Serves a Crowd

Quick Strawberry Sherbet

by:
August 23, 2009
4
2 Ratings
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

I learned this technique with the food processor years ago when I taught consumers how to get the most out of their Cuisinart food processors. This works with all fresh fruit in season, and is best with lusciously ripe fruit like the Tristars in this sherbet. —ChefJune

Test Kitchen Notes

All we can say is: thank goodness ChefJune was given an assignment to teach people about the wonders of their Cuisinarts. Not only is this simple dessert packed with intense strawberry flavor, but it takes all of five minutes to make. We'll admit we were a bit skeptical about the technique, but it works perfectly: you purée frozen berries in the food processor with sugar and lemon, leave the motor running while you pour in a little cold milk, and voila -- you have a lovely, loose sherbet. Since strawberry season is over, we used store-bought frozen berries. You can make this sherbet with pretty much any type of frozen fruit, but if you buy it ready-frozen, we recommend that you be judicious with the sugar. - A&M —The Editors

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Ingredients
  • 1 pint strawberries
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 to 1 cups superfine cane sugar
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • fresh mint for garnish (optional)
Directions
  1. wash and hull the berries and freeze for 40 minutes to 1 hour
  2. Chill the work bowl and blade of your food processor.
  3. Put the frozen strawberries, sugar and lemon juice into the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse to chop berries coarsely, then run machine continuously to create almost a purée.
  4. With the machine still running, pour the very cold milk through the feed tube into the strawberry mixture until the mixture is JUST blended.
  5. Spoon into dessert dishes, garnish with sprigs of fresh mint, and serve at once!

See what other Food52ers are saying.

30+ years a chef, educator, writer, consultant, "winie," travel guide/coordinator

16 Reviews

Luvtocook June 26, 2013
I have discovered that with rock hard frozen ice cream or sherbet,if you "nuke" it in the micro for 10 or 15 seconds, you can scoop VERY easily. At least my homemade strawberry frozen yogurt was great and so have pints of Ben & Jerry's and HaagenDaz (oh, I love their new chocolate gelato!)
Samantha J. April 16, 2012
I have been making this weekly for about a year. A little secret to keeping it from freezing too hard is to add some vodka. I probably add about 1/4c.
ChefJune August 21, 2012
That's a great idea Samantha, if you think it's going to be kept for a day or so. At our house it goes straight from the food processor bowl to serving dishes and thence to the tummies at the table, with none ever left to store.
zoosavagew1 August 5, 2011
Made this for my son the other day and he loved it. Going to try it this weekend with some blueberries from the garden. Thanks for this quick treat that can be made from the our garden!!
ellenl June 26, 2011
We have made this countless times. It's wonderful and so simple and quick. Thanks!
ergringle June 12, 2011
Similar, but different, recipe also using the food processor only: 2 cups fresh whole strawberries, 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup fresh squeezed/strained orange juice. Process in food processor using knife blade until smooth. Pour into 9" square baking dish. Cover and freeze three hours or until firm. Let stand at room temp for 10 minutes before serving. Yield: 5 servings (1/2 cup ea.).
Blissful B. June 9, 2011
I made this tonight - delicious! Who knew something so simple could taste so good? It's a saving grace on these hot days, for those of use without an ice cream maker.
Loves P. June 9, 2011
Can you freeze this after you've made it?
ChefJune June 12, 2011
not too well. It gets rock hard. So you have to take it out a good half hour before serving if you've stored in in the freezer. It was really meant to be eaten straight from the food processor.
robert_sidonio_jr March 9, 2011
Have you tried other berries like blueberries?
ChefJune March 9, 2011
Had reasonable success with red raspberries. But not as good as the strawberry. (and raspberries are my favorites). Have not tried blueberries. Let me know how they work, if you try them.
cheese1227 March 5, 2011
Chef June,
I have one more bag of strawberries picked from the height of the season last year still frozen. Should I thaw them just a bit before attempting this recipe?
ChefJune March 5, 2011
No, it's important the berries be frozen, or the finished sherbet will be liquidy.
cheese1227 March 5, 2011
Oh, the are frozen. Frozen solid since last summer. Your recipe says freeze them for 40 minutes. SO my question was more "are my berries TOO frozen?"
ChefJune March 6, 2011
No, they're not too frozen, unless they are coated with that white ice.
MadisonMayberry May 6, 2010
What a super simple, delicious recipe! I would be lost without my food processor and love this creative way to use it as summer approaches.