How do I make a sorbet ? Please

[Joe R]

Hello, I am new here and have to say what a great site lots of very useful information.
I would like some help please, I would like to know how to make a sorbet any flavour, I cannot find a recipe anywhere ! I really love the hollowed out oranges served with sorbet in and would like to make these for a party,
Please if anyone has any advice I would be very grateful.
Many thanks

[mudbug]

Welcome to ChefTalk Joe.

It is very easy to make sorbet because you don't need an ice cream maker. Any stiff container will do. Sorbet's are essentially water, sugar and fruit.

Differences come with the ratio of the ingredients and the type of fruit and how the flavor is extracted or incorporated into the sorbet.

Check here for sorbet recipes. There are literally thousands for you to browse so you can get ideas and inspiration. There are more results at the bottom of the page, just go from page to page.

Are there particular flavors you are wanting to try?

[bouland]

It's easy, but the ratio of certain ingredients, such as alcohol is important. Click here for a bunch of sorbet recipes I've tested plus some other information on the subject.

[Anneke]

Bouland:

Excuse me? Glace à l'huile d'olive?

Have you really made/tasted this? What's your verdict?

[GSquared]

Joe, the most important aspect of any fruit ice is the sugar content, as it lowers the freezing point, which in turn determines the texture of the ice - the lower the freezing point, the softer the ice. Harold McGee in "The Curious Cook" devotes a chapter to fruit ices, and provides a handy table showing the amount of sugar to add for some 30 odd commonly used fruits - I use it religiously with great results. Recommended.

[GSquared]

Ok, Anneke, found a recipe for the Glace à l'huile d'olive, but in French.

1/2 litre de lait
250 g de crème fraîche
150 g de sucre
5 jaunes d'oeufs
Faites chauffer le lait avec la crème et la gousse de vanille fendue. Travaillez les jaunes d'œufs avec le sucre jusqu'à obtenir un mélange clair et mousseux. Incorporez petit à petit le lait chaud en battant; posez sur feu très doux et continuez à tourner jusqu'à ce que la crème nappe la cuillère.
Incorporez l'huile d'olive et laissez refroidir.

Seems to me to be simply a vanilla custard with olive oil added, the only difference being the addition of the crème fraîche.

[bouland]

Anneke: Oh yes, I've made this ice cream. (I never post any recipe on my site that I haven't made, usually multiple times.) The flavor is similar to a plain custard with a slight hint of the taste of the oil, but a mouth feel that is very reminicent of the oil. I used a sweet olive oil from a small mill near Grasse, France. The quality of the oil is very important this recipe.

Now is this my favorite ice cream of the bunch I published? Naw, I liked the coffee ice cream better.

[Anneke]

Bouland, your site is always an eye-opener.

This recipe actually gets the creative juices flowing. How about a trio of tomato, basil and olive oil ices as a small intermezzo for a fresh summer dinner?

(BTW, when are you getting your own TV show? )

[bouland]

Anneke: I think any of the three would be fine but all three at one meal would be too much. My preference for an intermezzo is the champagne sorbet or the cider sorbet.

BTW, when are you getting your own TV show?

I sit by my phone everday but no producer ever calls. I have lots of ideas...

[Anneke]

Yes, I'd have to agree with you... We really shouldn't mess with the classics.

[ShawtyCat]

Bouland

As soon as I can convert your Peach Sorbet recipe I DEFINATELY plan on preparing it. Yummy! I coulda used some when it hit 105 degrees here the other day. Whew!

[bouland]

Shawtycat

Just use the conversion engine on the same site to do the conversions quick and easy.

[ShawtyCat]

Thanks Bouland

I was trying to remember the website I found the conversion calculator on and wasnt having much luck. Sigh....too bad I didnt finish school in Barbados or I WOULD know the Metric System. LOL