Author Notes
Long live spicy desserts. Sweet habaneros and tart strawberries mix amazingly well in this sorbet that we tried out on a dare, and man are we happy that we took the risk. —Jon Brian Kinney
Ingredients
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2 pounds
ripe strawberries
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1
small habanero
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3/4 cup
sugar
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3/4 cup
water
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1/4 cup
light corn or tapioca syrup
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2-3 tablespoons
lemon juice (to taste)
Directions
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Put the sugar and water in a sauce pan over high heat and allow the mixture to boil, dissolving all the sugar in the solution. Once it resembles a syrup, remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
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Spear the habanero on a fork and flame the skin over a gas burner (or with a blow torch) until the entire body of the chile is black. Remove the habanero from the fork and place in a plastic bag for 10 minutes or so, allowing the chile to sweat and its outer skin be very tender. Rub the char off the habanero, then remove the stem and the seeds, discarding them.
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Put all of the strawberries and the processed habanero into a food processor and blend until completely smooth. Strain it, if you like. Transfer the very fine strawberry habanero pulp to a large bowl and whisk in all the simple syrup and corn syrup. Chill in an airtight container until cold, at least an hour (we recommend overnight as it will allow the subtle flavor of the habanero to develop further).
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Prepare your ice cream/sorbet churner (if you using a freezer bowl make sure that it is completely frozen—this typically takes up to 24 hours). Remove the sorbet mix from the fridge and add the lemon juice, then pour into the churning machine. Churn for 15–20 minutes, or until it becomes thick and almost smoothie-like. Transfer into an airtight container like a large tupperware; cover in plastic wrap, allowing it to stick to the entire surface of the sorbet, lid it, then chill in the freezer for at least 4 hours to overnight. Serve in cups, cones, or maybe even in a spritzer for a zippy float.
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