Sorbet: Tips, Techniques, Troubleshooting, and Recipes

[alanamoana]

i wouldn't increase the sugar as it also won't freeze. your best bet would be to introduce some other type of juice/water mixture as your base and use the alcohol as the main flavoring, but in small amounts.

is this for a dessert or for an intermezzo/palate cleanser type of thing? sounds like the latter when i read the types of herbs/spices you're thinking of using. i think that makes a difference when asking for ideas for flavoring.

[Bicycle Lee]

he wasn't very clear on that, but yes, I would have to say it is probably an intermezzo...I do know he wanted to serve a single quenelle of it in spoons...

AS for introducing another liquid as a base, I'm just going to wait to talk more with him because this guy is Swiss....and Swiss men are pretty much "my way or the high way" types...if it comes down to it, I'll just have him make the shit...it ain't MY name on this thing...

[spoonbread]

I make most alcoholic sobets by using 2 cups simple syrup( made with 2cups sugar, 4 cups water), 1 cup water, 2 TB of citrus and 1/2 cup alcohol. This works well, but the alcohol still effects the freezing poit. The sorbet will work, but it will melt quickly. Some ideas....vodka, lemon and angostora bitters... vodka, bay leaf, vanilla and pepper.........vodka, lemon grass, ginger.......vodka, cilantro, orange, jalapeno.........

Hope this helps..............

[Bicycle Lee]

so we need to make enough to utilize an entire liter of vodka....so we're talking like 3 or four liters of other liquid, right? Simple syrup and otherwise...

[spoonbread]

Correct........1 liter vodka to to 2 liters water to 4 liters simply syrup. Also, be sure to tase and adjust as you would like ( thats my favorite part! )

[beans]

He wants me to make a sorbet using citron vodka flavored with herbs and other things, sort of like aquavit...I was thinking I'd infuse the vodka with clove, fresh bay leaf, and green peppercorns... I said I thought rosemary would go well with the lemon, but he didn't sound too keen on that. Any ideas on flavors?

I'd drop the clove and use anise, caraway and coriander seeds. Lemon or orange vodka should work fairly well, however I'd tend to think the orange may be too sweet. A lemony one would be crisp and cleaner if that makes any sense.

I hope it works out wonderfully.

[Big Bunny]

Isn't vodka usually served OVER a sorbet?

BB

Oops! iriee already mentioned this. Sorry!

Edited April 2, 2004 by Big Bunny (log)

[alanamoana]

he wasn't very clear on that, but yes, I would have to say it is probably an intermezzo...I do know he wanted to serve a single quenelle of it in spoons...

AS for introducing another liquid as a base, I'm just going to wait to talk more with him because this guy is Swiss....and Swiss men are pretty much "my way or the high way" types...if it comes down to it, I'll just have him make the shit...it ain't MY name on this thing...

you should definitely be following the cafe gray thread then ...ahhh, swiss men...

yes, get a clearer idea of what he wants. seems to me when savory chefs want to make a sorbet or something like that for an intermezzo, they seem to think you can throw anything into a batch freezer and it will come out beautifully. rarely the case in real life. if you are using a paco jet, it would be more likely to work than in a regular ice cream freezer, but still iffy without another liquid. just watch the sugar.

[therese]

Unless you're willing to use liquid nitrogen (I'm actually not kidding---I've got a friend who makes liqueur sorbets with liquid nitrogen) or dry ice (solid CO2) the vodka's going to be very much a flavoring agent in this instance.

The liquid nitrogen approach works well for small dinner parties, but would not be practical for a cater.

[cbarre02]

If this is an intermezzo why not go a differnt route, and avoid any complications. Use the alcoholl in a gelee and serve it with a herbed citrus sorbet.

[Bicycle Lee]

If this is an intermezzo why not go a differnt route, and avoid any complications. Use the alcoholl in a gelee and serve it with a herbed citrus sorbet.

well, if it were me...I would...but he's at the wheel, and it might kill both of us if I grabbed it and swerved...you know what I mean?

I expressed my concerns about it and he ended up taking it into his prep list, so no worries...

[Bicycle Lee]

well....I can't help but chortle.... The sorbet was a failure...but the one saving grace was that no one actually knew that it was going to be served, so he decided to just forego it.... It was like a half melted slurpee even after a four hours in the freezer at the event...which was after it had sat in his freezer for even longer... I opted not to say I told you so, but I was lauging on the inside.

