Summer Sorbets

As September struck Canberra, it brought with it the hottest start of spring on record. Although peak temperatures soon dropped back into the mid teens, the brief foray over 25°C was enough to set my summer tastebuds racing. What were they craving? Sorbet.

My introduction to sorbets took place somewhen back in the fog of early childhood, and lemon sorbet has been a favourite of mine for as long as I can remember. Tragically, it was succeeded last summer, ousted from its place by my sister's sorbet experiments. Her gin & tonic sorbet was delicious, but lime was the real challenger. Now, living 850 km away from her experiments, I've found myself craving homemade sorbets once more. Fortunately, recipes can be emailed easily. Unfortunately, icecream makers can't.

Enter Sam Tan's blog, on which she describes a simple method to make sorbets without the use of an icecream maker. The ingredients are not dissimilar from most sorbet recipes and I glossed over the list in my habitually non-attentive manner. The important thing is how to freeze the mix, not what it contains. Unfortunately it isn't a quick freeze, so the sorbet really has to be prepared the day before consumption. Feel free to play with the quantities; I always do.

Basic Sorbet Mixture

• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 egg white
• Flavouring
• Wine (not only optional but, some might argue, entirely unrelated to the recipe)
• Novel of choice

The quantity of flavouring required varies greatly, not just by your personal taste but also by what sorbet you're making. I've put some below that are to my taste.

• Start off by making a sugar syrup. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan on medium heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved then allow to cool.
• While your syrup is cooling, whisk the egg white until it forms stiff peaks.

  

  Scum!

• Combine your flavouring of choice with the sugar syrup. Pour combined syrup slowly into your egg whites while whisking gently. If you're used to making a meringue by pouring sugar syrup into beaten egg whites, don't panic when you don't get the usual gloriously silky cream. Instead, you should be expecting cloudy liquid topped with a thin layer of white scum. Yes, it does look that unappetising, but I guarantee you that it improves later.

So far, this is quite similar to the recipe books that come with most icecream makers (although they probably don't tell you that a layer of scum is a good thing). At this point, you'd transfer it to your machine and turn it on. Then all you'd have to do is sit back with a glass of wine and your favourite novel for an hour while waiting for your glorious sorbet to make itself. This isn't quite so simple, but don't abandon the wine yet.

• Pour your sorbet mixture (scum and all) into a lidded container and put it in the freezer. The sorbet will expand while freezing and again in later processing. Choose a container large enough to allow for this.
• Sit back with your wine and novel, because there's nothing for you to do for a while.
• Check the sorbet after a couple of hours. When the sides are frozen and the rest of the sorbet has formed an icy slush, stir thoroughly and return to the freezer. It needs to be left for at least three to four hours, but can be left overnight.
• When the sorbet is completely frozen and firm but not solid, transfer it to a food processor and blend thoroughly, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. When it is smooth and consistent, return the sorbet to its container and place it back in the freezer.

  

  Sorbet separates while freezing.

• Leave the sorbet for several hours until hard. It will probably separate slightly with a darker layer at the bottom of the container. Blend again until it becomes white and fluffy. Serve immediately or return to the freezer for later.

There you have it, a simple—although time-consuming—method to produce amazing sorbets without an icecream machine. I've listed a few of my preferred recipes below for some inspiration:

Lemon Sorbet
A simple, classic combination of citric tartness with the smooth sweetness of sorbet.

• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 egg white
• 1 1/2 cups lemon juice (freshly squeezed is preferable, but not necessary)
• Zest of two lemons

Follow the method for a basic sorbet.

Lime Sorbet
Lime juice has a stronger flavour to it than most citrus, and you need less for your sorbet. Test the flavour as you go though; you can add more juice after the first or second freeze.

• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 egg white
• 1 cup lime juice (freshly squeezed is preferable, but not necessary)
• Zest of two limes

Follow method for a basic sorbet.

Ginger Sorbet

This is an unusual one that I tried as an experiment. If you're a ginger fan, this balance of sweet, tart and a good tingle from the ginger is for you. It's a particularly good one to try if you make your own crystallised or glacé ginger.

• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 cup ginger syrup (leftover from making glacé ginger)
• 1-2 cm fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

Add the ginger syrup and grated fresh ginger along with the sugar and water when making the syrup. Add the lemon juice after it has cooled. Then follow the rest of the method for a basic sorbet.