5 Ingredients or Fewer

Pear Vanilla Sorbet

October 30, 2012
5
2 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

Fresh pears that are juicy but not too soft work best here! Bartletts are my pear of choice but I'm sure any type would be delicious. —gabsimonelouise

Test Kitchen Notes

This five-ingredient sorbet is so simple to make, and even more delightful to eat. After just a few minutes on the stove and a few hours in the fridge, the sorbet sets up perfectly and is ready to serve. The flavors lend well to experimentation (a touch more lemon? a dash of ginger?) but at the end of the day the original is pretty hard to beat. —figgypudding

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Ingredients
  • 4 Ripe but firm medium-sized pears
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 Vanilla bean
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions
  1. Core the pears and cut into 1-inch dice. No need to peel them. Put them in a pot with 1/2 cup water. Cook over medium heat until soft and mashable, 10-15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a saucepan. Put the remaining 1/2 cup water, sugar, and vanilla bean into the saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.
  3. Remove vanilla bean from saucepan and place into a large bowl. Pour the sugar/water mixture, lemon juice and the cooked pear mixture into a blender and blend until smooth, then pour into the large bowl. Let mixture cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap, and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, 3-4 hours.
  4. Once chilled, remove vanilla bean from the bottom of the bowl. Process the sorbet in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. This sorbet easily keeps for two weeks in the freezer without getting too hard or losing flavor! Enjoy!

See what other Food52ers are saying.

8 Reviews

Fatima October 5, 2018
Yum. I added a scoop of marscapone and some ginger. So delicious.
Sandra April 12, 2015
How can I make this sorbet without a ice cream machine? :)
gabsimonelouise April 12, 2015
I'd say just like any other ice cream can be made without a machine! Just put the mixture in a sturdy container in the freezer and take it out ever 30 minutes or so and give it a good stir until it is the consistency you desire.
Skin G. July 12, 2013
this is delicious. i have also made the chocolate sorbet and it is super rich dark and sweet.
Skin G. July 12, 2013
@mopjocky see step 3
Remove vanilla bean from saucepan and place into a large bowl. Pour the sugar/water mixture, lemon juice and the cooked pear mixture into a blender and blend until smooth, then pour into the large bowl. Let mixture cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap, and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, 3-4 hours.
mopjocky November 16, 2012
I made this today but did not use the lemon juice. The instruction did not specify when to use it.
gabsimonelouise November 16, 2012
Thanks! I'll put it in :) Glad you made it.
gabsimonelouise November 16, 2012
Hmm, can't seem to find edit recipe button...but the lemon juice should be added to the blender with the other mixtures.