in the NC mountains, I'm sure it is here somewhere!, but I did find a blend and used that. I had a ton of good quality 'eating' dark chocolate on hand....including 3 ozs of dark with orange zest, and incorporated that with another 3 ozs. plain dark. Made it just a slightly orangey wonderfulness!!!!!
tota
July 8, 2012
this is an amazing recipe...very,very easy (granted we had access to excellent chocolate) and everyone loved it. I think it is brilliant that something so good has no cream or eggs in it....I will make it over and over (and our relatively inexpensive Cuisinart ice cream maker worked perfectly...)
Robert B.
July 4, 2012
On the second try, I added a modest pinch of cayenne to the dry ingredients before the boiling, with great results.
lapadia
July 3, 2012
I’ve wanted to make this since last year, finally got around to it thanks to this posting. Delicious! I added a teaspoon Espresso powder to the water because I like this taste combination and 1.5 tablespoons chocolate vodka with the vanilla to help keep the sorbet softer....note, a habit of mine with any frozen treat.
chefkatgurl
June 30, 2012
I love experimenting with my Cusinart ice cream maker. This was one of the easiest & quickest frozen desserts I ever made. Very rich and delicious...I had a sugar high that lasted hours(!) Even subbed in 1/4 of the sugar with stevia powder. Hersheys has a dark cocoa powder that's really good.
Rebecca,Rodriguez
June 25, 2012
i made a triple batch & froze it in a 9x13 glass pyrex. i gave it a good stir after the first 45 min, and 2x more after 30 min. then i left it in the freezer overnight. it's def very dense and melts quickly. i think it would have been a little more airy if i had used the ice cream maker, but it's not totally necessary. hope this helps!!
KarenSue
June 18, 2012
I followed the directions precisely, used a Cuisanart Ice Cream Machine, and it was perfect. It looks exactly like the photo above + I did sprinkle a few pieces of salt on the top. It does appear to be more of a frozen mousse, not terribly thick, even the next day, so don't think you've made a mistake. Perfection! BTW... I used ghiradhelli cocoa + hershey's semisweet chocolate chips, which I had in the pantry.
Vitaj
June 18, 2012
To revise my previous post, after the ice cream maker had done all it could, I put the not-quite-frozen xylitized sorbet in the freezer, and it HAS firmed up a bit, though not as much as I suspect David L's does. Still, I am revising my judgement - it's more of a frozen mousse, and it melts FAST once outside the freezer, but it's still delicious, and more than OK with the substitution. It would amazing as a layer in a parfait, also, where it everything would be less time sensitive in terms of plating it. Xylitol-lovers - give this a try: David's amazing recipe subbing "x" for sugar.
fitsxarts
June 17, 2012
This is a game changer. And so creamy-delicious that I will happily eat this in lieu of ice cream. Thank you thank you! And yes, it's all about the chocolate.
mdm
June 17, 2012
DELICIOUS! Made it over the weekend for a big gang and we all loved it -- thank you!
Vitaj
June 17, 2012
OK: Bad times on the xylitol tip. The 45-second boil with the sugar matters (perhaps obviously to some of you!!). And the structural changes that do NOT happen with a 45-second boil of xylitol mean that a very soft-serve product is probably all that's possible. : ( I think I'll jar it, and use it as a topping on actual ice cream (though my actual ice cream is usually made with coconut milk). It's delicious, but radical changes would need to be made for this to work, probably in the form of adding dairy/eggs or both.
jellybeans
June 15, 2012
I don't have an ice cream maker....I feel like rushing out and buying the chocolate....I could taste it.Someone please try and make this by hand and post details.
mooleeadie
June 14, 2012
Echoing Vitaj on the xylitol question: I prefer the taste to sugar as well as the other benefits of substitution and wish more of you geniuses and great cooks worked with it. I may try the experiment.
missedtheboatagain
June 14, 2012
I'd love some ice cream maker recommendations. I have a tiny apartment freezer, so I don't want the kind where you have to freeze the canister. Which self chilling models (I know this means more $$$) work well and are reasonably priced? Where can you buy them online?
Vitaj
June 14, 2012
Do you think it would be possible to sub xylitol for sugar? It's all about whether or not the sugar does MORE than sweeten, because xylitol doesn't behave like sugar chemically in recipes. I think I'll try - living Low Carba Vida, but this sounds too good to not give low-carbization a go! Thanks!
knitnbead
June 13, 2012
You really don't need a $300+ ice cream maker. Cuisinart makes one for about $35 that works great. I have mine for years. It's one that has a freezing canister and any frozen concoction is ready within a half hour.
AlizaEss
June 13, 2012
I don't have an ice cream freezer... once I froze a coffee syrup like this in ice cube trays and ground them up in a cuisinart. It worked pretty well! Also considering this method of making ice cream/sorbet in a plastic bag: http://citypaper.com/eat/edible-elbow-grease-1.1328612
Once U.
June 13, 2012
FYI
I purchased a Cuisinart Ice Cream maker for $59 from Sam's Club, and they are also on Amazon for a bargain. It works beautifully, and is usually done in about 20 minutes.
I purchased a Cuisinart Ice Cream maker for $59 from Sam's Club, and they are also on Amazon for a bargain. It works beautifully, and is usually done in about 20 minutes.
Kerryloves2travel
June 13, 2012
By itself or paired with fresh raspberries & a bit of whipped cream! Divine.
Or a bit of crumbled Hazelnut cookies...
Never wrong with a smooth creamy chocolate dessert!
Or a bit of crumbled Hazelnut cookies...
Never wrong with a smooth creamy chocolate dessert!
ann67p
June 13, 2012
Do you have to put this into an ice cream maker? Can you just freeze it, stirring it occasionally? I know that's not as good as the maker, but it might do.
Kt4
June 13, 2012
I have the same question. There are a lot of good sounding sorbet & ice cream recipes coming out but I don't have [nor can I afford] an ice cream maker. It would be *great* if someone did an article about how to get around that ... hint, hint ;)
chocbird09
June 14, 2012
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2007/07/making-ice-crea-1/
Take care to REALLY break down any chunks when you stir. At first I didn't and my first homemade sorbet was rather dissappointing ;)
Take care to REALLY break down any chunks when you stir. At first I didn't and my first homemade sorbet was rather dissappointing ;)
maiolicagirl
June 13, 2012
This is a beautiful recipe, a favorite for summer. Paired with espresso granita or caramel ice cream or layered with , blackberry or raspberry sorbet and made into a terrine. It is a sublime summer time dessert. Bring on the fruit!
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