The event was fun, though...

Edited April 5, 2004 by Bicycle Lee (log)

[jpr54_]

i purchased a cuisinart icecream/ sorbet maker and i am looking for new recipes-

i looked at the old thread and would like to begin another-

i have made chocolate sorbet and coconut sorbet with success.

[Mayhaw Man]

Melon Sorbet

4 cups chopped melon w/1/2 cup sugar added

Simple syrup (1 c sugar/ 2 c water boil and then simmer 5 min)

1 cup heavy cream

Puree fruit and then run through fine sieve

Combine all ingredients

Refrigerate over night (this part is very important with the cuisinart)

Freeze in Cuisianart

Harden in Freezer

Impress your friends and family.

We have gotten to the point where this is a almost daily ritual. WIth the melons you might want to add juice of a lemon or lime (depending on the fruit used and your own taste-cantalope is our current fave and we add a little lemon juice, maybe like 1 lemon)

[bloviatrix]

If you look in eGRA you'll find my recipe for Strawberry-Balsamic sorbet.

[Bicycle Lee]

I had a bunch of citrus fruit sitting around and I made grapefruit, orange, lemon and green tea sorbet and it is fargin awesome.

I also really like fresh berry sorbets...

Liquor sorbets are nice too, but they take a little longer to get to the right consistency....ya know, like citrus vodka, or gin and tonic sorbet...

[Gifted Gourmet]

Fresh strawberry sorbet is my favorite and so simple to make: make a simple syrup with water and sugar, process up some strawberries, a touch of fresh lemon juice and put into your Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker! Heaven!

Quick and easy yet equally refreshing? Ruby Red Grapefruit juice mixed with some simple syrup ... put in the Cuisinart and enjoy!!

[Bicycle Lee]

it is personal preference, but when doing berries, I always strain out the seeds...I do not like the little fuckers getting in my teeth when I am enjoying my sorbet, and they really do nothing for it.

Oh yeah...and another couple sorbets that I really enjoy:

lemon mint

lemon mint and rosemary

red grape

strawberry and balsamic

pear lavender

quince

orange blossom (if you can find them)

all of these have nice clean flavors and can be used as an intermezzo.

[aidensnd2]

My all time favorite is Apple and Calvados.

[fiftydollars]

tea sorbet... I especially like oolong and earl grey.

[binkyboots]

rose petal sorbet is wonderfull...

I've also seen a recipe for chocolate sorbet, never fancied it myself though.

edited for spelling

Edited May 28, 2004 by binkyboots (log)

[JennotJenn]

Coconut lime.

[Gul_Dekar]

My friend and I were trying out a sorbet recipe, and put the sorbet mixture in the ice cream maker to churn. Problem is, it didnt freeze up like it should but remained liquid even after extended churning time. The freezer bowl was chilled as per instructions from the manufacturer. The ice cream maker is a Cuisinart ICE-20C.

Was wondering if some has any idea what went wrong. Thanks!

Edited August 3, 2004 by Gul_Dekar (log)

[origamicrane]

There's only one reason why your sorbet didn't freeze and its because it wasn't cold enough.

You know the inner freezing container has to be literally rock solid frozen through

stick the container back in the deep freeze and turn the freezer to its coldest setting and leave it in there for at least 12 hours if this doesn't solve your problem might mean you need a more powerful deep freezer.

Also the ambinent temperature of the room and the sorbet mixture temp might effect it. Once you made the sorbet liquid stick it in the fridge and allow it to cool completely. Then pull out the freezing container and make you sorbet it should work then. Also if your kitchen temp is too high the bowl temp will start to rise as its churning if your sorbet hasn't frozen within 15 minutes it probably won't.

If that happens just stick the whole lot into the deep freeze wait until its frozen then stick the whole lot into a blender.

[Busboy]

What he said -- especially the part about chilling your mixture first. In the old days, if the stuff din't freeze you could just throw on more ice and rock salt. Now, you only have one chance....

Also, both sugar and alcohol lower the freezing temperature of sorbet, if you had larger-than-usual quantities of either in the recipe, this will slow the freezing.

Finally, check your freezer and fridge temps. If you're generally a thrifty individual and keep both sections relatively warm, you might want to crank up the cold the morning of the event.