Summer

Honey-Lime Strawberries & Lemon-Buttermilk Sherbet

by:
May 27, 2015
4.3
3 Ratings
Honey-Lime Strawberries & Lemon-Buttermilk Sherbet
Photo by Armando Rafael
  • Serves 6 to 8
Author Notes

Here, the season’s first strawberries are soaked in a syrup that’s floral from honey, zesty from lime, and just slightly suggestive of cardamom. Serve them over a lemon-buttermilk sherbet that’s both sharp and sugary, both icy and creamy, for a dish that has the array of flavors and textures (and colors, too) you'd expect as the last course of an expensive tasting menu.

The strawberries are barely adapted from Food & Wine, and the sherbert comes from the blog Turntable Kitchen, where it was adapted from Sidewalk Shoes. —Sarah Jampel

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the strawberries:
  • 1 pound strawberries (use small, local strawberries if you can), hulled and thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • For the sherbert:
  • 2 lemons
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 cups buttermilk, well shaken
Directions
  1. Put the strawberries in a large heatproof bowl (do not use metal). In a small saucepan, combine the honey and the lime juice and bring to a boil. Stir in the lime zest and the cardamom, remove from the heat, and pour over the strawberries. Stir the strawberries to coat them in the syrup, then let stand, stirring once or twice, for at least 25 to 30 minutes, until the berries are soft and plump, bathing in a bright red juice.
  2. Zest one of the lemons and set aside. Juice both of the lemons and set the juice aside.
  3. In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Add in the lemon zest and set over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the mixture into a heatproof bowl and set in the refrigerator until completely chilled.
  4. Once the syrup has cooled, whisk in the buttermilk and the reserved lemon juice. Process according to your ice cream maker’s instructions then freeze completely until solid.
  5. Serve the sherbet with heaping spoonfuls of macerated strawberries overtop.
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  • burning-ice
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  • Jamie Coburn
    Jamie Coburn
  • Sarah Jampel
    Sarah Jampel
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8 Reviews

burning-ice
burning-ice November 6, 2015
This sounds great - but why can't I use a metal bowl for the strawberries?
 
asmaa
asmaa June 2, 2015
this was perfection! i loved the tang of the buttermilk and the sweet sourness of the lemon. i added the tiniest hit of vanilla bean paste to the sherbet to round it out. i will be making this all summer!
 
Sarah J.
Sarah J. June 10, 2015
So glad you liked it, asmaa!
 
Jamie C.
Jamie C. May 31, 2015
I made it this afternoon. It was FAB! I love buttermilk in ice cream. It was a perfect amount. The ingredients to macerate strawberries was wonderful! Great recipe. It is tart from lemon juice, but a great balance for the buttermilk.
 
judith@hudsonvalleycooking
judith@hudsonvalleycooking May 28, 2015
I assume in step 4 you add the lemon zest not the juice. Sounds delicious.
 
Sarah J.
Sarah J. May 28, 2015
Oh, my mistake! You do stir in the juice in step 4. You stir in the zest in step 3. I fixed the error—thank you for catching!
 
Monica D.
Monica D. May 28, 2015
Where does the lime come in to play? The recipe calls for lime and lime zest. I'm confused.
 
Sarah J.
Sarah J. May 28, 2015
Hi Monica, It's listed in step 1. It's for the strawberries.