What to CookSorbet
David Lebovitz's Chocolate Sorbet
Every week -- often with your help -- FOOD52's Senior Editor Kristen Miglore is unearthing recipes that are nothing short of genius.
Today: The creamiest vegan chocolate sorbet you'll ever meet.
There's a reason people eat a small, easily moderated square of dark chocolate after meals. It's intense, satisfying, life-affirming. It's all you need. You're not going to accidentally scarf a whole bar of 83% single-origin fancy stuff. (Unless you're pregnant, or on deadline -- and that's okay.) Scatter it through a cookie or stir in hot cream to make a ganache, and we have a different end to the story.
But you hear chocolate sorbet -- no milk, no cream, no eggs -- and perhaps you imagine something severe. You wouldn't want a bowl of 83% squares, so what are you supposed to do with this?
Â
If milk chocolate ice cream is your childhood best friend, dark chocolate sorbet is her cool, sort of mean older sister. You want to be her friend, but what if she's bitter and aggressive and too deep? What if she makes you want to run back to the simple comforts of your old milky-sweet pal (or regress further, to shakes and fudgesicles)?
I am happy to report that you needn't worry about any of that with this chocolate sorbet from David Lebovitz -- ice cream whisperer and patron saint of all things sweet. No, you needn't worry at all.
Yes, the chocolate flavor is deep and true, with low notes of cocoa powder mingling with the epic aria of bittersweet chocolate. But despite having no dairy or eggs (that's right, vegans!), it's impossibly creamy. How? Why? I can only imagine there's some nature-defying emulsification going on in there, a la a certain genius chocolate mousse.
It also remains perfectly scoopable -- it doesn't go hard or icy in the slightest, even after several days in the freezer. Lebovitz credits this remarkable consistency to the high proportion of bittersweet chocolate. This also means that it's quick-melting: it is a sorbet that thinks it's a gelato on line at the Vatican on a steamy August afternoon. Here, like there, you'd best eat quickly.
Â
It should be noted that when I made it this recipe with standard-issue Dutch-processed cocoa and Baker's bittersweet chocolate, it was life-changing -- and you can only go up from there.
I've been known to spoon some up not just as an after work pick-me-up, but also first thing when I wake up, and as my last sweet bite before bed. I suppose I'm treating it like hot weather medicine (and it's working).
Â
But you can also eat it in normal, guest-appropriate ways. Lebovitz himself points out, "This makes a great milkshake in the summer -- add a few shots of espresso for a delicious mocha shake." And our Assistant Editor Nozlee Samadzadeh -- who tipped me off to this recipe -- has served scoops of it at dinner parties with tiny buckwheat cookies.
Clearly, chocolate sorbet is still the cool older sister. But you just got invited to her party.
David Lebovitz's Chocolate Sorbet
From The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz (Ten Speed Press, 2007)
Makes about 1 quart (1 liter)
Â
2 1/4 cups (555 ml) water
1 cup (200 g) sugar
3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
6 ounces (170 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
See a slideshow and the full recipe (and save and print it) here.
Photos by Nicole Franzen
Â
Comments (30)
Showing out of comments
almost 5 years ago Janneke Verheij
Nice writing. And delicious ice cream. A teaspoon of orange blossom water gives a nice extra fragrance. I want to try to use date syrup instead of sugar, anyone tried this already?
about 5 years ago lisabu
I never thought i'd like this because of the lack of cream but it is FABULOUS. Making it with Alice Medrich's coconut macaroons for Passover (pareve).
about 5 years ago Mlouise
I am somewhat sceptical that the consistency would be right. Worth a try if you have the time. There are several types of sugar substitute that are designed for baking so who knows?
about 5 years ago Happy in the kitchen
has anyone made this sorbet with sugar substitute? If so what are the measurements?
almost 6 years ago srcerer
"This is a home run," my partner exclaimed! My bread didn't do so well today but I'm thrilled this sorbet was delectable. We are new to making ice cream and this was my first sorbet. I used Valrhona cocoa & Araguani. The finish was a slightly powdery and I'm not sure if it the product or the process. I'm going to try the next batch with Manjari to see if there is a difference.
almost 6 years ago belby0
Wow! So easy and delicious. I'm so excited to have this in my recipe arsenal! And it's so much more justifiable - dark chocolate's health benefits and all :-)
almost 6 years ago kate h
I made this for Father's Day for my chocolate loving dad and my husband and it was wonderful. It was creamy and rich and fabulous. I lover David's recipes and am enjoying following this blog as well.
almost 6 years ago CocoJ
Made this in a flash last night for last minute dinner guests! F A B U L O U S! Doesn't take much, served in small ramekins with a little dash of fleur de sel....it was the perfect ending to a wonderful Fathers Day meal! I used 30z bittersweet and 3 oz semi....
almost 6 years ago Casey2
I made this following the recipe exactly and sorry to say, it turned out pretty grainy/icy, not what I would call "creamy". Tasted great, however. Too bad!
almost 6 years ago mcs3000
Alway love reading your work - beautiful writing, Kristen. David's recipes are genius. The way he folds melted chocolate into his mint-chip ice cream is a game-changer.
almost 6 years ago Mlouise
As I read, I am sneaking tastes of this fabulous sorbet ..hope to have enough to serve my guests tonight. Found the recipe in some old notes so glad that i made it.
almost 6 years ago Kenzi Wilbur
Kenzi is the Managing Editor of Food52.
I'm guessing that the way this was devoured in the test kitchen does not fall under "guest-appropriate?"
almost 6 years ago LillyHeather
If you're making this for vegans, make sure you use vegan chocolate. Some brands, like Baker's, are made with dairy like "milk solids."
almost 6 years ago cookbookchick
I'm sure the sorbet is wonderful (it is from David Lebovitz, after all) and I plan to try it very soon. But for me, Kristen, your writing is the real delight!
almost 6 years ago Brette Warshaw
Couldn't agree more!
almost 6 years ago The Teacher Cooks
Must try this! Just love this blog! www.theteachercooks.com
almost 6 years ago isabelita
OMG! What's not to like.
almost 6 years ago jbban
David's chocolate gelato recipe (from Ready for Dessert) is the most intensely chocolate experience I've ever had.
almost 6 years ago inge
In France I ate the most fine icecream/sorbets ever. This reminds me on it, the chocolate, i ate, was also a sorbet, but more flavor then the one made with milk ....
Look at :
http://terre-adelice.eu/
almost 6 years ago Colleen Friesen
Oh. Oh. Oh. I cannot wait to make this. J'adore dark chocolate. Thank you for a fabulous-looking recipe. Summer just got better!
almost 6 years ago Coffeecat
Looks luscious - I've worked with David before and his recipes are flawless. Of course, I'm sure we followers of Food52 would not be averse to receiving Nozlee's recipe for buckwheat cookies either!
almost 6 years ago Nozlee Samadzadeh
Sadly, it's not my recipe -- but it's from Alice Medrich, of the genius coconut macaroons! Here it is, reprinted on Orangette:
http://orangette.blogspot...
almost 6 years ago Fairmount_market
I just discovered these cookies, which are fabulous. Now I'll have to try them with this amazing sounding sorbet.
Showing 23 out of 30 comments