Summer is sorbet and ice cream season, and all this sunshine we’re getting was making me crave something cool and creamy. Since it also happens to be “better eat healthy to lose the holiday weight before summer” season, I thought it would be best to start off with a low-sugar sorbet. One of the difficulties in making a sorbet is getting a smooth creamy texture as opposed to a hard, icy one we’ve all experienced. Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to counteract if you know what to do to avoid the super big ice crystals.
1. Add fat. Adding fat (and in this case I used coconut milk), will surround the water molecules, making them form smaller crystals.
2. Add plant debris. In other words, puree your fruit instead of juicing it. This maintains fiber, and again reduces the overall water content. Pineapple is EXCELLENT for this.
3. Add sugar. The amount of sugar you need can vary depending on the sweetness of the fruit, the amount of fat, and plant debris. Dissolving sugar into your base before churning will help to lubricate the solid crystals.
4. Chill mixture thoroughly before freezing. This is the biggest step that most people miss before making gelato, ice cream, or popsicles. Chilling your mixture at least a few hours will help the ice crystals form quickly, and will therefore be smaller.
Ready? This sorbet recipe is short and sweet (get it? sweet!), and if you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can make popsicles with this recipe, or freeze it in an ice cube tray to puree into a frozen drink later! (Or add your favorite tropical rum if you’re feeling fancy.) —Pretty Rustic
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